Watercolour Paper

I really don't get on here and write as much as I'd like to. I don't think to or I overthink what I want to say but today, I'm quite clear on what I want to express.

I want to talk about watercolour paper for a moment. Well actually, it's probably more of a whine than a talk.

Since when has watercolour paper gotten so damn expensive?!!!

I mean I know EVERYTHING has gone up in price in the last 6 months but geeze.

Most of the papers in this image are inexpensive papers I purchased mainly to experiment with or review but even these have been going up in price rapidly.

Last week I popped out to buy a couple of gel pens and possibly some watercolour paper at a local office supplies. The place I was shopping for only really sells mid-range, student-quality paper but I was hopeful that I'd get what I needed (or wanted). I used to get a good 300gsm, cotton watercolour paper in an A3 pad for around $20 for 12-15 sheets. And that was just 6 months ago. Last week, they didn't have any under $50!

I find myself going into a panic if i don't have a small range of watercolour paper on hand at all times.

Until about 8 weeks ago, I was also purchasing a student quality watercolour paper online for under $10, in some cases, only $2 and have been for years. Those same pads are now more than $60!

For the artist-quality pads I buy (from an art supplies store) I usually wait until they're on special but they're usually around $115 for an A4 pad for 300gsm, A4, 100 sheets. I just hopped online to check how much they've gone up and thankfully - they haven't! They're actually on special for $90!

So from now on, it's beginning to look like I may have to revert to only using artist-quality papers. Which talky isn't a bad thing but it will certainly push my prices up even further 😞

I'm a bit flabbergasted that these student quality papers have gotten so expensive recently.

What has your experience been? Have you noticed a dramatic price increase in the cost of art supplies recently?

Anyway, that's my gripe of the week.