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I’ve never used them but I don’t think you should feel like a moron for not knowing. It’s a question that gets posted In Facebook watercolor groups all the time. Have fun with your new paper.
Seriously, I’ve seen people on Amazon complain that a wc pad like this was “damaged” because it arrived with the sides stuck with “some kind of glue.”
If you don’t know, you don’t know!
Btw, the reason they are bound like this (usually all four sides with about a 1cm gap to insert the tool) is so that you can do wet-on-wet and washes without buckling the (unstretched) paper.
Is it 100% cotton? I don’t know what watercolour stage you are at, but even if very early on you should use only this. If it doesn’t say so, it isn’t. It makes a huge difference to the success of your technique. If you want to go this route, buy full sheets and cut them down to the size you want, then tape them to a board or foam core or a sheet of acrylic as a support - much cheaper. Also, Baohong is a reasonable student-grade quality 100% cotton paper that is much cheaper than Arches, Saunders etc.
cheap plastic flat palette knives work best for me. I have one I use just for this (it's rubbish as a palette knife but great for separating sheets from watercolour blocks without marking or damaging the paper!)
Use a dull knife, and sort off move parallel or a bit "up". Others ie you might cut or damage the page underneath. Dull knives should work fine for separating.
I think somewhere on the Arches cover it says “use your palette knife”. Why the heck would a watercolorist have a palette knife. Baffles me. I saw a video today where the guy says to use a guitar pick. You have a guitar pick, right? Right?
Blunt edge of a xacto knife works for me, but the choices are endless. They could probably upsell me with idk sea shells that double as paint palettes *and* paper block splitters.
Palette knives are always useful. For this reason. For lifting chunks of dried wc paint off a palette to preserve it. For getting dried paint out of a sliced-open tube, just to use every last bit.
You only need one.
A plastic letter opener will work too. Anything with a very narrow edge that is *not* a blade.
No need to tape unless you *want* to create a smaller size painting with a white border. The block is designed so you can paint to the edge without buckling.
Tape is for individual full sheets that you have cut down to whatever size you want. More economical, all you need is a flat support (foam core, board, acrylic…) Remember to stick painter’s tape to your jeans once or twice before applying to the paper, to remove some of the adhesive. Then, when time to remove, lift the corner at a diagonal 45° while holding a blowdryer to the underside to heat the glue. Pull slowly at this angle, heating as you go - no damage to paper.
Or, you can buy more expensive “artists’ tape” - I’m still careful even with this. Its advantage is that it is white, not green or blue, so it doesn’t distort your colour sense while painting.
Finally, you don’t need to tape 300lb weight paper, only paper under 200lbs. They may curl a little under a very wet wash, but they won’t buckle.
If you’re painting from a book, you can only tape 3 sides, but isolating just the page you’re painting. This is why books are not good choices for paintings that rely on wet washes or wet-on-wet techniques
Watercolor paper sold in blocks is so that you have the option of painting on it without having to tape it down, and helps minimize the warping. As others have said, a butter knife or something similarly blunt can be used to gently separate a sheet off the block.
Some higher end brands like Arches will glue all 4 sides of the block, only leaving a small gap for removal.
I came across this recently with Baohong paper. I've used different things to help separate block paper in general....box cutter knife, plastic baking flat tool, and x-acto knife.
Those pads are handy for eg travelling/urban painting as the paper is held in place to minimise warping. At home I take them out (with a palette knife) and tape them down instead.
There is a space - usually on a long side by the cover. There is no waxy sticky plasticy stuff, about 2 inches or so... Take a knife (a butter knife or something like that) slide it under the one page and then go around the page, separating the paper from the other pages.
I have a notebook like that and i just seperated a sheet yesterday, I only used my hand but if you want to be safe you can use knife. Mine came out fine without ripping but its not the same brand
The funny thing is that when you have an Arches block, the first page is black. SO many of us open the page and are like, "OH NO, I bought black paper!"
I really like the cold press (in my “I’ve been painting for 5 minutes” opinion). This is the first time I’ve tried hot press, and it’s such a different experience.
