Before they were bought out and vanished, Bee Paper in pads (not sheets) was amazing.

@@hiddenshadow2105 *gasp* they had PADS?!? Uuuugh I would love to have one of those. I really love Bee Paper

@@NoreenCerroneArt Pads were better, at my experience. I see a few still available on Amazon (blue ones are watercolour) but the prices I am seeing are much higher there than when they were in the store. Jerrysartarama seems to have a few smaller ones for much more reasonable prices.

​@@NoreenCerroneArt Search words would be "Bee Creative Art Journal Watercolour" They aren't pads but journals - sorry, I misnamed them. But the paper was thick enough I don't recall much warping anyway

@@hiddenshadow2105 definitely gonna check it out!

Dey NM that’s exactly right! I bought the canson too and struggled so much in the beginning. If you can get a few pieces of cotton paper on sale, you’ll really see the difference.

Same!!!!1 i have the canson one and it makes me so mad, it doesn´t resist a lot of washes like on the first wash it gets ugly, but is what I have, I guess that the good thing will be that when I get cotton paper it will be easier x.x

Ari cheria use it for sketching or planning! That’s what I do. And swatches 😆 so much swatching. If you use a brush that doesn’t hold a lot of water and paint lightly it’s ok for testing color combos and things like that but yeah... cotton is the way to go

If you have a hobby lobby in your area I suggest the Master’s Touch over Canson, I too hate it with a passion. The only decent “cheap” (cellulose) paper I have found for actual painting is Strathmore but even that is a pain once you have experienced 100% cotton

(October 2021) I recently bought some Grumbacher watercolor 9x12 in a spiral bound, In&Out (replaceable) 30 sheet format at Walmart, really well priced, and have been highly surprised and pleased by its agreeable, reworkable performance. I was rather harsh and it stood up to all my layers, lifting, and repeated in the same areas. Then, after my entire onslaught, I gently curved it in several directions, and it has resolved the minor buckling it had shown. (I hadn’t secured it to a board, just masking taped the edges, and Not sure if this good result was partly due to my wetting the reverse of the paper in places where the repeated wetting actions were taking place). I am a fellow Canson WC paper hater. (Although I enjoy the Mi-teintes for pastel work). I hope you have found some good papers. (I Recently paid $1.18 a sheet for the Arches used in the above video, Amazon prime, 9 day shipping). Best wishes, Pat in New Hampshire

Yeah I still use the strathmore for sketching and swatches etc. I have so much of it still lol

I beg to differ. If you store watercolor paper properly say in not humid conditions like a basement the sizing will not be affected.

I have that same Bee Paper, and it dries SO FAST. I did a loose floral exercise on it and again on W&N paper, and they don’t even look like they were made by the same person. The Bee paper looks like it was painted by a tween, while the W&N is really nice, and something I’m proud to show off. The main difference was that the W&N stayed wet for long enough to do wet on wet and drop in color, while the Bees dried before I even finished the flower most of the time, giving everything hard edges and unwanted glazing. The colors were also dulled. So I mainly use it for swatching colors that I mix while painting, dabbing off paint, and marker art. I really like it for markers! I have another cheap, 100% cotton Amazon pad that dries way too fast, so I’ve been using it as my official swatch book. Super useful!

Amiee Kane you got it!! It was so enjoyable to do. Are you new to watercolor or have you been painting for a while?

@@NoreenCerroneArt very new, only painting about 6 months and loving it ❤

Amiee Kane that’s fantastic! It’s such a great medium and so fun. Do you have Instagram? I’d love to see some of your work

So would I. Great job on that one and the stellar one.

This is such good information! I’ve been really interested in trying the Kilimanjaro paper. I still find myself going back to the Meeden block. I love it so much, I bought 3 more! It’s just been really great for practice and relaxing and just creating whatever without the stress of working with “precious” expensive paper like Arches. I do really like the arches but avoid using it for practice stuff.

@@NoreenCerroneArt It's great to be able to discuss our findings! If you like paper tests there are a couple really fabulous videos by Jill Poyerd Fine Art here on YT where she tests papers, I highly recommend them.

@@NoreenCerroneArt So I received my paper order and I noticed that visually, Kilimanjaro paper and Fabriano look identical - exact same color and texture. (I had heard a rumor that Kilimanjaro is made by Fabriano.) Strangely enough though, they did not perform exactly the same. My particular sample of Fabriano was great -- mind did better than it performed in Jill Poyerd's tests -- it did better wet on wet than the Kilimanjaro, and it warped less. I'm not sure what to make of that, although I hear others saying Fabriano is inconsistent. Or maybe they don't make the Kilimanjaro with the same sizing. Another thing to note is that if you buy them in single sheets, the Kilimanjaro is actually more expensive than Fabriano! You have to buy a 5 sheet pack to gain a savings; also you should probably wait for it to be on sale (which it is right now). Stonehenge is also significantly cheaper and performed comparably, so that may be a more economical option.

