Stonehenge Aqua White Medium Weight Block, 140lb, Coldpress, 15 Sheets for Wet and Dry Media (12X16)

I have purchased a variety of watercolor paper this year as a new artist. I have personally experienced the things that inferior paper dies that inhibits success:—-Paper absorbing too slow—-Paper absorbing too fast—-Paper not allowing paint to be layered without mixing.—-Paper now allowing paint to be lifted.The Legion watercolor paper block of 140 pound 100% cotton paper contains 15 sheets glued all the way around except for about 2” in the center of the side that is in protected by the cover.I chose the 12”x16” size to make large floral wreaths and other floral designs. But this is also PERFECT for landscapes, and everything else.This particular size had an incredible price…versus the other sizes. I have heard that blocks are the most expensive way to buy paper.That may be true as a calculation, but I see the block form as another choice I make for the success of my project. I don’t want the other versions the paper comes in. I actually have loose cuts of Arches, but reach for my block of Legion first.The block format allows me to work without taping the loose sheet of watercolor paper to another hard backer-board. That saves space where I am painting, as well as lots of tape. The block keeps my artwork flat while it’s drying. If allowed t dry the watercolor piece on a block will end up flat. The block under my artwork will absorb some of the moisture. If I use a separate backer-board, the board won’t absorb any moisture, because it is waterproof. The artwork would dry slower for that reason. It takes discipline to allow the finished work to fully dry before removing the tape, or cutting it off the block.This 12”x16” block has allowed me to layering paints, lift paints, and to scrub off bleeds, blooms or hard lines without damage. This paper absorbs at a predictable rate and behaves well in all aspects. I’m delighted with it!And on top of my experiences I LOVE that the quantity is 20 sheets.CON: When my block arrived directly from Amazon, this expensive special product arrived with only the expected shrink wrap, …inside a thin Amazon envelope. I do not remember if it was paper or the vinyl bag. What I remember is that it was not in a cardboard box and it should have been. Each of the four corners of this block were bent. That was very disappointing. .Otherwise—-Fabulous!!

Beautifully textured, accepts water and pigment very well and got the 12x16 for a superb price. At 140 pounds even the blocked paper buckles a tad - but it absorbs so well there are none of those nasty hill/valley misses and blooms. The Stonehenge 300 pound cold press block is definitely my favorite but this 140 is quite workable for the commissions and gallery pieces I've created.

This is the weakest 100% cotton watercolor paper I've tried. I purchased it as an alternative to the more expensive Fabriano Artistico, and I intended to use it as my go-to paper for finished artwork. However, I quickly realized it was not ideal for my techniques. Masking tape, as well as masking fluid, will tear this paper every single time, and pretty badly. Glazing on this paper is nearly impossible, since the layers underneath will reactivate no matter how long you let them dry. Also, the cold-pressed texture does not look very organic. On a positive note, the colors dry very vibrant on this. I realized it worked better for loose paintings with minimal layering. So, it became my go-to for when I was teaching watercolor classes, since it is less expensive than Fabriano or Arches, but still capable to demonstrate some of the qualities of 100% cotton watercolor paper. I wouldn't recommend this paper for heavy glazing techniques, nor scrubbing (it peels very easily), nor masking fluid, nor tape. I would recommend it for minimal layering painting, as well as lifting. If you use lots of lifting techniques in your practice, this is the ideal paper for you. I've never tried a paper that lifted phthalos and quinacridones to reveal the white of the paper like this one does. I personally don't use a lot of lifting, so the fact that it lifts color so easily is a downside for me. I think if whether you will have a good experience using this paper or not, depends a lot on how you paint. It didn't suit my painting style, but it might suit yours.

I've read the negative reviews, and they are very specific. The paper is the softest texture I've ever seen in a watercolor paper. You can just feel it, like the cotton is puffed up. Now, I've been doing a study of all the major cotton papers, and I believe the beauty is in finding the beauty that is exclusive to the specific paper. Being so soft, one would expect to not mask a lot, overly work it or erase dark drawings. I suggest that artists find what the paper is all about and meet it where it is. My first negative was when I ran a slightly wet brush over a mostly dry areas, hoping to see a smooth blend. I had to run it over the area 3 times, but it worked out. So the paper is sucking in the paint, and it takes more effort to blend. Most likely you do not want to scrub for three minutes. But the softness of those lines matches the softness of the paper, so there is where you need to take your work.Most of my paper experience relates to Fabriano, Arches and New York Central. We know what those papers do. Now, find out what this cotton does. That doesn't make it a lesser paper. It makes it an interestingly different paper.At 1/3 of the price of Arches, it's kind of worth the time to find out where this paper excels and EXPLOIT it. Find what this paper does that Arches does not. I found the subtle softness of the paper to be very compelling, and well worth the money spent. I will definitely buy more and use it a lot, but I will use it in the way the paper insists. A very high-quality paper that requires consideration.