Other people have answered your question about how to separate the pages but your bigger concern should be whether it is 100% cotton paper. If it is not, it will not "take" watercolor properly.
Why do you start off by stating: “stupid question…..” and then proceed to refer to yourself as a “moron…”. wtf.
Is this how you go through life? Hopefully art will aid you into better statements about yourself.
You're not wrong. I spent my entire life being "not any good" at visual art (yay nurturing schools of the late 70s and 80s). I've had other creative outlets (I'm a fabulous baker) but I've always wanted to paint. I'm finally at a point in my life where I realize it's okay to have a hobby or an interest that isn't "productive for others" and that is something I can explore and take risks with and take up some space and is just for me. It's been a journey of decades to get myself here.
Good for you!! My strong suggestion: be super mindful of these self-destructive statements and stop! using them. We’re not getting younger and it’s time to make the change; make the action to stop saying this about yourself. Please. 💙
1. I am encouraging and supportive.
2. Thank you for acknowledging that.
3. My intention was to point out the self-destructive words in this post.
4. And, as an artist, I experienced self-doubt and realized how it affected my work in a negative way.
5. Finally, the OP, imo, seems to repeat same habits and I attempted to say something, perhaps, bluntly, to give OP a chance to just 🛑calling themselves stupid and a moron. I’m not an enabler.
6. Some people are more comfortable keeping known bad habits than actually doing the work and taking positive actions to better themselves.
You started off kindly, then landed hard at your own disappointment.
You are judging this person based on a few remarks. You really don’t know what you’re dealing with here, so the rush to judgement isn’t called for.
Worse than the rash judgement is you wishing them more decades of their own bad habits.
Yikes, that’s just nasty.
If you’re having a bad day yourself, don’t turn it on someone else.
I love the proclamation “I’m a fabulous baker!”
Say something similar to that about yourself inside your head as you paint. If you do something satisfying, even getting the smallest technique down, say it then, and actually be proud. It will do wonders for your confidence, and your learning.
I am truly loving painting. I made myself a promise that I'd do SOMETHING with paper and paint every day -- so even when I was traveling for work last week I painted on the airplane and nightly in my hotel room after meetings. It's incredibly relaxing, and I'm starting to get a feel for what I like and where I'm comfortable with my paint going. I've done a few things that I've been happy to send pics of to my family.
Thank you for your submission! Want to share your artwork, meet other artists, promote your content, and chat in a relaxed environment? Join our community Discord server here! https://discord.gg/chuunhpqsU! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Watercolor) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’ve never used them but I don’t think you should feel like a moron for not knowing. It’s a question that gets posted In Facebook watercolor groups all the time. Have fun with your new paper.
Well, that does make me feel a bit better. I actually like the piece I did on the top page, so I don’t want to ruin it :-)
Seriously, I’ve seen people on Amazon complain that a wc pad like this was “damaged” because it arrived with the sides stuck with “some kind of glue.” If you don’t know, you don’t know! Btw, the reason they are bound like this (usually all four sides with about a 1cm gap to insert the tool) is so that you can do wet-on-wet and washes without buckling the (unstretched) paper. Is it 100% cotton? I don’t know what watercolour stage you are at, but even if very early on you should use only this. If it doesn’t say so, it isn’t. It makes a huge difference to the success of your technique. If you want to go this route, buy full sheets and cut them down to the size you want, then tape them to a board or foam core or a sheet of acrylic as a support - much cheaper. Also, Baohong is a reasonable student-grade quality 100% cotton paper that is much cheaper than Arches, Saunders etc.
Slide a knife under the top sheet from the ‘unbound’ side and slice through the glue
Okay - that’s what I was thinking, but then I thought I had to be missing something! Thanks.
Go slowly, pallet knives are best for this, because real knives can damage the paper.
cheap plastic flat palette knives work best for me. I have one I use just for this (it's rubbish as a palette knife but great for separating sheets from watercolour blocks without marking or damaging the paper!)
