Join renowned professional portrait artist Paul McCormack as he demonstrates how to properly stretch watercolor paper, with light wood and a staple gun, in this … When paper is thoroughly soaked, lay it on the Gatorboard… I'm a beginner to watercolor; My instructor told us to purchase Arches 140 cold press paper, to soak it and then stretch it using staples to hold the paper in place. I'll either staple the edges down or sometimes I just use push pins from an office supply. Fill up the tray or your bucket with cold, distilled water. Pull the sheet through the water multiple times until each part has been fully submerged and the sheet is evenly soaked. First, if you plan to paint a drawing of your subject, create your drawing on the paper first. 1/2" thick. :) (Sorry for my little bit of humor there.) If it is a portrait where precision is required, I'll draw it on tracing paper first (which erases super easy for corrections) and then transfer the outline to the watercolor paper with Saral transfer paper. So you stretch it, it's taut and smooth and the pigment stays where you paint it, doesn't travel off on its own. This can be difficult for the artist to work with because the paint pools in valleys on the paper. I’m looking for suggestions for a good board to stretch watercolor paper on. Also, if I know what I'm painting will not involve lots of loose, wet paint, I'll skip it. Start your painting while the sheet is still damp. When I removed the plastic pieces from the groves, the watercolor paper popped off the stretching board. Fredrix® Watercolor Canvas Tips and Techniques by Anne Brodie Hill ASMA, GWS. You will need a large drawing board (or some other type of support) as well as regular old masking tape. Alternatively, you can mount your painting after it … Watercolor paper mounting supplies. © 2021 Strathmore®, a division of Dixon Ticonderoga. You can do it either way. Hi. What an outstanding way to stretch watercolor paper! Someplace in these discussions I saw somebody say that you don't soak and stretch when using gatorboard. Get it as soon as Mon, Jan 25. Enter your email below to never miss an issue! 2. The only tool needed, a t-wrench is encluded in your order. But this paper is far more expensive. Warp resistant board perfect for photo mounting, screen printing and stretching watercolor paper. Gator Board Natural/Kraft 18"x24" 3/16" 10 … It takes a little longer to stretch because you are only soaking one side so allow extra time. How To Stretch Watercolor Paper With Paul McCormack. I've just never known how to go about it. This system will leave no holes in the deckle, and is easy enough to use that artists of all ages will be delighted. I then cut each piece in half. Watercolor paper or a finished watercolor painting; A stiff brush; A spatula to help with the spreading of heavy gel (optional) A clean brayer; an X-acto knife ; You have to ways of mounting watercolor paper on board: You can do it with your white paper,let it dry and then paint afterwards.This technique has the advantage of stretching your paper at the same time you are … But not everyone has a convenient tub or even a large basin that can hold water that fits a large piece of paper. Or use a projector? There are so many opinions and tutorials on how to stretch watercolor paper. Jerry's Lightweight Watercolor Boards - Gatorfoam Board Made of 3/4" thick extra sturdy boards which feature a white coated paper surface on both sides and a foam center. How to stretch watercolor paper Whichever method you choose to stretch your paper, the basic approach is the same: first you soak the paper, then you stretch it. It’s a good idea to stretch your watercolor paper before you begin the actual painting or it will tend to buckle a lot when really wet washes are applied. I'm much more of a drawer than a painter and when I have painted I've never done it over a drawing first. That instructor didn’t bother to stretch paper and most of us were using watercolor … It will curl, if you use a lot of water. You can see my stapler in the photo--very old but works great. I personally have several boards including one made of plexiglas from a DIY store and I use 1.5–2″ masking tape to hold my 140 lb. You may opt-out at any time. What does it mean to stretch watercolor paper? If you've ever painted on paper, you've likely experienced it warping or buckling during the drying process. With side bars clamped loosen end screws next to one of the side bars. To start, you will need some Gator foamboard or a good quality wood board about ½” thick. Posted by DryFlyWaters.com at 9:49 AM No comments: Labels: gator board, Gator board foam, gatorboard, gatorfoam, Stretching Watercolor Paper. Sheets that are 140lb/300gsm or heavier can soak up to 8 minutes. It is recommended for 140lb and lighter watercolor paper. I also used paper tape on the base foam core and whenever the stretched watercolor paper pulls as it dries, I try countering by spritzing the paper tape at the back. Gator board foam is a great way to stretch watercolor paper. Cheap Joe's Art Stuff offers a variety of Watercolor Backing Boards. Let it dry and it will remain flat. Now, for those already completed paintings with wrinkles. Just curious. Use artist's tape, bull dog clips or staples to secure the watercolor paper to the surface of the board. What is Watercolor Canvas? Remember Your Info Gator Board Foam - The Advantage of Light Weight Watercolor Stretching Board. Many artists soak or stretch their watercolor paper prior to painting. