Arches paper quality has gone noticeably downhill and I'm tired of pretending otherwise
I've been using Arches 140lb cold press for nearly twenty years. It was reliable. You knew what you were getting. That block of paper I opened this morning has sizing so uneven the paint is pooling in patches on the first three sheets. I'm not talking about a minor inconsistency. I'm talking about washes that lay down flat in one area and bead up like wax in another.
I wrote to them a few months ago about a different batch and got a polite form letter suggesting I might be using too much water. Which, no. I know how much water I'm using. I've been doing this long enough to know the difference between a technique problem and a materials problem.
I've already switched to Fabriano Artistico for my commission work. I didn't want to. I liked Arches. But I can't keep fighting the paper. If anyone else has noticed this I'd be curious, though I suspect most people just adapt and don't say anything.
2
2commentsSaveFollow threadShare
Oh man, that's really disappointing to hear. I've been using Arches for about five years now (I know, rookie numbers compared to you!) and I had a similar thing happen with a block last year. First sheet was fine, second and third were a mess. I assumed I got a dud batch.
Have you tried Fabriano Artistico as a backup? I switched for a while after that bad block and honestly the sizing felt more consistent to me. Not saying it's better all around, but it handled my washes better. I still went back to Arches eventually because I'm stubborn, but yours sounds worse than what I dealt with.
What are you going to use for your next piece? I'm stuck figuring out what to buy for a commissioned landscape and this has me second-guessing my usual order.
I have tried Fabriano Artistico, yes. It's a good paper, consistent sizing, takes lifting well. I don't care for the surface texture quite as much as Arches at its best, but it's a perfectly respectable alternative. I used it for about six months after a particularly bad run a couple of years ago and only came back because I'd built so much of my practice around how Arches behaves when it behaves properly. Habit, more than loyalty at this point.
I'm glad yours was a one-off. I'm starting to think mine is a pattern.