@@jennw6809 I’ve been dying to try Stonehenge. Another youtuber uses it a lot and it looks so nice

There’s one I posted! But I think I’m going to redo it to be a bit shorter and more concise ☺️

@@NoreenCerroneArt 💖

Thank you! I absolutely love the meeden pad still. It’s just really handy and sturdy

I use the Meeden pad all the time! I love it

You can find the Meeden block under “Bao Hong”! Definitely loving that block. I use it so much. I don’t use the back sides generally but the Arteza can be purchased both one and two sides which is really nice.

Here you go! 💛 Galaxy: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/o917iNSTrcXUl6M.html River rocks: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/htmkfM6T16_GaYE.html

Bee Paper is one of my all time favorites. The paper feel so lush! Unfortunately they got sold I think so it’s been really hard to find!

Really? I didn't know that, but it makes sense as it is a bit toothier. That's one of the things I loved about the Meeden paper. I did want to see how granulation would look on these.

I still haven’t gotten a chance to try Fabriano but from my research the reviews are quite mixed. I was thinking of getting one of those sampler packs of paper from Joe’s Artarama (I think that’s the place?)

​@@NoreenCerroneArt I have very good experience with their soft press sheets and Fabriano Artistico pads (140 lb. cold press 20 sheets one), both are 100% cotton My personal rule that if this isn't 100% cotton, I don't buy Fabriano paper, as 25% or 50% cotton ones were usually not very useful.

Thank you! I did make a tutorial on how I did the rocks. ☺️ here you go! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/htmkfM6T16_GaYE.html

@@NoreenCerroneArt thank you so much.. Will work on it and put it up here

Thank you! ☺️

Yes, please, provide tutorials!

Judy Carter yeah I’m not sure! I used to use it all the time. Lately I’ve been using the Meeden block and the arteza paper a ton. I still have a ton of the Strathmore paper that I use for swatching or demos but otherwise it’s just not as good as the other ones. Luckily they’re all pretty affordable!

I use the Strathmore 400 journals when in the field. This works well for me. I cannot find the 500 paper in any local craft store. If I want it I will need to order it from one of the art supply houses. I cannot find the Meereen locally either, but will do a web search. I really loved both your painting of the rocks and the cosmos. Really great work. If you ever do one of either on a separate video I’d like to see it. I’ll take a look after posting this. Thanks for this video.

@@OkieSketcher1949 My local Walmart just started carrying the 500 in a few sizes of pads and sketchbooks.

Waymire01 - I’ll go by Wally World and look again. Thanks.

You are so right! Next time I do a comparison like this I think that’s definitely the way to go.

I’ve been using the Meeden paper so much lately. I have really fallen in love with it! The paper can take so much and holds up really well. Keep an eye out for a tutorial on the starry sky - I’m working on it now!

It’s premiering now! 😊

You are so welcome! ❤️

Where do you get it?

@@oldsoul6696 Well ... I just go to the local art store...and buy it. I live in Poland.😄

Oh my local art store has a lot of their watercolor papers! Would you mind telling me which product you bought from them?

@@krabfingers8473 Clairfontaine Fontaine Cold Pressed. Excellen paper.

@@jerzyk1293 Thank you! Do you have it in the block form, and if you do, are the sheets hard to remove? I went to look up it on Amazon and everyone said the paper was good, but it was impossible to remove the sheets without damaging it.

Great tip! I've been pricing things out between Jerry's, Amazon, Utrecht, Michael's and we also have Dick Blick's. I still use all of these papers except for the Strathmore!

Thank you! I’ve been using the Arteza paper a LOT lately and I would say it’s almost better than Arches. It lifts better and it’s cheaper. I really love working on it.

Glad you enjoyed it!

I haven’t tried that one - thank you for the new suggestion! I love trying new papers.

Shirley S I’ll have to check that one out! I would think it probably doesn’t have the sizing that most watercolor paper has but if it works for your style and what you like to do then I say use it! 24 lb seems a bit thin I think but if you don’t use too much water it should be fine

Resume paper is usually waterproof, you should be able to run it under a sink. It's thin specifically so that it can be put through an inkjet printer. Just today I've been curious about using it for watercolor and boom I see this comment! Serendipity 😊

I don‘t like that either - do you have alternative suggestions for watercolor paper? (By the way: That is why I don’t buy real fur brushes - feels strange to paint animals with animals 🤪)

@@heartofaqua1497 i love the strathmore 500 watercolour paper. Its cheap, thick and cotton. I love most of Strathmores paper. And, except their gemini paper, all their paper is vegan. Im not vegan for food, but for things like art stuff, i prefer to use vegan friendly stuff.

Aesthetic Painter thank you!!

