Hahnemühle's history dates over 400 years to its founding in 1584, and this German manufacturer has always been a leader in fine art paper. The Collection is Hahnemühle's celebration of the best techniques and materials, in formats that suit the contemporary artist. All of the paper pads in The Collection are made from 100% cotton rag, using the best paper-making technology, with an ingredient list that is completely vegan and safe for archival use.

The Collection Watercolor Blocks are among the finest watercolor paper options in the world, but they cost much less than other high-quality European watercolor blocks. They are made by the traditional "cylinder mould" technique, which is much more labor-intensive and time-consuming than modern, high-speed machines. A slowly rotating cylinder collects cotton pulp from the water vat, then deposits the wet sheet of paper on a natural felt surface for drying.

The result is a much stronger and more uniform sheet, thanks to the random distribution of fibers created by this old-fashioned technique. With cheaper modern machines, the fibers are all aligned in one direction, meaning the paper tears too easily in that direction and too roughly in the other direction. Cylinder mould watercolor paper can be torn in both directions and boasts a more natural-looking grain pattern from the felt pad used to dry it.

In addition to this time-honored technique, Hahnemühle uses the very best ingredients for The Collection watercolor paper. The fibers are 100% cotton rag, and the vegan sizing offers excellent handling of paint and resistance to wetting, soaking, scrubbing, masking, and any other technique used by the professional watercolorist.

In another traditional touch, The Collection watercolor paper is bound in a block, with black glue around all four sides, so it's impossible for the paper to warp while you paint on it. Let your work dry, then insert a smooth knife in the gap at the top of the block to release the page.

A smooth protective sheet is bound into the block so that the surface is absolutely perfect when it reaches you. Peel off this printed sheet to start using your new paper.

This is the cold press version of The Collection watercolor paper. Cold press is the most popular and historically important type of watercolor paper, with its characteristic textured surface that makes landscapes look more real. Pigment gathers in the deeper areas of the paper, creating the illusion of depth and texture.

640 gsm (300#) weight. Ten sheets per block. 30 x 40 cm (11.8" x 15.7"). Made in Germany.