The Arches Watercolour Block cold press finish has a light texture and is the most common. It reflects light well, retaining the translucent quality of watercolours. A light grain makes it easier to achieve specific details

All Arches papers are cylinder mould-made as they have been for over a century. With long fibres, this thick, stable sheet is beautiful, durable, and resilient.

Each sheet of Arches Watercolour paper is tub-sized in a bath of pure natural gelatin and then air-dried to add additional strength and durability

The best quality controls. The paper undergoes sophisticated testing and monitoring, with every sheet individually inspected to assure the finest quality

Arches Quality

Carefully selected 100% cotton fibres to produce uniformity, adaptability, colour fastness, and longevity. All papers have an alkaline buffer and are made without an optical brightening agent.

Equipment

Papermaking on a cylinder mould allows even, uniform transfer of fibres onto the wire support. Each paper has a handmade appearance without the defects of handmade paper. Its principle has remained unchanged for over 200 years

Watermark of Authenticity

By using paper signed with the Arches watermark, artists can be sure that they have a medium with unchanging properties at their disposal. This medium has revealed some of the most extraordinary talents over centuries.

Gelatin Sizing

Arches are the only paper mill in the world to gelatinize its watercolour paper 'to the core.' This gelatinize preserves the lustre and transparency of the colours while preventing paints from penetrating the paper. Resists erasing and scratching without tearing or linting.

Quality Control and Expertise

Throughout every production run, Arches carries out a succession of checks and inspections: mechanical, optical, chemical, visual. They ensure level distribution of the fibres in all directions, thereby improving the stability of the paper when wet.