Watercolor Basics: Paper Review Fluid 100
For the past few years, I've used Fluid's Easy Watercolor Blocks for my convention style mini watercolors. These blocks are affordable, easy to find, and easy to work with but are cellulose based, so you can imagine how excited and curious I was when I saw that Fluid has introduced a new cotton rag paper to their lineup. Fluid 100 is available in the same convenient blocks (no stretching, no buckling!), in many of the same sizes of Fluid EZ blocks. And me being who I am, privately buying a block and testing it on the low down was not an option- I had to share my thoughts with you guys.
I purchased my first Fluid 100 block at the Nashville Pla-Za, but I have also seen them at David's Art Supply (New Orleans) and online at DickBlick and through Amazon.
This post is part of my ongoing Watercolor Basics series. You can find more posts, including tutorials, here.
Fluid 100 Vs Fluid Easy Blocks
Fluid Easy Blocks
Image Source
Available in blocksAvailable in a wide variety of sizes from 4x6 on upGum bound on two sidesCellulose (woodpulp) basedFairly inexpensive, smallest size starts at $3.89 on DickBlickNot available in sheetsDecent for alcohol markersAlright for light watercolors- light washes, minimal layersAvailable in hotpress and cold press
Fluid 100
Image SourceAvailable in blocksAvailable in a wide variety of sizes from 4x6 on upGum bound on two sides100% cottonFairly inexpensive for cotton-based watercolor paper, smallest size starts at $4.38 on DickBlickAlso available in sheetsNot recommended for watercolor markersGood for more detailed watercolors, can handle heavy washes, glazingAvailable in 140lb or 300lbAvailable in hotpress or cold press
The Field Test
The Fluid 100 block is gummed on all four sides, with a small opening for your palette (or X-Acto) knife. This is much more secure than the regular Fluid watercolor pads, which are only gummed on two sides, and the paper is prone to coming loose under heavy water saturation.
Before painting, I penciled and inked this illustration. This was inked with a Sailor Mitsuo Aida brushpen.
The Fluid 100 watercolor paper is cotton rag, and handles washes quite well.
Colors are very vibrant on this cotton rag paper, and the Fluid 100 paper can handle multiple layers of watercolor without pigments sloughing off.
The Verdict
Fluid 100 watercolor paper is an excellent, affordable cotton rag paper that's available in convenient blocks. I highly recommend this paper, especially for artists who are ready to move on from student grade papers, but cannot afford more expensive papers like Arches.
Other Illustrations on Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper:
Original illustration available for purchase here.
Original illustration available for purchase here
This review was brought to you thanks to the generosity of my Patrons on Patreon. Patrons have early access to this video almost immediately upon upload. If you would like to help support what I do, there are a number of ways you can do that. If you really enjoyed this post, please take a moment to share it with your friends using the social network buttons below- this helps me a lot, and really means a lot to me! If you want more art tutorials, head on over to my Youtube channel for lots more great content. And if you'd like to help fund future reviews, please check out my Patreon for information on how you can join the community.
Find Me Elsewhere:
For Daily Art Updates: www.instagram.com/Nattosoup
To chat: www.twitter.com/Nattosoup
For more art tutorials, supply reviews, and con recaps: www.nattosoup.blogspot.com
For live demonstrations, panels, workshops, tutorials, and more: www.youtube.com/Nattosoup
For convention how-tos: www.howtobeaconartist.tumblr.com
To help support online art education: www.patreon.com/Nattosoup
For my portfolio: www.behance.com/Nattosoup
For my kidlit portfolio: http://becca-hillburn-illustration.webflow.io/
For digital downloads: www.gumroad.com/nattosoup
For physical goodies: www.nattosoup.com/products
For my comic: www.nattosoup.com/kara-comic
This Post was Also Sponsored by : 7" Kara, Volume 1
www.nattosoup.com/kara-comic
Please consider donating to this blog or purchasing from Natto-shop (http://nattosoup.com/shop) if you want me to continue publishing quality content. All materials tested were purchased from my own pocket. Keep on Truckin' Nattosoup is not under any sponsorship.
I purchased my first Fluid 100 block at the Nashville Pla-Za, but I have also seen them at David's Art Supply (New Orleans) and online at DickBlick and through Amazon.
This post is part of my ongoing Watercolor Basics series. You can find more posts, including tutorials, here.
Fluid 100 Vs Fluid Easy Blocks
Fluid Easy Blocks
Image SourceAvailable in blocksAvailable in a wide variety of sizes from 4x6 on upGum bound on two sidesCellulose (woodpulp) basedFairly inexpensive, smallest size starts at $3.89 on DickBlickNot available in sheetsDecent for alcohol markersAlright for light watercolors- light washes, minimal layersAvailable in hotpress and cold press
Fluid 100
Image SourceAvailable in blocksAvailable in a wide variety of sizes from 4x6 on upGum bound on two sides100% cottonFairly inexpensive for cotton-based watercolor paper, smallest size starts at $4.38 on DickBlickAlso available in sheetsNot recommended for watercolor markersGood for more detailed watercolors, can handle heavy washes, glazingAvailable in 140lb or 300lbAvailable in hotpress or cold pressThe Field Test
The Fluid 100 block is gummed on all four sides, with a small opening for your palette (or X-Acto) knife. This is much more secure than the regular Fluid watercolor pads, which are only gummed on two sides, and the paper is prone to coming loose under heavy water saturation.
Before painting, I penciled and inked this illustration. This was inked with a Sailor Mitsuo Aida brushpen.
The Fluid 100 watercolor paper is cotton rag, and handles washes quite well.
Colors are very vibrant on this cotton rag paper, and the Fluid 100 paper can handle multiple layers of watercolor without pigments sloughing off.
The Verdict
Fluid 100 watercolor paper is an excellent, affordable cotton rag paper that's available in convenient blocks. I highly recommend this paper, especially for artists who are ready to move on from student grade papers, but cannot afford more expensive papers like Arches.
Other Illustrations on Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper:
Original illustration available for purchase here.
Original illustration available for purchase here
This review was brought to you thanks to the generosity of my Patrons on Patreon. Patrons have early access to this video almost immediately upon upload. If you would like to help support what I do, there are a number of ways you can do that. If you really enjoyed this post, please take a moment to share it with your friends using the social network buttons below- this helps me a lot, and really means a lot to me! If you want more art tutorials, head on over to my Youtube channel for lots more great content. And if you'd like to help fund future reviews, please check out my Patreon for information on how you can join the community.
Find Me Elsewhere:
For Daily Art Updates: www.instagram.com/Nattosoup
To chat: www.twitter.com/Nattosoup
For more art tutorials, supply reviews, and con recaps: www.nattosoup.blogspot.com
For live demonstrations, panels, workshops, tutorials, and more: www.youtube.com/Nattosoup
For convention how-tos: www.howtobeaconartist.tumblr.com
To help support online art education: www.patreon.com/Nattosoup
For my portfolio: www.behance.com/Nattosoup
For my kidlit portfolio: http://becca-hillburn-illustration.webflow.io/
For digital downloads: www.gumroad.com/nattosoup
For physical goodies: www.nattosoup.com/products
For my comic: www.nattosoup.com/kara-comic
This Post was Also Sponsored by : 7" Kara, Volume 1
www.nattosoup.com/kara-comicPlease consider donating to this blog or purchasing from Natto-shop (http://nattosoup.com/shop) if you want me to continue publishing quality content. All materials tested were purchased from my own pocket. Keep on Truckin' Nattosoup is not under any sponsorship.
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