Hot Press Paper

 This entry was originally posted on Saturday, January 7, 2012.

There are different textures to watercolor paper.

These textures are usually called hot press, cold press, and rough.

Today I will tell you about hot press.

The texture is smooth. I like to think of it as if a hot iron has smoothed it out, which is basically what happens.
After the paper has been made, it is run through some hot cylinders to smooth it down.

It is beautiful but can be difficult to use. The paint seems to slip and slide over the surface more.

Some may enjoy this look. Others may find it more difficult to use.

It is great for more detail work and recently I discovered a common use for hot press paper.

It was brought to my attention that many botanical watercolor illustrations are done on hot press paper so I had to give it a try.

It is wonderful for creating hard lines. If this is the look you want, it is worth the investment.