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Fabriano Artistico watercolour paper. (Patreon)

Published:
2020-05-17 01:47:21
Edited:
2020-05-17 01:58:31
Imported:
2026-10
Tags:

Content

Hi everyone,

I hope you are having a good weekend.

I was sent some Fabriano Artistico watercolour paper to try and I wanted to let you know that so far I am loving it. I have painted a few paintings on it now and it's been a pleasure to paint on. I painted the elephant on it and I discovered that it is really easy to lift paint off after it has dried. All those lighter areas on the head of the elephant were lifted after the paint had dried. Admittedly it only had one layer of paint on it but it came off very easily and I was surprised how little I had to rub to remove it.

I like it so much that I bought ten full sheets of it. In my painting room at the moment I have two pieces of it stretched and ready to paint new paintings on. Let me know if you've tried it yourself and what your thoughts are if you have.

The elephant painting - so many people have asked about. I started filming it for a tutorial for Patreon but I got about half way through it and I was struggling. I thought this isn't working and I'm not going to be able to make a tutorial of it. So I switched the camera off and I kept painting for a while thinking that I'd probably have to throw it away. Not long after the camera was switched off however, it started coming together. I must have been a bit tense with the camera on and I was probably holding myself back. So now that I know what to do with it I will paint another one. It might be the same or I might choose another photo to paint from - I'm not sure yet. That will be part of my work for next week. Here is the video I put on YouTube where I demonstrate the background: https://youtu.be/DDy5uzMexi4

The giraffe is a practice painting too. It's painted on Fabriano Artistico cold pressed paper. I'll add a giraffe tutorial here soon as well. 

Next week I'll post the white cockatoo tutorial that you have asked about. 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I hope you are getting some time to paint.

Louise

Files

Comments

Minx493

I have used Fabiano watercolor paper and I do like it. I rotate it around with other papers. Right now, I am 'in love's with Kilimanjaro paper. I have a tendency to paint smaller & use more pads & blocks. I really love how the elephant turned out. I have not yet tried the plastic wrap technique

Julia King

I'm really excited for the elephant and the cockatoo! I've tried Fabriano Artistico, and I liked it okay when I was painting something that didn't require a lot of water. I just found that it pilled easily. I was doing a sky, so maybe I was running my brush back and forth too many times. It also warped badly, but I've never stretched my paper. I've watched your tutorial and I plan on doing that on heavy water paintings. Thank you so much for the work you do :)

Margaret Roberts

Good to know! I’m really enjoying your tutorials, and look forward to the elephant.

Marion Aitken

Im so excited for all of them ;-)

Christine Srikala

Hello Louise, I'm so glad you're liking the Fabarino paper. Could you tell me where you bought it in Australia? My luggage was lost by Greyhound bus on its way to Darwin and with it my Arches, Window & Newton paints and other watercolour supplies including my completed works of your tutorials and your drawings. I'm upset. Now I need to buy watercolour supplies from local Aussie shops so That I can get painting sooner. I'm hoping to try Fabarino.

Louise De Masi

Oh that must be so frustrating Christine. I'm so sorry. I hope they get it back for you. I bought the full sheets from Parkers Fine Art Supplies in Sydney. It was $111.65 for the ten sheets. They mailed them to me.

Kerry Dodds

I have found Fabriano at most of the good art stores, Eckersley’s had it and Art shed in Brisbane. I am sure many others do.

Chantelle Venter

I'm so so so so verg happy to hear you will be doing an elephant painting. Yayness. I can kiss you 💋😘❤️ I have 4 sheets of Fabriano Artistico cold press arriving tomorrow and 1 sheet if hot press. Can't wait to try it myself. Works out cheaper than the Archers here in South Africa. Hope you guys are still safe there in the beautiful part of the world you are living in 🙏💖

Elisa

Hi Louise, I like Fabriano very much, most of the paintings I have done following your tutorials are on Fabriano Artistico, traditional white/grana fina, and I haven't struggled to lift or scraping :-) I've only used the pads but I am really keen to try the full sheets! Thank you for your feedback.

Susanne Norling

I use both Arches, Canson Heritage, St Cuthberts Mill, Moulin De Roy and Fabriano interchangeably. I love Fabriano Hot pressed. Fabriano changed their (paper)make a while ago and and it was a big thing in the watercolor botanical world because the paper behaved differently. The colours didn’t lift very well, it was problem layering etc so many artists stopped using it. I read that they did something with the manufacturing process and that it now works as before. The Fabriano 640 gr is an absolute delight to paint on. Good luck with your new paper.