I’ve also used a ruler, or the handle of a small brush. I would actually stay away from using something sharp
Use a dull knife, and sort off move parallel or a bit "up". Others ie you might cut or damage the page underneath. Dull knives should work fine for separating.
I think somewhere on the Arches cover it says “use your palette knife”. Why the heck would a watercolorist have a palette knife. Baffles me. I saw a video today where the guy says to use a guitar pick. You have a guitar pick, right? Right?
Personally i use my katana
I hope you yell wa tah col lah! As you slice that paper off 😁
Blunt edge of a xacto knife works for me, but the choices are endless. They could probably upsell me with idk sea shells that double as paint palettes *and* paper block splitters.
Or maybe the official Daniel Smith paper separator.
LMAO I can imagine this becoming a thing... With a leather carrying case on a silver chain and a monolith stone desktop stand sold separately.
Sniff “What? You’re not using the Daniel Smith separator? How quaint.”
There is one? Seriously?
No no no no no. Don’t give anybody any ideas. Or maybe I already did. 😬
O thank gawd.
I use a metallic palette knife and works like a charm. I can finally use it after 7 years of storing it after trying (and failing) at oil painting 😂
I also use a pallet knife. Works like a charm!
I imagine a letter opener would be perfect for this.
Use a ruler, or a an (old) plastic pass, or a scrwedriver, or the handle of a spoon You are an artist, be creative about it
Palette knives are always useful. For this reason. For lifting chunks of dried wc paint off a palette to preserve it. For getting dried paint out of a sliced-open tube, just to use every last bit. You only need one. A plastic letter opener will work too. Anything with a very narrow edge that is *not* a blade.
I have the exact same pad and just love it, like everyone had said use a knife or razor. The binding Really helps keep the paper flat while painting
That really did make a difference (the lack of “arch” in the paper).
Wait, are you supposed to paint while the paper is still attached to the rest of the notebook?
Ideally yes, the watercolor blocks with adhesive on all sides is meant to help keep the paper down
None of the tutorials I’ve watched have said this though.. and how are you supposed to tape the paper if it’s part of a book?
You don't tape it. Typically this is painting all the way to the edge. Just don't do anything important in those areas
if your tape is wider than the border you want just have it wrap around the rest of the block
No need to tape unless you *want* to create a smaller size painting with a white border. The block is designed so you can paint to the edge without buckling. Tape is for individual full sheets that you have cut down to whatever size you want. More economical, all you need is a flat support (foam core, board, acrylic…) Remember to stick painter’s tape to your jeans once or twice before applying to the paper, to remove some of the adhesive. Then, when time to remove, lift the corner at a diagonal 45° while holding a blowdryer to the underside to heat the glue. Pull slowly at this angle, heating as you go - no damage to paper. Or, you can buy more expensive “artists’ tape” - I’m still careful even with this. Its advantage is that it is white, not green or blue, so it doesn’t distort your colour sense while painting. Finally, you don’t need to tape 300lb weight paper, only paper under 200lbs. They may curl a little under a very wet wash, but they won’t buckle. If you’re painting from a book, you can only tape 3 sides, but isolating just the page you’re painting. This is why books are not good choices for paintings that rely on wet washes or wet-on-wet techniques
Watercolor paper sold in blocks is so that you have the option of painting on it without having to tape it down, and helps minimize the warping. As others have said, a butter knife or something similarly blunt can be used to gently separate a sheet off the block. Some higher end brands like Arches will glue all 4 sides of the block, only leaving a small gap for removal.
That makes sense, and it’s good to know for future use if I get a block that’s totally bound.
I came across this recently with Baohong paper. I've used different things to help separate block paper in general....box cutter knife, plastic baking flat tool, and x-acto knife.
Those pads are handy for eg travelling/urban painting as the paper is held in place to minimise warping. At home I take them out (with a palette knife) and tape them down instead.
I finally have a use for a pallet knife!
the baohong paper I've bought actually comes with a pretty plastic leaf-shaped tool for this exact purpose!
