What is the difference between a calendered, matte, rough, extra rough and torchon surface?
– Smooth, calendered surfaces Calendered paper acquires its very smooth, glossy surface by being compressed between heated rollers after leaving the paper machine. Watercolors appear that much more brilliant on this surface. Glossy surfaces are excellent for the finest detailed drawings, glazes and washes, where the paint can be removed again. These papers are however not as suitable for large-scale wet in wet work. – Matte surfaces Matte surfaces are used for delicate paintings and are suitable for beginners because of their slightly irregular surface that impacts only slightly on brush control and paint flow. These surfaces can be recommended for all watercolor painters who like to work with fine details. Users can obtain full brush strokes in the wet in dry technique and even glowing color gradation using the wet in wet technique. – Rough surfaces are integrated in the painting and produce bold pictures with relief effects. The rough, irregular, grainy structure makes watercolors ap
