Ever feel like your watercolor paintings don’t turn out the way you want? Maybe the colors look dull, or blending becomes a struggle. According to Sandy Own Crafts, the issue might not be your technique—it could be your paper.
Today, Sandy Own Crafts is testing Arches watercolor paper with Mungyo paints to see whether high-quality paper can elevate the performance of budget watercolors.
Let’s find out!
Contents
Overview of Arches Watercolor Paper
Watercolor success depends on both the paint and the paper. Even when budget paints are used, the right paper can make a significant difference.
That’s why the artist is putting Arches to the test today.
What Makes Arches Watercolor Paper Special?
If someone has painted with watercolor before, they know that paper quality makes all the difference.
Arches is a 100% cotton watercolor paper known for its absorbency and durability.
Unlike cheaper cellulose papers, it helps watercolors blend smoothly and maintain vibrancy.
Compared to other cotton papers like Baohong Master’s Choice, Arches has a slightly less textured surface.
This makes it suitable for detailed work while still offering enough grip for wet techniques.
Texture and Absorption: Key Features of Arches Paper
One standout feature of Arches paper is its texture. It isn’t as rough as some handmade papers, yet it has enough tooth to grip the paint effectively.
Compared to other brands such as Baohong Master’s Choice, Arches offers a balanced texture—ideal for both beginners and experienced artists.
Its strong absorbency prevents excessive pooling, enabling smoother color transitions. But how does it handle budget watercolors? That’s what the artist set out to test.
Introducing Mungyo Watercolor Set: Can Budget Paints Perform Well?
Not all watercolors are created equal. Some are highly pigmented and transparent, while others can appear chalky or dull.
Mungyo watercolors fall somewhere in between, making them an interesting choice for this experiment.
Mungyo Watercolors: Vibrancy and Consistency
Although not considered professional-grade, Mungyo watercolors contain a surprising amount of pigment.
The colors are bright and creamy, making them suitable for layering and blending.
They behave differently from high-end brands such as Winsor & Newton, but even budget paints can perform impressively when paired with quality paper.
Overview of Mungyo watercolor.
Preparing the Paints for Use
Mungyo watercolors are quite dry in the pan and require plenty of water to activate. The artist sprayed them generously before painting, allowing the water to soak in for a minute or two.
For anyone who has struggled with chalky or weak color from pan sets, pre-wetting the paint can make a noticeable difference.
Watercolor Experiment: Painting Christmas Ornaments
To test how Arches handles Mungyo watercolors, the artist chose to paint simple Christmas ornaments.
This experiment allowed assessment of color vibrancy, blending, and layering.
Setting Up the Painting Process
The paper was taped down to prevent warping, and a cup was used to outline circular shapes for the ornaments.
Using objects as guides is a helpful technique for those who find freehand shapes challenging.
After sketching, the artist selected blue, red, and orange to test how the paints mixed on the paper.
Applying the First Layer: Paint Distribution and Absorption
A brush loaded with activated blue paint was used for the first ornament.
The pigment spread smoothly without harsh lines—one reason Arches is favored by many artists.
A clean brush was then used to pull the color toward the center to create a gradient.
The water stayed on the surface long enough for manipulation before absorbing into the fibers.
Layering and Blending with Mungyo Watercolors
Once the first layer dried, the artist continued layering. Red was added to a second ornament, allowing it to blend lightly with the blue on the rim of the cup.
This produced a soft purple hue, showing that Mungyo paints can blend well on high-quality paper.
Although Mungyo is less transparent than professional-grade paints, the layering still worked effectively with proper drying time between layers.
Adding Highlights and Fine Details
After the base layers dried, fine details were added to enhance the festive look.
Using a thin brush, the artist reinforced the ornament edges and preserved white areas for highlights.
Add highlights and fine details.
Adding Greenery and Berries for a Festive Touch
Loose green brushstrokes were added for foliage and small red dots for berries.
Varying shades of green created extra depth and contrast.
Evaluating the Performance: How Arches Paper Handles Budget Watercolors
At this stage, the artist had a clear impression of how Arches paper worked with Mungyo paints.
Color Vibrancy and Transparency
Despite being a budget brand, Mungyo watercolors appeared surprisingly vibrant on Arches.
The pigments maintained richness even after drying—something not always seen with inexpensive paints.
They were less transparent than professional-grade paints, so achieving soft, delicate washes required additional dilution.
Water Retention and Blending Capabilities
One of Arches paper’s greatest strengths is its ability to keep paint wet longer.
This makes blending easier and reduces unwanted streaks.
Even with budget paints, the colors merged smoothly without drying too quickly.
For painters who struggle with patchy applications, upgrading to better paper can make a major difference.
Final Verdict
So, what’s the verdict? Can high-quality paper make a difference even when using budget paints? Absolutely.
Mungyo watercolors performed much better on Arches paper than on cheaper alternatives.
The colors remained vibrant, blending was smoother, and layering became significantly easier. For anyone struggling with watercolors, upgrading the paper might be the quickest and most effective improvement.
What do others think? Have they ever noticed a difference when switching to better paper?
They are welcome to share their experiences in the comments—the artist would love to hear them.
