Cold press vs hot press watercolour paper: which should you use?

If you have ever stood in an art shop and wondered what the difference is between cold press and hot press watercolour paper, you are not alone. The labels are not intuitive, and the wrong choice can make watercolour feel harder than it needs to be.

This guide explains exactly what cold press and hot press mean, how each surface behaves with paint, which styles and techniques each one suits, and which one to start with if you are new to watercolour. We stock a full range of watercolour paper, pads and blocks at Craft and Canvas, Hebden Bridge.

What do cold press and hot press actually mean?

The terms refer to the manufacturing process — specifically to how the paper is finished after it is made.

Cold press paper is pressed through cold felt-covered rollers after it is formed, leaving a slightly bumpy, textured surface with a natural irregularity. This texture is sometimes called the paper's "tooth." In the UK, cold press watercolour paper is often labelled NOT — short for Not Hot Pressed — which means exactly the same thing.

Hot press paper is pressed through heated metal rollers, which smooths the surface almost completely flat. The result is a paper with very little texture and an almost velvety feel.

How does cold press paper behave?

Cold press is the most popular watercolour paper. The textured surface gives paint somewhere to settle — pigment pools naturally in the tiny dips and grooves of the paper, creating the characteristic granulation and organic variation that most people associate with the look of watercolour. Loose washes, wet-on-wet blooms, and expressive brushwork all feel at home on cold press.

The texture also makes cold press more forgiving for beginners. Because the surface absorbs water readily and distributes it fairly evenly, washes tend to behave predictably.

Cold press is ideal for: landscapes, florals, loose and expressive painting, wet-on-wet techniques, beginners building confidence, and most general watercolour work.

How does hot press paper behave?

Hot press is a different experience entirely. The smooth surface means that paint sits on top of the paper rather than sinking into it — at least initially. This gives you more time to move pigment around, adjust edges, and lift colour back out before it sets. Colours can appear more vivid and bright on hot press, because the smooth surface reflects more light.

The flip side is that hot press is significantly less forgiving. Because the surface has no tooth to soften marks, every brushstroke and every uneven wash shows up clearly.

Hot press is ideal for: botanical art, illustration, fine detail work, photo-realistic watercolour, and mixed media combining watercolour with ink or pencil.

What about rough press?

Rough press is the third surface type and the most textured of all. Dry brush techniques — where an almost-dry brush is dragged across the surface — catch only the raised peaks of the paper, leaving the valleys as white flashes of unpainted paper. Very effective for suggesting sparkle on water, texture in stonework, or light through foliage.

Rough press is ideal for: expressive landscapes, seascapes, dry brush techniques, artists who want maximum texture and drama in their washes.

Cotton vs wood pulp: does it matter?

Yes, very much. Watercolour paper is made from either cotton (sometimes called rag paper) or wood pulp (sometimes called cellulose paper).

Cotton paper is the gold standard. It is more absorbent, more durable, handles repeated wetting and drying without deteriorating, and allows colour to be lifted and reworked more cleanly. Wood pulp paper is less expensive and perfectly adequate for practice and learning.

The papers we stock at Craft and Canvas — Fabriano Classico 5, Saunders Waterford, and Bockingford — are all manufactured to high standards. Saunders Waterford is 100% cotton; Fabriano Classico 5 is a 50% cotton blend offering excellent quality at a more accessible price. Bockingford is a high-quality wood pulp paper that performs well above its price.

What weight of paper should you use?

The standard recommendation for watercolour is 300gsm (140lb). This weight handles most techniques well and stays reasonably flat when wet. If you want to work very wet, 640gsm (300lb) paper is significantly more resistant to buckling. Lighter papers — 190gsm and below — are best for quick sketches and practice.

Which paper is right for you?

If you are a beginner, start with cold press at 300gsm. It is the most forgiving, the most versatile, and gives you the classic watercolour experience. Fabriano Classico 5 cold press or Bockingford cold press are both excellent starting points.

If you are working on illustration or botanical art, try hot press. If you want to push into expressive, textured work, rough press is worth exploring.

If you are unsure, buy a small selection of sheets in different surfaces and do the same simple wash test on each — the difference in how each surface responds will tell you everything you need to know.

Frequently asked questions about watercolour paper

What does NOT mean on watercolour paper? NOT is an abbreviation of "Not Hot Pressed" — the UK convention for labelling cold press paper. The two terms are interchangeable.

Is cold press or hot press better for beginners? Cold press. The textured surface is more forgiving of uneven brushwork and gives you the natural granulation and organic variation that makes watercolour so distinctive.

Can you use watercolour on normal paper? You can, but the results are poor. Standard cartridge or printer paper buckles severely when wet. Always use dedicated watercolour paper.

What is a watercolour block and do I need one? A watercolour block is a pad of paper glued on all four sides, which holds each sheet flat while you paint and prevents buckling without the need to stretch. Very practical for most painters — particularly beginners.

Shop our full range of watercolour paper, pads and blocks and watercolour paints at Craft and Canvas, Hebden Bridge. Individual sheets are available in store so you can test different surfaces before committing to a full pad.