Using watercolor paper well comes down to understanding its surface, how much water it can handle, and whether it needs to be secured before you paint. You don’t need to stretch every sheet, and there isn’t always one mandatory “correct” side to paint on.
When I started using watercolor more seriously, I paid most of my attention to paint and brushes. Over time, I realized the paper was changing the result just as much. The same wash can spread, sit, feather, buckle, or dry differently depending on the paper underneath it.
This guide is about actually painting on watercolor paper: which side to use, when I tape or stretch it, how I adjust the water, and what I test before starting a painting.
How to Use Watercolor Paper at a Glance
| Question | What I recommend |
|---|---|
| Which side should I paint on? | Usually either side can work, but test the surface because the texture may differ. |
| Do I need to stretch it? | Not always. It becomes more useful with thinner paper or very wet techniques. |
| Should I tape it down? | I often do when working on loose sheets because it helps control curling and creates a stable working surface. |
| What paper weight do I use? | 140 lb / 300 gsm is a practical starting point for many watercolor applications. |
| Can I paint on both sides? | Often yes, although the two surfaces may not behave identically. |
| Can I use normal sketch paper? | For very light washes, sometimes. For normal watercolor painting, watercolor paper is much easier to work with. |
Which Side of Watercolor Paper Do You Paint On?
One of the first things I’d check is whether the two sides of the paper actually feel different.
Many watercolor papers can be painted on from either side, but the texture may not be identical. One side might have a slightly stronger tooth or a surface you simply prefer.
Rather than treating one side as automatically wrong, I run a quick test if I’m unfamiliar with the paper.
- Make a small flat wash on each side.
- Try a wet-on-wet area.
- Make several dry-brush marks.
- See which surface gives you the texture and paint movement you prefer.
If you’re trying to choose between hot press, cold press and rough paper rather than deciding which side to use, see my guide to the types of watercolor paper.
Can You Paint on Both Sides of Watercolor Paper?
In many cases, yes.
I would test both sides first because they may have slightly different textures or surface characteristics. If both accept paint well, there is no reason I need to automatically waste the reverse side.
I find this particularly useful for practice sheets, color tests and sketchbook work where using every available surface makes sense.
For a finished painting, I normally choose whichever side gives me the surface I prefer and stay with it.
Cold Press, Hot Press or Rough?
The surface changes the way my brush moves and the way paint settles.
| Surface | What I notice when painting |
|---|---|
| Hot press | Smooth surface, useful for linework and finer detail |
| Cold press | Moderate texture and a versatile surface for general watercolor |
| Rough | Pronounced texture that creates broken marks and emphasizes granulation |
I use cold press often because it gives me visible texture without making every fine mark fight the surface.
Hot press behaves differently. Its smoother surface works particularly well when I’m combining watercolor with detailed drawing or ink and wash.
Rough paper gives the brush more texture to move across, which can create interesting broken marks but is less natural for the kind of precise linework I might do on hot press.
For a direct comparison, see my hot press vs. cold press watercolor paper guide.
Test New Watercolor Paper Before Starting a Painting
Whenever I’m using unfamiliar paper, I like to sacrifice a small piece or corner for testing.
I want to know how the surface behaves before I’m halfway through a painting.
My quick paper test includes:
- A flat wash
- A graded wash
- Wet-on-wet color
- Dry-brush marks
- Several glazed layers
- A small attempt at lifting dried or damp pigment
Those tests tell me much more than the label alone.
Do You Need to Stretch Watercolor Paper?
No, I don’t think every piece of watercolor paper needs to be stretched.
Whether it is worth doing depends on the paper and how wet I plan to work.
Stretching becomes more useful when I’m working with a lighter sheet or expecting to soak the surface repeatedly with large washes.
For heavier paper and smaller paintings, I may simply secure the sheet to a board instead.
If you specifically need the stretching process, I’ve separated that into my guide on how to stretch watercolor paper.
Should You Tape Watercolor Paper Down?