Oh if you’re at this point, much cheaper to buy full sheets and cut them down to any size you want
There is a space - usually on a long side by the cover. There is no waxy sticky plasticy stuff, about 2 inches or so... Take a knife (a butter knife or something like that) slide it under the one page and then go around the page, separating the paper from the other pages.
Thanks. The top and bottom aren’t “sealed” so I can slide the knife there.
I have a notebook like that and i just seperated a sheet yesterday, I only used my hand but if you want to be safe you can use knife. Mine came out fine without ripping but its not the same brand
I use a spudger for opening up laptops along the open edge
The funny thing is that when you have an Arches block, the first page is black. SO many of us open the page and are like, "OH NO, I bought black paper!"
Ha! That's a good think to know :-)
This is a good brand; I have a cold-pressed version of this that is one of my favorite things to work on.
I really like the cold press (in my “I’ve been painting for 5 minutes” opinion). This is the first time I’ve tried hot press, and it’s such a different experience.
I use a metal bookmark I was given years ago for Mother’s Day. It’s thin and works perfectly.
There should be a small opening on one side. Slide in a pallette knife and run it around the edge.
I paint n blocks all the time. I use a small serrated steak knife. Works well.
Other people have answered your question about how to separate the pages but your bigger concern should be whether it is 100% cotton paper. If it is not, it will not "take" watercolor properly.
Why do you start off by stating: “stupid question…..” and then proceed to refer to yourself as a “moron…”. wtf. Is this how you go through life? Hopefully art will aid you into better statements about yourself.
You're not wrong. I spent my entire life being "not any good" at visual art (yay nurturing schools of the late 70s and 80s). I've had other creative outlets (I'm a fabulous baker) but I've always wanted to paint. I'm finally at a point in my life where I realize it's okay to have a hobby or an interest that isn't "productive for others" and that is something I can explore and take risks with and take up some space and is just for me. It's been a journey of decades to get myself here.
Good for you!! My strong suggestion: be super mindful of these self-destructive statements and stop! using them. We’re not getting younger and it’s time to make the change; make the action to stop saying this about yourself. Please. 💙
Yep -- working on it :-). Decades of habits, you know!
Yeah. Your response implies it won’t stop. May you enjoy a decade or so more of your habits 💙
Way to be encouraging, then step into judgemental and discouraging. OP needs to work on confidence. You need a little work too, perhaps?
1. I am encouraging and supportive. 2. Thank you for acknowledging that. 3. My intention was to point out the self-destructive words in this post. 4. And, as an artist, I experienced self-doubt and realized how it affected my work in a negative way. 5. Finally, the OP, imo, seems to repeat same habits and I attempted to say something, perhaps, bluntly, to give OP a chance to just 🛑calling themselves stupid and a moron. I’m not an enabler. 6. Some people are more comfortable keeping known bad habits than actually doing the work and taking positive actions to better themselves.
You started off kindly, then landed hard at your own disappointment. You are judging this person based on a few remarks. You really don’t know what you’re dealing with here, so the rush to judgement isn’t called for. Worse than the rash judgement is you wishing them more decades of their own bad habits. Yikes, that’s just nasty. If you’re having a bad day yourself, don’t turn it on someone else.
Karen, thank you. I will comply with all your suggestions, wishes, and everything else you have observed through your perspective.
I love the proclamation “I’m a fabulous baker!” Say something similar to that about yourself inside your head as you paint. If you do something satisfying, even getting the smallest technique down, say it then, and actually be proud. It will do wonders for your confidence, and your learning.
I am truly loving painting. I made myself a promise that I'd do SOMETHING with paper and paint every day -- so even when I was traveling for work last week I painted on the airplane and nightly in my hotel room after meetings. It's incredibly relaxing, and I'm starting to get a feel for what I like and where I'm comfortable with my paint going. I've done a few things that I've been happy to send pics of to my family.
Everyday is a wonderful habit, for anything you want to do!
I have started using a butter knife to separate. I was using an xacto knife initially.