Fabriano Classico 5 vs Saunders Waterford: which watercolour paper wins?
If you have moved past the beginner stage and are thinking seriously about which watercolour paper to commit to, Fabriano Classico 5 and Saunders Waterford are two of the most talked-about options in the mid to upper range of the market. Both are stocked at Craft and Canvas. Both are significantly better than cheap student paper. And both have loyal followings among painters who will argue passionately for one over the other.
This post gives you a clear, practical comparison of the two — what each paper is made from, how it behaves with paint, which techniques suit each surface, and which one is more likely to suit your working style. There is no definitive winner, but there is almost certainly a better choice for you specifically.
What is Fabriano Classico 5?
Fabriano is one of the oldest papermaking traditions in the world, with roots in the Italian town of Fabriano dating back to the 13th century. Fabriano Classico 5 is their mid-range watercolour paper — mould-made from a 50% cotton and 50% cellulose blend, acid free, and available in 300gsm at cold press (NOT), hot press, and rough surfaces.
The 50% cotton content places it between a pure wood pulp student paper and a fully cotton professional paper. It is noticeably more capable than budget papers — it handles wet techniques well, takes multiple layers without deteriorating quickly, and produces good colour — but it does not have quite the resilience or reworkability of a 100% cotton paper. For painters building confidence and using paper regularly, it offers an excellent quality-to-price ratio. For finished work intended for sale or long-term display, a fully cotton paper is a safer long-term investment.
Fabriano Classico 5 is surface sized, which controls how quickly the paper absorbs water and paint. The sizing on this paper is on the firmer side, which means paint tends to sit on the surface slightly longer before soaking in — useful for wet blending, but requiring a confident, unhurried approach.
What is Saunders Waterford?
Saunders Waterford is made by St Cuthberts Mill, a British papermaker based in Somerset whose history stretches back to the 1700s. It is one of the most respected watercolour papers made in the UK, and carries the endorsement of the Royal Watercolour Society — a rare and meaningful distinction.
The paper is mould-made from 100% cotton, gelatine surface sized, acid free, and buffered with calcium carbonate to protect against discolouration from pollution and environmental acids over time. Available in 300gsm, 425gsm, and 640gsm, and in cold press, hot press, and rough surfaces, it is a fully professional paper made to archival standards.
The texture of Saunders Waterford is produced using natural woollen felts during manufacture, which gives the surface a distinctive organic quality — slightly irregular rather than mechanically uniform, with a character that many painters find more sympathetic than more regimented papers.
How do they compare in use?
Surface texture
Both papers are available in the same three surfaces — cold press, hot press, and rough — but they feel different even within the same surface category.
Fabriano Classico 5 cold press has a moderate, fairly consistent texture. It is a reliable, workmanlike surface that behaves predictably and suits most painters learning to control watercolour technique. The hot press version is smooth and firm — popular with illustrators and botanical painters, though note that the surface became slightly less smooth after a change to Fabriano's production machinery in 2016. It is still a good hot press paper, but those requiring the absolute smoothest surface for precision botanical work may prefer alternatives.
Saunders Waterford cold press has a slightly coarser, more organic texture than Fabriano Classico 5. The natural woollen felt surface gives it a character that many experienced painters strongly prefer, describing it as having a more sympathetic feel under the brush. Paint flows across it in a particularly natural way, and granulating pigments behave beautifully, separating and settling into the texture with a quality that is very hard to replicate on smoother papers.
Absorbency and working time
Fabriano Classico 5 absorbs paint relatively quickly due to its 50% cellulose content. This can make wet-on-wet techniques feel slightly rushed as the paper dries fast, but it suits wet-on-dry layering and glazing very well, with each layer setting cleanly before the next is applied.
Saunders Waterford is more absorbent at first contact, but its gelatine surface sizing helps regulate that absorption and gives a slightly longer working window before the paint sets. It is particularly well suited to wet-on-wet techniques and loose, flowing washes — the paper seems to work with the paint rather than against it. Multiple layers of glazing sit cleanly without lifting excessively from below.
Lifting and reworking
This is where the difference in cotton content shows most clearly.
Saunders Waterford, being 100% cotton, takes scrubbing and lifting significantly better than Fabriano Classico 5. You can scrub back dried paint, use masking fluid and remove it cleanly, and generally abuse the surface without it tearing or balling up. This makes it forgiving in a different way to student paper — not because mistakes can be painted over, but because the surface is robust enough to allow corrections and reworking.
