Paper selection

Not every paper works for a notebook meant for watercolor or ink. Office paper warps, bleeds through, and can't take water. That's why I use heavier-weight paper, made for wet media.

Weight (grams per square meter) determines how many signatures fit per notebook without straining the spine, and how much water the paper can take before warping:

• 130-160 gsm - handles mixed media and light watercolor washes. Not "true" watercolor paper, but works well for color sketches.
• 200 gsm and up - closer to true watercolor standard, holds up better to water without warping.

I also use colored paper in some notebooks - it doesn't replace white for traditional watercolor, but it opens up other options for collage, pencil, or mixed media.

Each notebook's listing states the exact paper used in that piece.