Paper Palooza

Hosted by Kelly Baskin

Event Description

Join professional artist and fine art educator Kelly Baskin for an interactive exploration into the world of professional watercolor papers, with a special focus on Arches Watercolour Paper and how paper choice dramatically impacts your results.

In this hands-on educational demonstration, artists will learn how Arches paper is traditionally made using a cylinder mould process, why 100% cotton paper performs differently, and how various watercolor surfaces influence techniques such as lifting, layering, absorbency, washes, and surface durability.

Participants will explore a series of guided performance tests designed to help artists better understand and evaluate their own materials, including:

• Graphite & eraser durability testing
• Wash application comparisons
• Absorbency testing
• Lifting tests using staining and non-staining pigments

The session will also introduce artists to a variety of watercolor and mixed media surfaces from Canson and Strathmore, while discussing the strengths and intended uses of different paper types and constructions.

This workshop is ideal for watercolor artists, mixed media artists, students, hobbyists, and anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how paper selection influences artistic outcomes.

Beginner to Advanced

1 Hour

• How watercolor paper is made
• The benefits of 100% cotton paper
• Differences between cotton and cellulose papers
• How absorbency affects paint handling
• Why lifting performance varies between papers
• How to evaluate paper durability and surface strength
• How to choose papers intentionally based on artistic technique and goals