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Choosing Keeping Aquarello Nero Black Watercolour Paper Review.



This is a review of Choosing Keeping's black watercolour paper, Aquarello Nero. It costs £20 for twenty sheets of 270g, 100% cotton, acid free Dutch paper. The size of the pad is 17 by 24cm. 

"Aquarello Nero" watercolour pad, black paper – Choosing Keeping

There is no information on Choosing Keeping's web site to say whether the paper is hot pressed, cold pressed or rough, so I had to wait and see. Once the paper arrived I was pleased to see that it was hot pressed, with a nice, smooth surface that makes it suitable for drawing as well as for watercolours.


I did one sketch with a Faber-Castell medium Pitt pastel pencil which worked really well on this paper. I often find pastel pencils scratchy, but in this case it was really smooth to draw with.

For the second sketch I used Nassau metallic pencils which have an oily or waxy texture and I liked how these worked on this paper, although the contrast was a bit low.


I decided to do a watercolour using pearlescent watercolour and Daniel Smith Primatek Bloodstone. The paper worked beautifully with the pearlescent watercolour. The only downside was a lack of granulation from the Daniel Smith Primatek Bloodstone which works better on a paper with more texture.


I did a second painting using gofun powder, pearlescent watercolour and the Daniel Smith Primatek and liked how this worked.


The paper did curl at the edges after a wash but it soon flattened out once dry, and being left overnight under a heavy book. I would recommend this paper for both drawing and watercolour but I wish they sold it in larger sizes. It is nice to find 100% cotton black watercolour paper. Stonehenge also make 100% cotton black watercolour paper in a range of surfaces and sizes so this could also be worth a try. The Stonehenge paper is sold by Jackson's Art Supplies.

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