Not All Watercolor Papers Are Created Equal

As an artist, I like to use the best materials I can. Sometimes though, my thrifty money pinching side decides that though I know one brand of watercolor paper is better, this other brand comes in a bundle that will save me money and I end up buying the lesser brand bundled pack. This of course always ends horribly and makes me remember why I spend the money and get the single sheet of the better brand. I had that realization...again...for probably the millionth, and not the last time. I should have gone to Art City and bought my preferred Arches 140lb cold press watercolor paper for $7 bucks a sheet...but instead I rummaged through my old college portfolio of left over paper and pulled out some cheap brand bundled watercolor paper. I knew it was going to be a disaster before I even started. As soon as I felt the paper I knew. But I wanted to save money, and I wanted to paint now and that cheap paper was available. So I set my sketch up on the paper and prepared for painting. With the first stroke of alizarin crimson I realized my error in judgment. The color didn't spread, but absorbed right into the paper looking like someones bloody nosebleed dropped on the spot and smeared. On the second stroke it became worse until I finally just waded the paper up and threw it in the trash.

Do you know the definition of insanity? It's doing the same stupid thing over and over, but expecting a different outcome! At least, that's what I've heard. The moral of the story? Don't be stingy with quality art materials to save a buck. There's a reason the good stuff is more expensive and the not so great is so cheap.