I discovered a great new type of paper that I just had to try out over the weekend. It’s PaintON by Clairefontaine. It’s very sturdy at 250 gsm and is supposed to “hold up” to watercolor painting. I was skeptical at first, but then I was totally thrilled.
I tried everything and incorporated all the techniques I’m currently using into a single piece: watercolor, watercolor pencils, pastel pencils, and ink. And what can I say—the paper is fantastic. It doesn’t curl, it doesn’t tear, and the texture for watercolor pencils and pastel pencils is wonderful. You can color beautiful, even areas, but you can also sketch with a pencil first and then erase it without the paper tearing.
I’ll definitely be painting on it more often. PaintON is also available in other colors, which I’ll most likely try out as well—for example, in a beautiful gray-blue or gray-green. The natural tones create such a subtle contrast to the bright pencils. I love it!!