You will notice that the color pales in the water but retains a linear quality with a soft texture. Using a wet brush, load the pigment directly from the pencil as you would from a watercolor cake. The first rule is to use good paper that s made to hold up when wet. Ninety-pound paper is probably too thin for you to use at all. Most artists settle for the 140-pound middle ground because it s inexpensive and easy to use.
Rough paper has a bumpy texture that comes through in a big way.
You can try different grains until you find a texture you like. If you don t want textured paper, cold or hot press block paper is your best bet for detailed drawing. It has a gummed edge that holds the paper in place and minimizes buckling. If you work on a watercolor block, don t take the paper off before you use it or you ll lose that protective, gummed edge. Fill in hues.