Arches paper is a type of air-dried paper that is preferred amongst printers and watercolorists. It has a warm-white colour and can be found in hot-pressed, cold-pressed, and rough varieties. Arches paper is valued for its durability, and is still made today at the Arches paper mill in Lorraine, France.
Arches watercolor papers are mouldmade with 100% cotton fiber content. They are acid-free, pH-neutral, gelatin-sized, and air-dried (2).
History:
The Arches paper mill (pronounced “ARSH” in French) was founded in Lorraine, France, in 1492. Though it has developed into a major manufacturer of high quality paper, Arches still retains its humble roots and fabricates its paper in the original mill.
Its colorful history is closely linked to the history of France. Many literary milestones and works of art have been entrusted to Arches papers, including the publication of the complete works of Voltaire, a project begun in 1784 that eventually required 70 tons of handmade Arches paper, and Napoleon's The Description of Egypt, printed between 1807 and 1823 on two million sheets of Arches paper - made by hand. In 1895, Arches entered the Industrial Age by using the cylinder mould to fabricate the finest art papers (1).
Sources:
1. http://documents.stanford.edu/67/2870 2. http://www.dickblick.com/products/arches-watercolor-paper/