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I’m looking for suggestions for a good board to stretch watercolor paper on. I'm either too impatient or painting in plein air or teaching demos and I just go for it. Hi Mychele, if what you need is the paper stretched and without buckling while you work on it, then yes this should work for you as well. However, if you plan to leave the paper on the back support permanently, I would think the varnish would work fine. Note: you can stretch heavier weight watercolor paper if you want to. The method of stretching the paper is very important to avoid tearing or ripping the paper; it is first stretched lengthwise then across its breadth. It is not necessary for 300-pound paper, but lesser weights of paper will immediately start buckling as soon as you add a wash to them. To stretch your board this way – simple placing your watercolor paper – flat against a wooden board and taping all the edges down with masking tape. If you see it beginning to dry, spray it again to keep it moist. 1 decade ago. It will dry tight as a drum. By Michelle Morris in Art Tutorials > Painting Tutorials In my last article on watercolor supplies I forgot to include a mounting surface in the supply list. Thank you. Place the sheet in the tray or dip the sheet into the bucket. The underlying moisture keeps the paper stuck tight against the board while you do the painting. You can stretch your paper as Elizabeth has mentioned by brushing water on both … And three, I just like a clean, white edge once the painting is complete. After 20 minutes of spraying as needed and brushing, you should have a strong sheen to the paper that stays there and no longer soaks in. The comfort of painting on a flat surface and having a flat painting when it’s finished is worth all the preparation. Hey, I was wondering if this would work for mixed media projects as well. One method, which actually uses staples to hold the edges of the paper to the board, is the best and most reliable way of keeping your paper from buckling while painting. I kept some of the smaller prototypes. Someplace in these discussions I saw somebody say that you don't soak and stretch when using gatorboard. Use a spray bottle with clean water to fully soak both sides of the sheet. Just fill it with room temperature water and soak your paper. $21.78 $ 21. It works really well for relatively small pieces. Here is how to do it. ® used under license from Mohawk Fine Papers Inc. We do not sell your information or use it for any other purpose than to email you our quarterly Artist Newsletter. Soak your paper before stretching The first step in stretching watercolor paper it is to soak each sheet in a tub of cold water. When using Gatorboard, you can actually stretch paper on both sides of the board to keep the board from … For convenience, I’m just looking to just purchase something online, rather than making one myself. Soak the watercolor paper with clean water. Thanks to Carol for asking this question! Why & how should it be done? Stretching Watercolor Paper to Prevent Wrapping Here, we will illustrate two methods of stretching that should ensure your paper does not warp. If varnish protects the front, will the paper still conform to what it's being stretched to? I don't use a staple gun--a regular household stapler (opened) works fine on gatorboard or an artist wood board. One of these methods involves you letting the paint dry overnight whereas the … Lily Pads on One Mile Lake has been painted on paper that had been previously mounted on board. You need: paper (I use Arches 140# hot press). The finished, dried painting must be removed without cutting the Gatorfoam Board, so a shallow angle of a snap knife in the little air pocket line around the edge of the … Check this box if you want email updates when people comment on this post, Watercolor Designs, LLC ~ Judy Mudd ~ (502) 550-1827, Paint Yourself a Valentine! When paper is thoroughly soaked, lay it on the Gatorboard. I highly recommend this product to all watercolorists. I spray it and brush it just as before while being careful not to let the water run under the edges of the paper and ruin the front painting. Soak the paper until it's sopping and limp; be careful not to crease it while wet (or dry) as the sizing will be damaged and show up on your finished work as a line with too little or too much pigment. Place along all four outer edges of the paper, covering just about ¼” of the paper. A simple watercolor stretcher by Michael Mott : A finished project. You then fix the edges of the paper so that when it dries and contracts the surface is pulled tight like a drum. Hello! FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Turn the sheet back over and let it sit face up for about 15 minutes. I begin in the center of each side putting down one staple so after the first round you have four staples in place. GATORBOARD FOME BOARD - The watercolorist's choice for stretching paper. I stretch my paper in the easiest way possible (for me). paper to a board when I am doing a painting. Here’s a quick video of the technique: Good for small demos and very lightweight. 