12x16 Arches Oil Painting Pad Review

Great paper for oil painting. I paint in oil on acrylic and this paper really helps with soft blends. It's a little different from canvas in that it doesn't seem to blend well at first, but when it has a few coats of paint on it I think it's amazing!

I took this oiled paper on a plein air trip. I made some test samples at home and found them decent. However, when I painted in the field, the paper was too absorbent, causing my values to be at least one value darker than what I had drawn. Maybe I drew it on the wrong side? I will try again in the next few weeks and update my review.

This paper is great but with one caveat: while it's ready to paint I find it too absorbent which makes the paint look dry and dull. I have found that a layer of plaster greatly improves the mixability and gloss of the paint. After priming, the paper gets the right texture and I like that it doesn't need to be stretched or fixed.

I've been a watercolor painter for 40 years, I started painting in oils a few years ago. I love the texture of oils but can't find a finish that I like. Traditional duck canvas with gesso seemed too textured or too slippery. Decided to try the new Arches oil seals. I find this product to be perfect for my needs. I can finally paint in oil paints without applying multiple layers to hide the small holes that seem to appear when painting on canvas. Some of the ink penetrates the paper but leaves…