Mike Sloan yes!! That’s true. I use a damp cloth and an iron. BUT it is nice to be able to work a bit longer with the thicker papers. I have found I have to stop with lower weights to allow it to dry

People aren't worried about warping bc of how it looks AFTER painting, they're worried about inconsistent absorption & weird run-off of the paint over the warped hills & valleys DURING the painting process.

@@YourMajesty143 Stretch the paper before painting and it will be resolved.

Thank you!! I still use the Meeden all the time! Actually the Arteza too. So affordable and they work fabulously. If you can find Bee Paper that is another great one too!

@@NoreenCerroneArt thank you for the tip!

Thank you! Cheers!

The Strathmore backside is smoother but I think you definitely can paint on the backside. Because they are loose sheets I sometimes get mixed up which side to use but I’ve never had an issue with those. I haven’t tried the back of the Meeden one, I’ll have to test that out. The arteza pad comes in a “double sided” version which was a dollar more than this one so I think technically you can’t but I didn’t have a problem with it

@@NoreenCerroneArt thanks!

Technically you can paint on both sides of any watercolor paper, as long as it's heavy enough. Each type (Rough, Hot or Not/Cold pressed) is going to be different. Make some swatches and see what happens.

@@longyarn4288 Not true. Some papers are externally sized so they have a good and bad side. Arches is internally sized so it's the same both ways. You need to check with the manufacturer or test to see.

@@waymire01 - Yes, you are correct. ☺ Which is why I suggested swatches on both sides. ☺

Miss O.P. I would love to try that paper! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find a way to get it here in the US. I’ll do some more research to see if I can special order it 🤞😊

I use French ultramarine and phthalo blue from Daniel smith right now and they are both staining but not as bad as the reds. The French ultramarine is very granulating as well which is nice in my opinion. It can add a lot of dimension when used in different mixes.

@@NoreenCerroneArt Thanks. thats kind of what I was afraid of. the Pthalo. I think thats why you coukdnt lift the color. it was staining.

Thanks for checking it out! I'm subscribed to you :) I love painting with acrylics too.😊

I use mine to mix colors on that’s about it.

@@lizadivine3785 I was looking for an idea what to do with it maybe pencil or charcoal. I can't even make Christmas cards with it 😔 never mind a painting. I had squirrelled away two pads of it because it was such a good price 🤣 jokes on me.

@nicoleperron3315 I think your ideas are good ones so you didn't really waste your money!

BurningtunaDC i suggest amazon only because most people watching my vids have access to that. They don’t have access to my local shops, but they can at least a look at the brand and description so they know what it is before seeing/buying it locally. I agree - buy local when and where you can 😊

Those darkened non-descript buildings will come about either way, bc local seller need to be able to compete online regardless. In fact, Amazon has many independent sellers. Amazon itself is not the seller, it's simply the warehouse facilitator and platform they sell through. Amazon just collects the rent to provide their online storefront, advertising, warehouses, & delivery service. An all-in-one service like that saves small business BOATLOADS in overhead costs. Now, I could buy my art supplies at my local conglomerate: Michael's (who mind you bought out Ace & Moore and Pat Catans), but it'd be no different. It's just another big bad wolf to filter your money into. That's bc art suppliers are forced to sell at local big chain retail stores or on big online platforms in order to compete. Regardless if you buy local or online, the problem (anti-trust monopolization) isn't going to go away -- until we stop voting in the congressmen who bend over whenever the lobbyists come from behind. The weakened anti-trust laws and trade agreements of the 80s and 90s have created a hyper-capitalist, poor quality-manufacturing, and overly consumptive market. It drowns out small businesses who now have to rely on Amazon, Etsy, and Facebook marketplace to stay afloat. You can't separate brick & mortar shops from the internet anymore, bc in order to survive, you sell online or go bankrupt. Take RadioShack & Kmart for example, they waited too long to jump online and as a result they've become defunct for good. Sears and *Bed, Bath & Beyond* were also behind on taking the online shopping trend seriously, and are now suffering for it. Telling people to shop local may have been useful 10 to 15 years ago, but the online market is now too big of a behemoth for "buy local" to be much of a solution. Local shops HAVE to sell online or they risk losing everything. I don't like Amazon from an ethical standpoint, and I try to buy most handmade products directly from sellers on Instagram shops or buy directly from their websites whenever I can. However, quality art supplies aren't typically handmade. They come from big factories with underpaid workers that piece together parts from China or Thailand, and then get shipped over here where they're marked up. Come up with a better solution -- and for pete's sake, stop voting in corrupt idiots.

Mine are already gone. Literally my only option is Hobby Lobby (the walmart of the art world and just as predatory) or online.

@@YourMajesty143 Jeff Bezos & Amazon's fortune has increased by SEVERAL billion since this covid story. Small & medium being forced out of business; only the big box, liquor stores and Amazon being allowed to THRIVE.