So I tried to teach myself to paint watercolors 25 years ago, quit, and am trying again. documenting

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. I think I've only ever used the cold-pressed paper, but not a really heavy weight

so in the class I took we had to soak and stretch the paper by stapling it to a piece of plywood and letting it dry. It produced a nice texture but it didn't prevent my results from kind of sucking. I did have better results with oils but yes, they are messy, require some clean-up, smell a bit, and won't wash out of your clothes. I also have cats, and they can be a problem sometimes - they're nosy and their fur floats around and sticks to the paint - but I guess we all have to suffer for our art.