Fluid Watercolor Paper Collection

Fluid

The Story Behind Fluid -The idea for this series of watercolor blocks and sheets was brought to Global Art by Rick Rousseau of Artist Hardware. The unique features he envisioned included:

Striking covers that can’t be missed on the shelf

The two-sided block - EZ Block - a cross between a pad and a block

A multitude of shapes and sizes (16 in all when it was introduced)

Tom Dix had developed the contacts with a 400 year old paper mill in Holland called Schut. They produced high quality paper to our exacting standards at a very affordable price. The three companies aligned and and in the summer of 2010 Fluid was born!

The CollectionCrafted in small batches at slow speeds in a European paper mill, Fluid watercolor papers possess the strength and working integrity of more expensive mould made papers.

Fluid W atercolor paper is a 140 lb p rem ium h igh alpha cellu lose

sheet that is p repared at slow er speeds for finer con t rol. Th is

paper is m anufactured to the ISO standard 9706 - estab lished

for perm anent papers of a conservat ion qualit y and has the

longevit y of several hundred years. Alpha Cellu lose is

considered to be one of the m ost stab le and st rongest fibers

used in paper m aking .

Suitable for artists of ALL skill levels

● Available in both Cold Press and Hot Press Surfaces● 300 gms/140 lb● Acid free● pH neutral● Lignin free● Internally sized● Surfaced sized● Produced in an acid free environment● Available in 12 artist friendly block sizes and sheets● 15 sheets per block● Unique Easy-Block format

Fluid Watercolor Paper - Suitable for Artists of all Skill Levels

Unique Easy -Blo c k fo rm a t - Glued on the two long edges, the Fluid Easy-Block allows artists to paint right on the block without wetting or stretching the paper. The paper is easily separated by sliding a dull knife or letter opener in the open side under the top sheet when the painting is complete.

Fluid 100Fluid 100 - Unlike other cotton papers, Fluid 100 is made by our European mill masters who combine traditional papermaking techniques with modern technology.

Natural white sheets are strong with a subtle surface texture.

The gelatin sizing allows the artist greater control and produces brilliant and intense color.

Perfect for use with wet or dry media techniques

● Available in both Cold Press and Hot Press Surface● 140 lb/300 gsm● 300 lb/640 gsm - Cold Press ● Acid free & pH neutral● Lignin free● Internally sized● Surfaced sized● Available in 12 artist friendly sizes● Sheets, Unique Easy-Blocks, Rolls, Pochettes● 15 sheets per block● Produced in an acid-free environment

Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper

Field series journals

Fluid watercolor paper is also available in a wire bound journal format

Each journal contains 24 sheets/48 pages of our 140 lb alpha cellulose paper in either cold press or hot press surface

Available in 5 sizes and three formats

Travel Series WatercolorTravel Series W atercolor journalsare bound in a beaut ifu l linenbook cloth and are m adeespecially for art ist s on the go.

Each book includes 30 sheets/60 pages of a 80 lb /200 gsm version of Flu id W atercolor paper

Form ats

Frequently asked questions about Fluid watercolor paperAre your papers sized with gelatin? Yes, our Fluid 100 watercolor papers are sized with traditional gelatin. Regular Fluid paper and the papers used in our Handbook drawing pads and Travelogue journals are sized with starch.

What does ISO 9706 mean? ISO is the International Organization for Standardization. This is the standard established for permanent papers of a conservation quality. The sheet must meet a variety of tests to be classified as a permanent sheet where longevity of several hundred years can be expected.

I've read a few reviews about your watercolor journals and people seem to really like it. I want to give it a try as well. But first I need to know if the journals are vegan friendly. By that I mean, if any animal products or byproducts have been used during/ in the making of the journalThe Fluid watercolor paper in these journals has been sized using starch so they would be considered vegan friendly.

Is the Fluid paper one sided or is it made to paint on either side? I just want to make sure I paint on the correct side. Fluid 100 does have different felt marks of each side. Our regular Fluid paper has the same felt mark on both sides. You can paint of either side of both types of paper. It is a personal preference as to which side you use on the Fluid 100.

Your watercolor sketchbook looks like exactly what I need! However, I am committed to using products with sustainably sourcedpaper and I'm wondering where you get yours. Any information that you can provide me about the paper would be greatly appreciated.

The paper used in the Handbook WC journals and our Fluid series of watercolor paper comes from a European mill. They source their raw materials from sustainably harvested forests and only use chlorine-free bleached pulp. The pure water for the production process is reused as often as possible. They are also constantly working on reducing their energy and water consumption. The paper mill also leads the way with innovative programs to reuse organic fibers from waste streams for bio-based paper. Besides cellulose, the fibers they work with include flax, cotton linters and sugarcane. By deploying bio fibers or waste materials as raw materials, they are taking an important step in the manufacture of paper from non-wood fibers.

Frequently asked questions about Fluid watercolor paperI am on disability from chemical exposures and continue to have problems when the papers I use are wet. Does the mill used tomanufacture Fluid paper use biocides in the production process? Most brands of paper I have worked on do. I know that some mills only treat the machines and not the paper. I do not want biocideinmy life. It kills fish and cells in humans.

Yes, the mill used to produce the Fluid paper does use biocides in the production process. Because of the nature of papermaking,the enviroment in which paper is made provides the perfect conditions for the growth of micro-organisims and bacteria. Contamination can come from the air, fresh water, pulp or even waste water. This is why biocides are normally used in many of the processes of papermaking. The mill we work with is very environmentally friendly. They practice corporate social responsibility which includes sourcing raw materials from sustainably harvested forests and only using chlorine-free bleached pulp. The pure water in the production process is reused as often as possible and they are constantly working on reducing energy and water consumption. The mill also leads the way with innovative bio-based programs to reuse organic fibers from waste streams for bio-based paper.

As a botanical watercolorist, I used to enjoy Arches HP and Fabriano HP, and recently tried your Fluid 100 HP. I found that blending in either wet on wet or dry techniques seem to cause the paper to "pill", and I am wondering if you can give me a hint as to the best techniques that would not promote that problem when painting. I also noticed hard line edges, and an inability of erase little marks off the page like I am used to. Help!

Fluid 100 HP has a smooth finish that allowed for nice crisp edges. Water will stay even for wet-on-wet work, and it is easy tocontrol the pigments on damp paper. While painting wet-on-dry work it is best to have a damp surface wherever you want a soft edge, and blending is necessary. Fluid 100 is sized with gelatin and does not have a heavy coating of surface sizing. This allows the artist to actually feel and work with the paper. Some other cotton watercolor papers do have a heavy surface sizing, this will allow the artist to really work the paper, but has a different feel. We have seen some pilling of the Fluid 100 with a heavy use of masking fluid. Regular Fluid HP is a high alpha cellulose sheet, which is considered to be one of the most stable and strongest fibers used in the paper making industry. It is sized with starch and not gelatin and has a more workable surface. It might work better for you than the Fluid 100.