Masa Bright White 21" x 31", 86 gsm (often referred to as affordable Hosho). Masa paper is a type of machine-made Japanese art paper made of sulphite pulp and is acid free. The texture of this paper has a toothy feel on one side and a smooth feel on the other. This paper is perfect for student grade projects and has internal sizing and should be slightly dampened prior to printing. Masa paper is soft and white, has internal and surface sizing. Masa can be used for a wide range of art techniques, including sumi painting, watercolor, and printmaking. One side is smoother and shinier than the other. Sometimes masa paper is called rice paper, however it is made from sulphite pulp. A popular technique with watercolor painters is to crumple up a sheet of masa paper, put it into a container of clean water for thirty seconds or so, straighten it out, and then drop some paint onto it while its still wet. The Masa paper becomes a textured, and wrinkled paper, with random colors of the paint you dropped on it. You can then flatten the sheet out, and leave it to dry. Be sure to mark which is the shiny side before you crumple the paper, so you can use the shiny side to flatten the sheet out.