I frequently tape loose watercolor paper to a firm surface before painting.
It gives me a stable sheet to work on and helps control how much the edges lift as moisture enters the paper.
I don’t assume tape will make every sheet perfectly flat, especially when I’m using a lot of water. But it makes loose paper easier for me to handle while I’m painting.
The adhesive matters. Tape that grips too aggressively can damage the paper when it’s removed.
See my best tape for watercolor paper guide for the tape side of the setup, or how to tape watercolor paper without tearing for the process itself.
How to Stop Watercolor Paper From Buckling
Water makes paper fibers expand, so some movement is normal.
I can reduce the problem by matching the paper and preparation to how wet I intend to paint.
- Use heavier watercolor paper when working with substantial washes.
- Secure loose sheets to a rigid surface.
- Stretch the paper when the technique calls for a very wet surface.
- Control how much water is sitting in the brush and on the page.
- Allow wet areas to settle instead of repeatedly flooding them unnecessarily.
If buckling is the specific problem you’re trying to solve, continue with my dedicated guide on how to stop watercolor paper from buckling.
Control the Amount of Water on the Brush
Using watercolor paper isn’t just about choosing the sheet. I also have to respond to the amount of moisture already on it.
If the paper is already very wet and I bring in another brush loaded with water, the paint can spread much farther than I intended.
If I need more control, I remove a little water from the brush with a cloth or paper towel before touching the page.
Conversely, if the paper is too dry for the soft transition I’m trying to create, I can wet the area first and allow the surface moisture to even out before adding pigment.
This is one reason I like testing unfamiliar paper first. Two sheets can react differently even when I’m using the same brush and paint.
Can You Use Watercolor on Sketch Paper?
You can put watercolor on ordinary sketch paper, but that doesn’t mean it will behave like watercolor paper.
For a very light wash or quick color note, regular drawing paper may be enough.
Once I start adding more water, repeated layers or wet-on-wet passages, lightweight sketch paper is much more likely to buckle, absorb unevenly or become damaged.
If watercolor is going to be a meaningful part of the painting rather than a tiny accent, I’d rather use paper designed to handle it.
If you’re buying your first proper sheets, see my guide to the best watercolor paper for beginners.
Painting on Rough Watercolor Paper
Rough watercolor paper changes the physical character of the marks because the brush travels across a more pronounced surface.
When I move a relatively dry brush across rough paper, the bristles can catch the raised texture while leaving some of the lower areas untouched. That creates broken marks that are difficult to reproduce on a completely smooth surface.
I find that useful for expressive texture, natural surfaces and areas where I don’t want every shape to have a perfectly smooth edge.
For a closer comparison of textured surfaces, see cold press vs. rough watercolor paper.
Let Watercolor Dry Before Drawing Over It With Pen
If I’m adding pen over watercolor, I wait until the paper is dry enough for the ink and pen I’m using.
Drawing into a damp surface can make the line behave unpredictably and can put extra stress on softened paper fibers.
This is especially important if I want a crisp ink line rather than an intentionally soft or bleeding effect.
For the full mixed-media process, see my ink and wash watercolor guide.
Use Scrap Paper to Learn the Surface
I keep offcuts from watercolor sheets rather than throwing every piece away.
They’re useful for testing:
- How wet the brush should be
- A new color mixture
- Whether an ink will feather
- How easily pigment lifts
- Whether masking tape damages the surface
Using the same paper as the final painting makes those tests much more useful than trying them on an unrelated scrap.
The Paper Is Part of the Watercolor Process
I used to think of watercolor paper as little more than the surface underneath the painting. Now I treat it as part of the material itself.
The texture changes the mark. The sizing changes how the paint moves. The weight influences how the sheet responds to water. Even the side I choose can alter the feel of the brush.
That’s why I test new paper instead of assuming it will behave like the last sheet I used.
If you’re still choosing paper rather than learning how to use it, start with my watercolor paper types guide or my beginner watercolor paper recommendations.