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RE: New Watercolor Paints And Brushes Send Me To Heaven.
"Expensive" professional brushes, paints, and paper are really more economical than student grade. In the case of pigments, they are more concentrated and you therefore use less paint. High quality brushes last longer, especially if taken care of: some of my watercolor brushes I've had since art school, 45 years ago! And don't forget the paper. Working on cheap paper is an uphill battle. I use Arches in 300# and 140# and it never lets me down. If you don't have it already, get Ralph Mayer's "The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques." IMHO this book should be in every artist's library. Hope this helps and good luck!
Thank you @chessmonster, I really need to surround myself with quality artist and you totally fit the bill! As you can tell with my latest projects we are working fast and cheap on mixed media paper. I'm impressed by its durability , the company that makes the paper is called Strathmore, I've never used their products before.
I use Arches too! I couldn't remember the name so I had to run and take a look in my paper drawer. My favorite is 300lb hot press for details. With 300lb I don't have to wet, stretch and staple. I've tried hand made paper as well, I have to let go and flow when working on handmade cotton paper from India, it's a challenge.
I have paper as old as my brushes. I didn't have to buy paper this time around. It's so expensive now, I wait for sales. Then I forget I am waiting for a sale and run out of paper. Now I have a sale app to help me ....haha
Edit...I found the book, just downloaded it, thank you...
You're welcome. Good for you! You'll find the Handbook indispensable and a wealth of information. Jerry's Artarama is an excellent source of quality art materials for reasonable prices, plus they have sales quite often and free shipping over a certain amount. I've been wanting to try Arches hot press myself but just haven't yet. I've stuck with cold press and rough in bright white for many years now. You can't go wrong with Arches, but stay away from the blocks...they buckle with all the edges sealed. Why they still make blocks I haven't a clue. Watercolor paper needs to expand and contract otherwise you get pools of water. I simply clip my paper to a sheet of 1/4" masonite with drawing board clips, and move them around as needed. As you mentioned, 300# doesn't have to be stretched, but neither does 140#. Not really. Especially using 1/2 sheets (15"x22") or 1/4 sheets (11"x15"). I've done full sheet watercolors on 140# without stretching and it does buckle when wet but dries more or less flat.
See I knew you would be a good friend @chessmonster! I will try 140lb without stretching it, I will be Christmas shopping for the grandkids and slip a few things into the shopping basket for me...you should try the big sheets of 300lb, I cut them to fit my project if need be. I really don't cut them, I fold the paper and wet the fold and rip, leaving a feather edge, it looks so pretty that way...if you like detail, the hot press is to die for!
That's just it, I guess...I'm not much for detail...I like a more painterly, loose look to my work. But still, really cool effects are possible on smooth paper and I'm really, really, really going to get a sheet sometime. I promise. 😎
Strathmore is an "OK" brand, IMHO, but can't hold a candle to Arches. To me, Arches paper is a work of art in itself. I'm spoiled rotten having used it for so many years. LOL