St Cuthberts Mill : Testimonial: Edo Hannema on Saunders Waterford

Ambassador Edo Hannema’s passion is for painting landscapes, with calm water and expansive Dutch skies playing a dominant role in his paintings. Saunders Waterford is a favourite of Edo’s who is an expert at capturing the sparkling light and intimate atmosphere of these distinctive landscapes in watercolour.

'Windmill De Swaen' (Winter Windmill Nieuw-Beijerland) Saunders Waterford 300gsm (140lb)

How long have you been using Saunders Waterford and how did you discover it?
Saunders Waterford and my watercolour work goes back a long way. It must have been back in the nineties. I already used Bockingford at that time when I bought my paper at a store that only had a counter; you could not sniff around. For a lot of artists, it was not so pleasant, but for me it was perfect. There was no internet yet, but they did have a catalogue and I knew this catalogue inside out. The paper section gave me the magic 638gsm type of paper, so I decided to buy myself a pack of 10, and from that day on I was hooked on Saunders Waterford. In 2016, I became Ambassador for St Cuthberts Mill papers and it was a huge honour for me.

Ameland, Low Tide on the Wadden isles, Saunders Waterford 300gsm (140lb)

What are the qualities of Saunders Waterford that you enjoy?

The quality of Saunders Waterford is its consistent quality over the years, and it can take the most pigment and water from all the watercolour papers out there!

Now, I don't load up heavy pigments, but I use a lot of water, because water is the soul of watercolour. My friend and teacher Kees van Aalst did this too. Soft tones, but a lot of water. “Watercolour has to whisper, and never shout”, he told me once.

American barn, Saunders Waterford CP (NOT) White 300gsm (140lb)

Do you choose the type of surface (Rough or Cold Pressed) depending on the subject you are painting?

Yes, I do, when I paint buildings, I choose the Saunders Waterford Rough, and make sure the texture of Saunders Waterford is horizontal along with the brickwork. The structure of the paper makes them look like stones, also due to the granulation of the pigment.

For portraits or my soft wetlands, I would take the Cold Pressed (NOT) version. It has just enough texture to make a delicate rough brushstroke.

And I also have a Hot Pressed 638gsm (300lb) pack in my studio, which is great for Line and Wash, or a detailed pencil drawing with a light wash over it.

Saunders Waterford paper has got so much body and stays flat all the time.

When I started painting, I bought a book from an American painter and he always painted whole sheets, and 638gsm (300lb). I can see why. But this said, I stretch 300gsm (140lb) sheets, and they will also paint wonderfully.

Brontë Country, Yorkshire UK, Saunders Waterford block 300gsm (140lb)

Is there anything else you would like to share about Saunders Waterford?

A lot of artists I know paint on the back of Saunders Waterford Rough. The reverse side is slightly rougher than the Cold Pressed surface but a little smoother than the Rough paper. And you paint like a dream on that side too!