Cold Pressed Watercolour paper

Cold Pressed Watercolour Paper — The Most Popular Surface for Watercolour Artists

Cold pressed watercolour paper — also known as NOT (Not Hot Pressed) — is the most widely used watercolour surface and a superb all-rounder. Made by rolling sheets through cold metal rollers with textured felt sheets, it has a medium tooth with characteristic bumps and grooves that allow paint to settle into the troughs and peaks, creating natural texture, dimension, and depth in your work.

Who Is Cold Pressed For?

• Most watercolour artists — the go-to surface for landscapes, portraits, florals, and general painting
• Artists who love texture — the surface creates beautiful granulation and expressive brushwork naturally
• Beginners & improvers — the forgiving texture is more intuitive to work with than hot press, making it ideal for those developing their technique
• Mixed media artists — the tooth holds a variety of media well alongside watercolour

Brands We Stock in Cold Pressed

• Arches — the gold standard, made in France since 1492, 100% cotton
• Bockingford — beloved British paper made at St Cuthberts Mill, renowned for its forgiving nature
• Hahnemühle — German craftsmanship since 1584, Harmony and William Turner ranges
• Fabriano — Italian fine art paper with a beautifully characterful surface
• Winsor & Newton — professional quality at an accessible price, 300gsm
• Khadi — handmade 100% cotton paper with a unique, organic texture
• Moulin du Roy — fine French 100% cotton paper with exceptional pigment handling
• Van Gogh — high quality student to semi-professional paper, great value for practice and study

Not sure which cold pressed paper suits your style or budget? Contact us — we're happy to advise.