Someone please explain the specifics of yupo paper  as compared to regular 100% rag paper --- cold pressed, hot pressed, and rough.  What makes it attractive to use?

Nice work Deb! I can see you have discovered some of the interesting and challenging effects of working on yupo.

Lung Tom...yupo is not really "paper"  It is a synthetic material (a bit like plastic.... I think it is used a lot by sign writers!) It is available in different weights and sizes. I got my first sample pack from Japan www.yupo.com I then searched and found a distributor close to home (Victoria Australia)

Because the surface is non absorbent the watercolour behaves differently...it sits on the surface  and can easily be removed with water. It dries to brilliant colours. The paint crawls and clumps together but it can be controlled if it is applied thicker.

Cheers Sandy

Thanks for the great compliments! 

I find that using the yupo you have more control on mistakes and blending.  With watercolor paper, once you put down a red, thats it, it will always show the red, with the yupo, you can go over it with blue and now you have blue.  Fun to work on too!  Drys faster than paper and colors are more brillant because it's not soaking into the paper. 

You can find yupo at Blicks!

Thanks for the explanation Mrs Willow.  That material sounds like better for acrylic than watercolor.