Cassandra Kinlyside

I have the Fabriano 640 gr hot pressed. I have four full sheets left I think. I use it for botanicals. I had some issues but I find if you paint wet on dry Arches is very good for that. I don't have issues with my previous layers lifting on Arches but do on my Fabriano. I also love Moulin Du Roy hot pressed but it seems it is no longer made. I only purchased an A4 pad so back to the Fabriano. It is like we get a paper we love and they discontinue it.

Elena

Fabriano is almost the only brand available in our local art shop, as it is produced like 100km away, so I have tried almost the full range now. It is great for the technique from Louise's tutorials and I hope to try 640g soon. Now I am midway with the frog, I took Fabriano Studio 25%cotton HP for it and have no difficulties with it so far. This might be an option if you don't plan a lot of layers and want to save a little ;-)

Paula Vuijk Noorland Bushell

I also love this paper. I bought several sheets by accident then not really knowing what I was buying. Definitely getting more.

Mary Jacobson

All of your work is lovely. Some of your videos, I watch multiple times. I look forward to the elephant. Thanks so much for being so generous in sharing your work.

Alicia

Louise do you have a giraffe tutorial? I would so love to paint a beautiful giraffe. 🤗

Liv

Hi Louise, I love your paintings and your style. May I ask you for a tutorial on peonies or poppies? Thanks so much!

Iona Treeby Ward

Thanks. I would love to paint a giraffe too. Looking forward to the tutorial!

Sharon E Toombs

I can hardly wait to try all three paintings. The elephant is a personal favourite but they are ALL ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! YOU ARE AN AMAZING ARTIST LOUISE!,,

Amy Kenyon

Fabulous, Louise! Im always looking for new paper to try! And from some of these comments, and your delight with it, Ill have to order some! Thank you!

Louise De Masi

I'm working on one this week. I had a practice last week on the photo you see here and I started a new painting yesterday.

Louise De Masi

Thanks Katie. I think they are on my list of subjects to paint already. 💕

Alicia

I'm super excited Louise! Thank you so much. I can't wait to see!

Marijke de Boer

Such lovely paintings. Am curious about the paper too, as it is vegan too:) Have you tried the hot press Fabriano artistico?

Marika Roth

Do you also shrink this paper? I have not been having much luck in that process. I have done it with Cansen and Strathmore. Cansen is terrible, 140 lb.

Isatys09

Hi Marijke, I am now testing the HP Fabriano based on recommendation from other Patreons and I very much like it, the paper wets very well and the paint flow beautifully on it (contrary to Arches HP which is terrible imo). I do found one issue is that the paper get damaged more easily when trying to scrub/lift dry paint (while lifting on wet is a dream).

Patsy Ann Riendeau

I love all your beautiful paintings. Just wondering, have you ever tried stretching watercolor paper on a frame. That way you will not have to frame it. A bit of work, but well worth the effort.

Marijke de Boer

Oh thank you so much! Will have to give it a try :)

Louise De Masi

Hi Marika, If I use 300gsm (140lb) paper I always stretch it before I use it. I have sometimes stretched 640gsm paper first too. I don't like painting on paper that is buckling. I have a video here on Patreon that shows you my process. It's on the index.

Louise De Masi

Thanks Patsy. No I haven't but I hope to try one day. Pat Hall, an Australian artist I admire does that. When she's finished her painting she varnishes it with a heavy duty varnish to protect it.

Louise De Masi

Thanks Marijke. I haven't tried the hot pressed yet.

Kimberly Arledge

I fell in love with Fabiano paper, especially the soft which is between hot and cold (or not). Paint seems to glisten on it.

cherie

The Fabriano paper is excellent and holds up really well to [my repeated and excessive] lifting. It's the only cotton watercolour paper I've found that is sized (internally and externally) with synthetic size (so no animal products). I recently bought some hot and cold pressed sheets in a half size from Adamstown Art online - I was worried about damage during delivery but they arrived in perfect condition. Glad to hear you like it Louise - look forward to seeing your paintings on it.

