100% Cotton Watercolour Pad
A3 (297 x 420mm) · 300gsm (140lb) · 50 sheets · Cold pressed
Also in A4. Same paper, easier to carry: the 50 sheet A4 Cold Pressed Pad. Find the whole family in our watercolour paper range.

This is the pad for painters who work big and work often. The Art Spectrum 100% Cotton Watercolour Pad A3 packs fifty large sheets of 300gsm cotton paper with a cold pressed surface into one studio pad, so you can paint a series, run a workshop or fill a season of plein air outings without rationing paper.

A3 (297 x 420mm) is generous on its own, and it is also the most flexible size you can buy. Cut a sheet in half and you have two A4s. Cut it in quarters and you have four A5 postcards or studies. One pad, three working sizes.

★ Art Shed Staff Tip
Before you cut down a sheet, score it lightly along a steel ruler with a blunt butter knife, fold along the score and tear. You get a soft, deckle style edge that looks far nicer in a frame than a guillotined one.
Perfect For
Painting in seriesWorkshop teachingBig landscapesHalf and quarter sheetsPlein air seasons

The Paper, Sheet by Sheet

Fibre
100% Cotton
Every one of the fifty sheets is all cotton, so a big wash spreads evenly from edge to edge.
Weight
300gsm (140lb)
Substantial enough for juicy washes on a large sheet, especially when taped to a board.
Surface
Cold Pressed
A medium tooth with two characters: a vertical texture on one side and an even texture on the reverse.
Credentials
Acid Free · FSC Certified
Acid free for archival work, with cotton paper from FSC certified, responsibly managed sources.

Why fifty sheets at this size? Because big paintings rarely work first time. Experienced watercolourists often paint the same subject three or four times before one sings. With a 15 sheet pad, that series uses up a third of your paper. Here it is a small dent, and you are free to push, experiment and throw a few away.

The two sided surface earns its keep at A3. Use the vertical textured side for rain, waterfalls, tall grasses and anything with a sense of movement. Turn to the even side for calm water, soft skies and portraits. You get two moods of paper in the one pad.

Who This Pad Is Made For

  • Painters working on a series. Fifty matching sheets keep a whole body of work consistent for an exhibition.
  • Workshop tutors. One pad supplies a class with full, half or quarter sheets of real cotton paper.
  • Plein air regulars. Enough large sheets to last many outings, all on the same reliable surface.
  • Anyone graduating from A4. The room to use bigger brushes and looser washes, with paper to spare while you learn.

Painting a Series on A3

Pick one subject and paint it four ways: a quick ten minute version, a careful version, a version limited to three colours and a version painted only with your biggest brush. Lay them side by side and you will learn more about your own style than from any single finished painting.

Keep sheets flat by storing the pad horizontally, and tape each sheet to a board on all four sides before painting wet. Large mops and flats from our watercolour brushes make filling an A3 sky far easier, and the rest of the family is in our watercolour paper range.

Questions About the Art Spectrum A3 50 Sheet Cotton Watercolour Pad

Can I cut A3 watercolour paper into smaller sizes?

Yes. An A3 sheet halves exactly into two A4 sheets and quarters into four A5 sheets. Tear along a scored fold for a soft edge, or use a sharp knife and steel ruler for a clean one.

How many paintings can I get from a 50 sheet A3 pad?

At full size, fifty, or more if you paint the back of the sheets too. Cut into halves or quarters, the same pad gives you up to a hundred A4 or two hundred A5 pieces.

Which side of the paper should I paint on?

Either. One side has a vertical texture that suits movement such as rain and grasses, and the reverse has an even texture that suits calm water, skies and detail. Test both and choose for each painting.

Is this a good pad for watercolour workshops?

Yes. Fifty large cotton sheets let a tutor hand out full, half or quarter sheets so every student paints on proper 300gsm cotton paper, which makes a real difference to their results.

Is A3 cold pressed paper good for plein air painting?

Yes, if you bring a board and clips. Cold pressed is forgiving outdoors, and 300gsm cotton copes with changing light and quick washes. Tape or clip the sheet down so the wind cannot lift it.

Is the paper acid free and FSC certified?

Yes. It is acid free, so finished work will not yellow or turn brittle, and the cotton paper is FSC certified, meaning it comes from responsibly managed sources.

Where can I buy a 50 sheet Art Spectrum watercolour pad in Australia?

Art Shed Online is an authorised Australian stockist of Art Spectrum, and we ship this A3 pad fast Australia wide. The A4 version is also available, and you can see both at our Moorabbin store in Melbourne.

(NU7738)

SKU NU7738
Barcode # 9323926062336
Brand Art Spectrum
Shipping Weight 2.1000kg
Shipping Width 0.050m
Shipping Height 0.050m
Shipping Length 0.050m

More From This Category