What is the difference between these watercolor papers? I heard that watercolor papers are sized with different things.
I want to know what the difference is between watercolor papers sized with gelatin and sized with starch.
Gelatin used in paper is made from animal hide cooked down into a gelatin form, while starch is made from wheat and chalk. So for a cruelty-free/animal friendly option, people do prefer to use starch over gelatin for paper-making.
Because starch kind of puts a layer/barrier on the paper, it helps with the watercolor not saturating the paper and absorbing into the paper, which can be beneficial.