Kim Holden

Hi Louise :) I joined your patreon last weekend (and skillshare the week before) and have loved watching your videos while I'm working... *shhh* don't tell my boss! LOL I have to admit I am listening more than watching at this point, but I am still picking up some great hints and tips just listening and glancing up every now and then :) I haven't had a chance to pick up a brush yet, but I am getting my gear together ready to try :) Eckersleys have the Fabriano pads on special at the moment, so I grabbed some on Monday. I had heard that it was pretty good, and being 100% Cotton, it was a great piece to learn on (not quite as expensive as arches either) ;) Can't wait to "watch" your new Cockatoo tutorial tomorrow at work :) and am hoping to start one of the tutorials on the weekend probably on the Fabriano Artisitico :) Absolutely loving your tutorials and your sense of humour LOL Keep up the great work :) PS Love the Kooky - so happy to find an artist who does Aussie Critters as well :)

Louise De Masi

Thank you Kim! Thank you for letting me know about the Fabriano pads at Eckersleys. I'm off to take a look. I'm loving The Fabriano paper at the moment. It's beautiful to paint on. 💕

Gloria Howey

Do you always use fine grain watercolor paper?

Louise De Masi

I always use 100% cotton watercolour paper. I use Arches, Saunders Waterford and now Fabriano Artistico. I use both hot and cold pressed paper. I enjoy using both. Cold pressed is a little easier to use when you first start to paint in watercolour.

Gloria Howey

Thanks! I was wondering if you preferred Hot Press over Cold Press. I like the tooth and I love to experiment with granulating watercolors. I’ve still got a long way to go.

Caroline Barr

How do you stretch your cold press paper? Found your post on this topic. Very helpful!!!

Louise De Masi

Hi Antoinette. Thank you! I bought a piece of the Langton paper. I'll let everyone know what I think about it after I tried it out.

toni_evermore

That’s awesome! I look forward to your review!

Valerie Duncan

Hello Louise. When I started painting on “good” paper, I started with Fabriano Artistico. Recently I have been using Kilimanjaro 100% cotton paper from Cheap Joe’s Art Supplies. It is Cheap Joe’s own brand but I think it is actually Fabriano. Kilimanjaro is cheaper at Cheap Joe’s than Fabriano. If you ever try Kilimanjaro I am interested in whether you think it as good/the same as Fabriano.

Louise De Masi

Thanks Valerie. I'll definitely let you know if I try it. 💕

Barbara Friend

Hi Louise. I was wondering if you have to attach watercolor paper that comes on a block?

Louise De Masi

Hi Barbara, do you mean stretch? I do because I find it still buckles and puckers if I don't stretch it first. I take it off the block and stretch it like normal sheets before I paint on it. Blocks are good if you want to paint outdoors. You can take the block with you and go and do some studies on it.

Joanna Johnson

Hi Louise - I have bought some sheets of Fabriano - I have purchased both the 300gsm sheets and the 640gsm - I'm not sure if you've used the thicker stuff, but do you soak these papers for the same length of time as Arches? I have already used one sheet of 300gsm and I figured that since it was a softer paper, I only soaked for 4 minutes and it worked fine, but I'm curious about the thicker stuff.

Louise De Masi

Hi Joanna, technically you don't need to stretch 640gsm paper. I haven't tried Fabriano 640gsm only Arches 640gsm. I have painted on Arches 640 unstretched and I have painted on it stretched. It will get a slight bow in it if you work really wet and haven't stretched it. When I do stretch the Arches 640 I do it for about the same length of time as the 300gsm paper (maybe a little bit longer) so I imagine if I was to buy Fabriano 640gsm and I wanted to stretch it I'd do the same. I'd stretch it for the same amount of time as the 300gsm. You want it to feel like heavy cloth when you take it out of the water but you don't want to leave it in there too long because you risk washing the sizing out of it. So if you want to stretch it, try it for 4 minutes like the 300 - pick it up out of the water. If it acts like and feel like the 300 when you pick it up (like heavy cloth) it should be fine. I hope that wasn't too long winded. 😝

Joanna Johnson

No, not long winded at all - thanks for your response. I will have a go at stretching the 640gsm as you suggested - I'm sure it will work fine :)

Claire

I tried lots of different brands of paper but nothing comes close to how much I like Fabriano Artistico. I rushed out and bouight 20 full sheets, in both the traditional and extra white. I like the idea of being able to do larger works than just a pad allows. My runner up paper is Saunders Waterford, it's close but feels a bit grippier on the brush and doesn't give me as much working time with the paint. I really hope this paper never goes out of production.