0 0. maryalink. The first thing you need to stretch your paper is to saturate your paper with water---I'm talking saturate to the point that it feels like limp fabric. Using 300 lb paper is costly, but will eliminate a lot of the curling. Stretching watercolor paper keeps it from buckling while you are painting on it. I was looking up different types of boards to use for stretching paper using staples and came across your blog. If you're not sure about the side, hold the paper up to light--on your more professional papers there should be a watermark embedded in the paper in one of the corners--if you can read it, that is the "up" side. But this paper is far more expensive. One of the hardest concepts to grasp as a beginner was WHY I would want to stretch watercolor paper. No matter how wet and juicy your paint will be, it will never be as wet on the paper as the original saturation when you stretched it. It will have a contour pressed on the tape. Place the blotted paper onto your foamboard taking care to ensure it lays flat. Do you draw it first and then trace it on your watercolor paper? Any and all info is much appreciated. Replies. If your entire sheet does not fit inside the tray, hold the sheet at both ends and dip one end into the water. Reply Delete. Gatorfoam Board is comprised of extruded polystyrene foam bonded between two layers of wood-fiber veneer, lightweight, durable making it great for stretching watercolor paper. Roll 2 layers of clean paper towel over the sheet of paper and firmly press on all areas of the sheet to soak up any excess water. Simply soak your paper for 5-10 minutes. Here are three ways to stretch watercolor paper. What stretching your paper means, as most of you may know, is to wet it and attach it to a surface to keep it from buckling when you paint on it. I want to stretch my paper so i bought a gator board. Using a large brush, saturate the front of the sheet completely with water (you can’t use too much, so be generous). If it is a simple drawing like a street scene, I'll go ahead and draw directly on the paper. All emails include an unsubscribe link. Find out what the Strathmore SERIES numbers mean? Water, Gatorboard & Paper Towels After digging around for another solution, I learned that you can saturate a piece of watercolor paper, lay it on a piece of Gatorboard and then use paper towels to remove the excess water on the surface. To hurry up the drying, some people use a paper towel roll across the surface to remove some of the moisture after the stapling is completed. See our privacy policy. I'm not sure how varnish will work on the paper once you take it off of the back support. Stretching watercolor paper keeps it from buckling while you are painting on it. I leave it for the whole night to dry. One of the reasons I believe is that the paper is not actually stretched at all, but held at its maximum expansion … Step 2. If the paper fails to stretch you can reuse it by cutting it off the board and going through the soaking and stretching process again. paper (even though it usually doesn't require stretching) and it still becomes limp. Made in the U.S.A. You have to ways of mounting watercolor paper on board: You can do it with your white paper,let it dry and then paint afterwards.This technique has the advantage of stretching your paper at the same time you are mounting it. Is there a reason you use tracing paper other than the fact that it erases easy? Soak the sheet in a tray of clean, cold water. This is where it is most advisable to insert the cutter, working at a very low angle, almost flat. Either way works. Method 2 – Stretching paper to use immediately. Description. (Not that you'll need a piece of gatorboard a little larger than the paper you want to stretch, a regular household stapler and a water source.) Fredrix® Watercolor Canvas is an authentic 100% woven cotton artist canvas with a special coating that performs similar to a cold press or rough watercolor paper, yet it provides a distinctive look that can only be achieved on canvas. Here's how to stretch watercolor paper to ensure that warping doesn't happen. Smaller paper sheets can be taped down as they are, without going through a stretching process. Attaching the Paper to a Board Lay the paper flat on the board. Turn the sheet back over and let it sit face up for about 15 minutes. I used birthday candles to apply a wax coating in the grooves and tapped the wet paper into place. You can avoid having to stretch watercolor paper by using heavy-weight paper (300 lb) that won't buckle when it gets wet (unless you totally soak it). Watercolor Paper; Craft Hardboard; Craft Foam See All 8 Departments. Use at least 140# paper, 90# paper will puddle & get damaged no matter what you do. What an outstanding way to stretch watercolor paper! This is typically done on lighter-weight watercolor sheets to stop the paper from buckling when wet media is applied to the surface. Overall used is a combination/coupling of spray paint, pencil, metallic leafing pens, airbrushing, artist markers/sharpies/highlighters, colored pencils, pastels and acrylic paint (not all in one piece). Funnily enough, when the paper tape does its own pulling or shrinking, it kind of straightens the top portion too. Once it becomes pliable (usually 20 minutes of saturation will do it for 140lb paper), it has stretched itself out just about as far as is needed and