100% Cotton Watercolour Pad
A4 (210 x 297mm) · 300gsm · 15 sheets · Hot Pressed
Same size, other surfaces: Cold Pressed · Rough
Same surface, other sizes: A5 · A3
Love a long view? The 100% Cotton Marine Landscape Pad 450 x 150mm.
Prefer a spiral pad? The 100% Cotton Watercolour Spiral Pad A4+.
Making cards? Our 100% Cotton Watercolour Postcards A6.

If your paintings live or die on the details, this is your paper. The Art Spectrum A4 Hot Pressed Cotton Watercolour Pad gives you 15 sheets of smooth, 100% cotton 300gsm paper, the surface botanical artists and illustrators swear by when every vein on a leaf needs to land.

A4 (210 x 297mm) is the working size for most watercolour classes and the easiest size to scan, frame and post. It is big enough to give a subject room, small enough to finish a piece in an afternoon.

★ Art Shed Staff Tip
Planning to scan or photograph your work for prints? Hot pressed is your friend. The flat surface throws far fewer texture shadows under a scanner light, so reproductions come out cleaner and colour looks truer.
Perfect For
Botanical illustrationScientific illustrationPortraitsPrints and scanningGouache

The Paper Behind the Detail

Fibre
100% Cotton
Long cotton fibres give a strong sheet that copes with layered glazes and careful lifting.
Surface
Hot Pressed (Smooth)
A flat, fine finish that keeps edges razor sharp and shows off delicate colour gradients.
Weight
300gsm
The professional standard for watercolour, sturdy enough for many layers on one sheet.
Sizing
Sized Twice
Plant based internal sizing plus a synthetic tub size, so paint stays lively at the surface.

Botanical painters build colour slowly, glaze over glaze, and they need a paper that will not rough up under the brush on the tenth pass. Cotton paper with double sizing does exactly that. The size holds each layer near the surface so colours stay luminous, while the cotton stops the sheet from pilling when you go back in.

Art Spectrum, the Australian brand, developed this paper with the Magnani mill in Italy, a paper maker on the Pescia River whose history goes back centuries. The paper is cylinder mould made, acid free and museum grade archival, and the pads are made in Melbourne.

Why Illustrators Choose This Pad

  • Built for layering. Glaze after glaze without the surface breaking up.
  • Reproduction ready. A smooth surface scans and photographs cleanly for prints and portfolios.
  • Archival grade. Acid free with zero optical brighteners, so finished work stays true for framing.
  • A standard size. A4 fits off the shelf frames, mats, folders and scanners.

Getting Fine Detail Right

Work from light to dark and let each layer dry completely before the next. A hair dryer on low, held well back, speeds this up. For the finest work use a small round or rigger with a good point, and keep a clean damp brush handy to soften any edge you want to fade.

Gouache also loves this surface because the flat finish shows off its matt, even colour. Stock up from our watercolour paints range and compare it with the other surfaces in our watercolour paper range.

Questions About the Art Spectrum A4 Hot Pressed Cotton Watercolour Pad

What is the difference between hot pressed and cold pressed watercolour paper?

Hot pressed is smooth and suited to detail, ink and gouache. Cold pressed has a light tooth that catches pigment and is more forgiving for washes. If you mostly paint flowers, portraits or illustration, hot pressed is the better match.

Is hot pressed paper good for botanical illustration?

Yes. The smooth surface holds fine lines and lets you build up delicate glazes, and a heavyweight 100% cotton hot pressed sheet like this one is the classic choice for botanical work.

Is this paper good for scanning artwork?

Very good. With almost no surface texture there are fewer shadows when a scanner light hits the paper, which gives cleaner digital files for prints, cards and online portfolios.

Is Art Spectrum watercolour paper acid free and archival?

Yes. It is acid free with a pH above 7, museum grade archival and chlorine free, and it contains no optical brightening agents that can fade or shift over time.

Can I use masking fluid on hot pressed paper?

Yes, and it usually peels away cleanly from a smooth sheet. Apply it with an old brush or a colour shaper, let the paint dry completely, then rub it off gently with a clean finger or a rubber pick up.

Can I paint on both sides of the sheet?

You can. Both sides are usable, which makes the back of a failed painting a perfect place for colour tests and swatches.

Where can I buy Art Spectrum A4 watercolour paper in Australia?

Order it from Art Shed Online, an authorised Australian Art Spectrum stockist with fast shipping to every state. Prefer to feel the paper first? The full range is also at our Moorabbin store in Melbourne.

(AS666212)

SKU AS666212
Barcode # 9323926046053
Brand Art Spectrum
Shipping Weight 0.3590kg
Shipping Width 0.050m
Shipping Height 0.400m
Shipping Length 0.300m
Shipping Cubic 0.006000000m3

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