This article was co-authored by Kelly Medford and by wikiHow staff writer, Luke Smith, MFA. Kelly Medford is an American painter based in Rome, Italy. She studied classical painting, drawing and printmaking both in the U.S. and in Italy. She works primarily en plein air on the streets of Rome, and also travels for private international collectors on commission. She founded Sketching Rome Tours in 2012 where she teaches sketchbook journaling to visitors of Rome. Kelly is a graduate of the Florence Academy of Art.
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There are many choices to consider when working with watercolors, like choosing your paints, brushes, and the techniques you’ll use. But the kind of paper on which you paint is among the most important choices to make, and the differences between hot press and cold press paper aren’t immediately clear. Which one is better? Which one is right for you? The short answer, like so many questions about art, is that it comes down to personal preference. That said, we’ve compiled a simple guide that will fill you in on the different qualities of hot and cold press watercolor paper, as well as the best advice for choosing which one is right for you.