Background
Arches has been the benchmark watercolour paper for professional artists for over 500 years. It is made in France from 100% cotton, cold-pressed, and consistently delivers the wet handling and texture that watercolourists demand.
Baohong is a Chinese manufacturer producing 100% cotton watercolour paper at approximately one-third of the Arches price. Over the past three years, it has become widely used by serious artists in Asia and is gaining traction internationally.
Wet handling
This is where Arches still leads. The paper can hold significant water without buckling, allows extended wet-in-wet working time, and lifts cleanly with a damp brush. Baohong handles water well — significantly better than most cellulose papers — but begins to show slight texture changes under very heavy washes.
Surface texture and sizing
Both papers have consistent cold-pressed texture. Arches has a slight advantage in surface sizing, which controls how much paint sinks into the paper versus sitting on the surface. This affects granulation and lifting.
Baohong’s sizing is good but slightly more absorbent, which some artists prefer — washes dry faster and edges are slightly softer.
Value
At approximately one-third of the Arches price, Baohong represents exceptional value. For practice work, studies, and sketchbook-style projects, the difference in handling is not significant enough to justify the Arches price.
Our recommendation
Use Baohong for daily practice and studies. Use Arches for final work and any piece where wet-in-wet technique or precise lifting is essential. This is not a “Baohong replaces Arches” story — but it is a “you don’t need Arches for most of your work” story.