Review on Strathmore 584 9 Heavyweight Mixed Sheets by Carrie Spencer

I work primarily with watercolor and ink so I usually work on high quality 100% cotton watercolor paper. This material is definitely different from the standard 140# cold-pressed sheets. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have an outside size so it tends to absorb quicker. This can be good or bad if you know how to deal with it. It's also fairly smooth - similar to a typical hot-pressed finish, but with a different texture. The graphite rubs clean, handles intricate lines fairly well, and because it's so heavy, you don't even have to glue/stretch it (it warps a bit on big, hard washes, but doesn't really flex and with a little effort you can flatten it enough to hang/install). I've used it almost exclusively for ink and color style portraits, which I find it well suited to. Because it's more absorbent, the edges get stiffer after washing, but honestly I still like this style. I actually find it easier to work with transparencies/glazes on than regular hot pressed watercolor paper, which has allowed me to develop some complex, natural tones with relative ease. large sizes (maybe 18x24?). Otherwise there are no complaints. It is a very forgiving surface and can work well with many different materials and techniques. I've even done some weird mixed media abstracts with acrylic inks and heavy coats of sealing wax and they've held up great. I'd be happy to try thick acrylic paints. All in all my new favorite paper. Highly recommended.