The new Fabriano Artistico is a completely different paper to the old Fabriano Artistico.

It’s been a big issue among professional botanical artists (mostly watercolour artists but also some who work in coloured pencil). Nearly all of them used to use Fab Artistico but every single one found they couldn’t use the new version at all, so have had to find alternatives.

I know which papers some of the watercolour artists have switched to (Fluid 100, St Cuthbert’s Mill Bockingford HP) but I’ve no idea what would be the best alternative for CP + Solvents.

I use my (new version) Fab Artistico Extra White for watercolour pencils with light CP on top (no solvent), and it’s OK for that, but I’m not trying to achieve a flawless or lifelike effect – just messing around.

I did buy some of the new Stonehenge watercolor paper to see if it works well with CP. I found it won’t take much erasing or lifting at all, the fibers start to pill easily, so I don’t recommend it for CP work. I haven’t tried it for watercolor CP.

Thanks for posting this info – extremely helpful. I like to use CP on top of watercolour CP so it doesn’t sound like it’s going to be right for me. I think I’ll save my money and stick with the papers I’ve already got, and just keep getting to know them better.

Lizzy I’m using Stonehenge off white now and its been fine but its old stock so I hope they havent changed their presses too. Its erased well and taken many layers of pencil plus the use of Zest-it.
I found a place here in Australia that sells sheets of the Stonehenge Aqua so will post my thoughts on it when I get it. Mail service here is now as slow as a wet week!
Claudia what paper are you using?
Another paper I’m going to try is the Saunders Waterford Mill HP 300gms and will post my thoughts when I use it on next project.

I’ll be interested to hear what you think of the Saunders Waterford.

I’m still trying out different papers too. I’m working on a hare at the moment, but I started it about 2 weeks ago and I can’t remember which paper it’s on!! .

I actually don’t mind the new Fab Artistico, but I don’t use solvents so it’s almost like a different medium.

I had to change to art boards because paper was getting stretched out. Art boards are like cardboard however with appropriate finishes on them, matte, some you can use paint on with your watercolors, I kean, you colored pencil work, etc

Claudia I got a sample of the Moulin du Roi and found it was not for me and my art shop gave me a replacement sheet of the Fabriano Artistico HP but like the other sheet its just awful, wont take many layers, pencil sits on top not even the OMS works like it used to. I havent tried the Stonehenge Aqua yet but loved the small piece of Arches a friend sent me so have bought a sheet and hope its performs as well as it has for my wren drawing.
Karen not sure if we get “art board” here or what the tooth is like.

Arches is a great paper – could well be the answer for you. It stands up to a lot of abuse so I’m guessing it might cope with the OMS pretty well.

This will sound crazy but it’s no good for me as I can’t stand the smell of it when water is applied to it! I’m super-sensitive to odours and Arches has a particular smell that no other watercolour paper has. I now do a watersoluble pencil/watercolour first layer for nearly everything, so Arches is out of the running for me!

I’m quite liking the Saunders Waterford HP High White. It takes my watercolour pencil quite nicely, and dry pencil detail over the top.

It’s a bit flimsy compared with some other 300gsm papers, but it’s good value, which is a factor for me as I’m using it for journal pages. I’ll probably go for that for my next order, but I’ve got to use up the horrible Fabriano first!