Fabriano Classico 5 handles lifting and reworking reasonably well for a paper with 50% cellulose content, but it will show wear more quickly if repeatedly worked over the same area. It is not fragile, but it rewards a more decisive approach.
Colour and luminosity
Both papers produce excellent colour, but with a slightly different quality.
Saunders Waterford is available in two white versions — White (a warm, natural white) and High White (a brighter, cooler white). The White version gives paintings a subtly warm, slightly creamy quality that many painters find beautiful; the High White gives maximum brightness and colour contrast. Fabriano Classico 5 has a clean, bright white that sits between these two options.
Because Saunders Waterford is 100% cotton, colour tends to look slightly richer and more luminous on it than on Classico 5 — the cotton fibres hold and reflect light differently to cellulose. The difference is not dramatic, but it is noticeable when comparing the two side by side.
Which paper suits which painter?
Choose Fabriano Classico 5 if you are moving on from beginner papers and want a significant step up in quality without the full cost of professional 100% cotton paper. It is an excellent everyday painting paper — robust enough for regular use, capable enough for most techniques, and available at a price point that allows you to use it freely without worrying about waste. It suits wet-on-dry layering particularly well and is a good all-round choice for painters working across a variety of subjects.
Choose Saunders Waterford if you are ready to invest in a fully professional paper that will support your technique at any level and last for generations without deterioration. It is the better choice for wet, loose techniques where the paper needs to hold large amounts of water without buckling; for granulating pigments and expressive washes where surface texture matters; and for finished work intended for sale, exhibition, or long-term display. Its durability under reworking also makes it a good choice for painters who like to push and correct rather than commit immediately.
If you are unsure, start with Fabriano Classico 5 cold press for everyday practice and keep Saunders Waterford for finished pieces. Many painters use both papers this way — the Classico 5 for sketches and studies, Saunders Waterford for work they want to keep.
What about Bockingford?
We stock Bockingford alongside both papers at Craft and Canvas. It is a wood pulp paper from St Cuthberts Mill — the same manufacturer as Saunders Waterford — and it performs well above its price point. If you are still at the stage of getting through a lot of paper while developing your technique, Bockingford is an excellent choice for practice before stepping up to Classico 5 or Saunders Waterford for more considered work.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fabriano Classico 5 suitable for professional watercolour work? Yes, for most purposes. The 50% cotton content means it is not fully archival in the way a 100% cotton paper is, but for work that will be framed behind glass and not exposed to damp or pollution, Classico 5 performs very well. For work intended for sale, exhibition, or long-term display, Saunders Waterford or another fully cotton paper is the more archivally sound choice.
Does Saunders Waterford work for botanical illustration? Yes, particularly the hot press surface, which many botanical painters favour for its smooth finish and robustness under repeated layering. It handles fine detail very well and the gelatine sizing gives a longer working window than some other hot press papers, which suits the deliberate, controlled approach of botanical work.
Which paper is better for wet-on-wet techniques? Saunders Waterford, particularly in cold press and rough. The 100% cotton construction and gelatine sizing give it a slightly longer open time and a texture that distributes water evenly, both of which support wet-on-wet painting. Fabriano Classico 5 works for wet-on-wet but dries slightly faster and requires more urgency.
Can you use both papers in the same painting session? Yes — many painters use different papers for different purposes. Bockingford or Classico 5 for warm-up sketches and colour testing, Saunders Waterford for the work they want to keep.
Which paper is better for mixed media — combining watercolour with ink or pencil? Both handle mixed media well, but Fabriano Classico 5 is particularly popular with illustrators for its firm, smooth hot press surface which takes fine pen and ink work beautifully alongside watercolour washes. Saunders Waterford also handles mixed media well and its robustness under reworking makes it forgiving for experimental approaches.
How should watercolour paper be stored? Flat, in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight and moisture. Both papers are acid free and will remain stable for many years if stored well. Avoid storing paper in damp conditions, as moisture can cause the surface to deteriorate before it is ever used.
Shop watercolour paper at Craft and Canvas
We stock Fabriano Classico 5, Saunders Waterford, and Bockingford in pads, blocks, and sheets at our Hebden Bridge shop and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk. Individual sheets of Saunders Waterford are available in store so you can try the paper before committing to a full pad or block.
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