Sooooo, you bought a watercolor paper block.

Maybe you lounged in your favorite art store’s paper aisle, drawn in by the crisp sheets of cotton paper that hold limitless possibilities.

Maybe the block just arrived in the mail… still wrapped, full of promise.

Now it’s on your desk. Perfect. Blank. And, um, KIIIINNNDDA INTIMIDATING.

If you froze or went completely blank thinking, “Okayyy, what do I even paint now?” It’s normal.

But it’s also fixable.

Here are 5 soulful ways to turn that watercolor paper block into a daily creative ritual, a playground, and your go-to studio sidekick.

What are watercolor paper blocks?

A watercolor block is a stack of watercolor paper sheets - usually 15 to 20 - glued tightly on all four edges. You’ll find them in different sizes in various brands.

A paper pad, however, will be glued on just one side. And I have always found that a block is easier to use than a pad because a watercolor block holds your paper flat while you paint directly on the top sheet, without worrying about stretching or taping your paper down.

And when you're done, let it dry completely, then gently slide a palette knife or thin edge under the unglued corner to release the page, revealing the next blank sheet of paper.

From plein air painting to a hassle-free setup at home, watercolor blocks provide a unique blend of structure and convenience.

Whether you’ve just opened your first block or you’ve had one sitting unopened for months, here are five ways to begin using it like a pro.

→ When you want to work in a series/collections.

Use one paper block for a whole body of work.

When you're using the same paper & same dimension, you get the SAME VIBE preserved through your collection!

There’s something beautiful about holding a block that slowly fills with pieces that belong together; paintings connected not just by theme or palette, but by repetition and the sort of consistency that's found in stolen moments between grocery shopping, taking the kids to their game, and replying to emails.

Plus, you remove the guesswork of borders & sizes!

The block becomes the container to your inner explorations.

You show up and paint what wants to come through. Whether it’s 10 skies, 15 flower studies, or color explorations that unfold over time, it keeps it cohesive. Uncomplicated. Intentional.

I painted these cotton candy skies on our new Blue Pine Arts 10" x 7" paper block. And I'm itching to paint a whole series of them, especially with the diverse pastel sky shades from our All Pastels palette.

→ When you want to simplify your plein air setup.

Listen, I love painting on an easel in the mountains, but sometimes I just want to sit down on a picnic blanket with a simple setup.

So skip the easel.

Skip the masking tape, binder clips, and backing boards.

And take a paper block with you.

Artist-grade watercolor paper blocks are designed to:

1. Give you a stiff surface of an easel & backing boards.
2. Hold your paper flat without having to tape it down.

When you're painting outside, you won’t be fiddling with masking tape while the light shifts in the sky. You won’t lose a good moment to logistics.

Just paint what you see - clouds drifting, shadows moving, colors changing.

This is how I avoided any art supplies packing drama when I went on a picnic next to the Bow River in my beautiful mountain town, Cochrane, when Nahush & I were celebrating our 3rd anniversary of moving from India to Canada!

So what I'm REALLY saying is...

When your setup is not too heavy on a chill day outdoors, it's just you, your brushroll + paint palette, and paper that’s all glued, sturdy and ready for you to simply DIVE RIGHT IN!

→ When you want to make it easy to sell your paintings.

Ever finish a plein air painting and have someone ask if it’s for sale? Or maybe it’s a dream of yours for this to happen?

It happened to me when I was painting plein air at the famous Moraine Lake here in the Canadian Rockies. And because I was painting a double spread in my Blue Pine Arts Medium Watercolor Sketchbook, I couldn’t even tear the painting out to sell to the multiple tourists who asked to buy it!! Eeeep!

This dream scenario happens at plein air meetups, open studios, and even casual sketching days. So when you paint with a paper block, you’re ready (as compared to your sketchbook).

No trimming, no peeling tape, no torn edges. Tear your finished painting off.

Just sign it. Sell it. DONE!

One of the simple joys of using a watercolor block is being a step closer to sharing your work in the moment it’s made.

→ When you want to make an edge-to-edge painting.

Ever seen a watercolor painting with color stretching right to the edge and wondered, “Wait… how did they do that? Did they trim off the taped borders?”

With a watercolor block, you don’t have to.

Because the paper is glued on all four sides, it stays flat as you paint, so no stretching, taping, or buckled corners. My 100% cotton 220GSM paper block has taken up to 8 washes and still stayed glued & flat until I was done.

You can paint right to the border - soft skies, wide washes, basically a field of colors that spills to the edge.

And when it’s done, your artwork is frame-ready, ESPECIALLY if you or your collector wants to float-frame it!

→ When you want to create a painting ritual/habit.

To create any daily creative habit, you must prime your environment for it. And the best way to have a sustainable painting ritual is to keep a block open on your desk.

Always within reach. Always READY for you to dive into it.

This way, you get to paint something daily, even if it’s just a few minutes between kids, groceries, or emails.

You're making space to paint, not for a gallery or perfection, but to stay close to the practice.

Psst... that’s how I painted these misty pines.

Five minutes at a time in a SUPER BUSY season of my business.

That’s also how I kept burnout at bay.

Your painting ritual doesn’t have to be big, aesthetic, or fancy like you see on YouTube videos.

It just has to BE THERE.

And if you want to TRUST your paper to hold the moisture and your glowing pigments without fast drying or weird, patchy marks...

Meet the paper block that does the heavy lifting for you.

You'll find the best artist-grade watercolor paper inside our blocks - 100% cotton, cold-press rough sheets that are made to hold rich pigment and soft washes alike.

And that's just ONE of the awesome things about this professional paper tool. These blocks also come in -

→ Two variants - 220 gsm & 270 gsm paper.

→ Two sizes - 10”× 7” & 14”× 10”.

→ 25 sheets glued on all 4 sides (most brands only give you 15-20 sheets!)

→ Bright white paper that makes your colors glow.

→ Acid-free & archival papers because your artwork deserves to last for generations

The ultimate goal was to make paper SO GREAT that it reduces your watercolor woes by 80% and makes it a no-brainer for you to show up to paint & enjoy your practice.

These paper blocks are made to take action and start painting without faffing about stretching, masking, and backing your papers.

Just you, your brush, and the next small moment of color exploration.

Before you go, here's your next step 👇

If your paper block is nearby, open it. Paint something small- a mark, an object, or a memory.

And when you finish it, share it with us. Tag us on Instagram @bluepinearts or post it inside the Blue Pine Arts free Facebook group.

Our FB community is where we cheer each other on, nerd out about tools & supplies, exchange our painting victories, and aha moments.