you don't have to tug on the paper when you staple, just hold it firmly. To resolve this issue, watercolor paper can be “soaked and stretched” so it remains completely flat when the artist begins painting. The "up" side should have more sizing so I try to use it but I often paint on either side of the paper. See in the photo how wet the paper still is after the stapling is finished. I spray the paper with water and use the brush to spread it evenly all over--especially the edges--if they don't get saturated, it will prevent the paper from stretching fully. She suggested we may want to use gatorboard. During my youth I started to become seriously committed to art … I feel that for a realistic illustration having a drawing to work over with watercolors would look really nice. If you want to keep the existing edge of the paper, you can re-wet the tape and very carefully pull it up from the paper. There are four faults that are the most common reasons for failure when stretching paper: The paper has not soaked long enough. I'm a beginner to watercolor; My instructor told us to purchase Arches 140 cold press paper, to soak it and then stretch it using staples to hold the paper in place. I use a gatorboard to stretch my paper. Once the paper is dry, I use white artist tape or beige masking tape to cover the staples and paper edges. x ... A sturdy, flat board that is bigger than your sheet [Polystyrene, Gatorboard, Plexiglas, etc.] Place it smoothly on the gatorboard and staple it around the edges every 4 … Online Watercolor Workshop - Sidewalk Scenes, NEW! 300 pound paper gets expensive, so many watercolor artists buy 140- pound paper and stretch it to a hard surface. Tips for Using Gatorboard to Stretch Watercolor Paper The following are some quick tips on how to properly use gatorboard for stretching watercolor paper: 1. paper, it’s not so necessary to stretch it because the paper is so much heavier that buckling isn’t much of a problem. Just a small slit that would allow you to insert the blade in between the paper and the gatorboard.. If you’ve ever painted a beautiful watercolor scenery only for your paper to buckle and warp as it dries, then you’ve experienced the frustration of every beginning watercolor artist. Click here to see … Here's how to stretch watercolor paper. Soak the watercolor paper with clean water. I then flip it over and repeat the process, flipping over multiple times. I also think it is important not to disturb the paper much while soaking, if nothing else but to keep from scratching or scoring the surface-nothing like finding those after you've started a painting! The more affordable the better for me I’m mostly starting out with 10×14 sheets but would like to get a bigger board for when I move on to larger paintings. Step 1. The Otto Paper Stretcher is the easiest way to stretch watercolor paper without tacks or tape. Sturdy board that won’t bend or warp that is just larger than your sheet – examples: Soak the sheet in a tray of clean, cold water. artist 69 Use artist's tape, bull dog clips or staples to secure the watercolor paper to … With both screws loosened stretch one side bar, then retighten I know some of my materials won't compromise with water, but a select few will. The more affordable the better for me I’m mostly starting out with 10×14 sheets but would like to get a bigger board for when I move on to larger paintings. The advantage of stretching you paper ... Today I am going to show you how to stretch your watercolor paper so it will stay perfectly flat when you paint on it. I think that about a 8-10 minute soak is ideal for stretching 140# Arches paper. 3. But you might have a few watercolor paintings on paper, that are already done and that you would like to mount on paper. I cut one piece that measures the length of the paper and one that measures the width. I turn the board, and do the next side, stapling 1 inch on either side of the center staple. Set it aside to dry or begin a loose wash if you want to take advantage of the wet paper. Lightly wet gummed paper tape or butcher tape with a sponge or paintbrush (do not soak or use too much water on the tape as it will wash away the adhesive). Watercolor Tuesdays Online - 2/23-3/30/2021, NEW! I will lay my paper on a board, wet the tape and secure 1/2 inch of the paper to the board for all four sides. Hope this helps. When using a spray bottle and brush method to soak the paper, the brush must be soft like a squirrel mop or hake brush. Typically lighter weight sheets are more susceptible to buckling with heavy applications of water. Fill the tub with just enough water to immerse the paper so it floats, then let it soak 5-10 minutes, making sure it is totally saturated. I would like to stretch it first and then draw on it so that I am sure i am drawing on paper that has been successfully stretched. She suggested we may want to use gatorboard. Lightweight, durable polystyrene foam core with moisture resistant veneer. For help with how to stretch watercolour paper read this earlier blog post Stretching Watercolour Paper for a Better Painting Experience. You can use a 2" wash brush, a clean sponge, or you can soak it in your tub. Running paper under the tap will not be sufficient to soak it. All emails include an unsubscribe link. Then soak the paper.

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