Get it as soon as Mon, Jan 25. I started out using lapboards as a stretching surface, but have found corrugated plastic Gatorboard (like political sign boards) to be superior- non absorbent, will not splinter, lightweight, very cheap, can easily … 2. I've just never known how to go about it. Alternatively, you can mount your painting after it … First, if you plan to paint a drawing of your subject, create your drawing on the paper first. Set it aside to dry or begin a loose wash if you want to take advantage of the wet paper. Place the sheet in the tray or dip the sheet into the bucket. Someplace in these discussions I saw somebody say that you don't soak and stretch when using gatorboard. You don't have to stretch it. You can stretch your paper as Elizabeth has mentioned by brushing water on both … Watercolor Paper; Craft Hardboard; Craft Foam See All 8 Departments. It is recommended for 140lb and lighter watercolor paper. The one you choose will have a lot … 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 then fix the edges of the paper so that when it dries and contracts the surface is pulled tight like a drum. In my photo you see that I have a drawing already on the paper--you can draw it first and then stretch it or stretch the paper first and then draw. When watercolor is added, the moisture causes the surface to expand slightly on the wet side. Tilt your paper to see if there are any dry spots and correct those. If you didn't stretch your paper to begin with and have annoying wrinkles in your otherwise fabulous painting, I use the spray bottle procedure only on the back of the painting and stretch it that way. If you want a crisp drawing, doing it after the paper has been stretched, stapled and dried is the best way to go. This does not mean: you will make your paper last longer, nor does it mean you are grabbing it's little paper arms and helping it stretch. So, the best way to stop this from happening is to stretch your paper. I keep turning and stapling until I've gotten all the way to the corners and everything is stapled down. Use at least 140# paper, 90# paper will puddle & get damaged no matter what you do. Hello! 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. You can do it either way. You can use a 2" wash brush, a clean sponge, or you can soak it in your tub. If you see it beginning to dry, spray it again to keep it moist. Simply soak your paper for 5-10 minutes. Using a large brush, saturate the front of the sheet completely with water (you can’t use too much, so be generous). So why is stretching your paper so important – well let’s be frank and honest – painting on warping paper isn’t fun nor easy. For convenience, I’m just looking to just purchase something online, rather than making one myself. It will curl, if you use a lot of water. Using gummed paper tape: tape adheres very well, better than on wood panels, it does not fail to completely stick like sometimes happens on wood boards. Here is how to do it. Note: you can stretch heavier weight watercolor paper if you want to. One of the problems that I encountered with all of the methods of stretching paper that I tried, was that no matter how hard I worked at it the paper buckled at some point. She suggested we may want to use gatorboard. 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. I used birthday candles to apply a wax coating in the grooves and tapped the wet paper into place. I want to stretch my paper so i bought a gator board. $21.78 $ 21. Use a spray bottle with clean water to fully soak both sides of the sheet. This system will leave no holes in the deckle, and is easy enough to use that artists of all ages will be delighted. Online Watercolor Workshop - View From the Back. 4.7 out of 5 stars 265. Here’s a small list of items you will need to stretch paper: Watercolor paper (cut to the size you need for your project plus 1/2″ extra on each side) One stapler; Stainless steel staples (so they wouldn’t rust) One roll of paper towels ; 1/2″ thick foamboard (large enough to accommodate your paper) Note: If you … A Masonite (hardboard) drawing … All emails include an unsubscribe link. After the paper was completely dry, I completed my painting. Visit Strathmore Artist Papers's profile on Pinterest. Hi. The comfort of painting on a flat surface and having a flat painting when it’s finished is worth all the preparation. 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. That being said, I use it to prepare or stretch watercolor paper. Once I have the outline, I can finish the drawing as needed. paper, it’s not so necessary to stretch it because the paper is so much heavier that buckling isn’t much of a problem. 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. You can stretch the paper a day in … Carefully drain the water and place the soaked sheet on a clean, sturdy board. What an outstanding way to stretch watercolor paper! 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. It will have a contour pressed on the tape. I think that about a 8-10 minute soak is ideal for stretching 140# Arches paper. 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. 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. You can usually tell where the watercolor paper is under the tape. I usually like to mount paper on board before I start painting as this allows me to stretch it in the process of mounting it. Just curious. Sizing is usually added within the paper and not just on the surface. 300 pound paper gets expensive, so many watercolor artists buy 140- pound paper and stretch it to a hard surface. 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. Any and all info is much appreciated. 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. 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 … Soak the watercolor paper with clean water. Use a clean paper towel or sponge to blot excess water from the sheet. 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. By Barbara Tibbets in Art Tutorials > Painting Tutorials I’m a watercolorist and have been painting since the mid 80’s. So before you start painting on watercolor paper you will need to stretch it. The Otto Paper Stretcher is the easiest way to stretch watercolor paper without tacks or tape. Watercolor paper mounting supplies. I now have a tub in my studio, but what I used for years was a good old spray bottle and a mop or hake brush. You will need a large drawing board (or some other type of support) as well as regular old masking tape. Just gently move the water over the surface and you shouldn't lose the sizing. She suggested we may want to use gatorboard. 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. 0 0. maryalink. Fill up the tray or your bucket with cold, distilled water. See our. 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. You may have heard the term "Stretch Your Watercolor Paper". After your painting is completely dry, cut away the taped edges using a ruler and an X-acto knife. This is where it is most advisable to insert the cutter, working at a very low angle, almost flat. I kept some of the smaller prototypes. 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. With both screws loosened stretch one side bar, then retighten Attaching the Paper to a Board Lay the paper flat on the board. If it is a simple drawing like a street scene, I'll go ahead and draw directly on the paper. Then follow steps 3-5 above. #4. The following are some quick tips on how to properly use gatorboard for stretching watercolor paper: 1. 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). Two, I don't want paint to seep under the paper edges. I wet the back of the paper with a big flat brush and clean water, then I wet the front and I staple the paper to my gatorboard on four sides. Turn the sheet back over and let it sit face up for about 15 minutes. Square the paper on the board and make sure any air pockets under the paper are eliminated. Blot the paper (never rub) till it’s lost its watery shine. Soak your paper before stretching The first step in stretching watercolor paper it is to soak each sheet in a tub of cold water. Monday, February 1, 2010. Typically lighter weight sheets are more susceptible to buckling with heavy applications of water. Let the paper dry overnight. Thanks for the response. You need: paper (I use Arches 140# hot press). 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. Turn the paper over and do the same on the back side. Once the painting has become limp, I flip it over with the painting side up. For help with how to stretch watercolour paper read this earlier blog post Stretching Watercolour Paper for a Better Painting Experience. 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. 78. © 2021 Strathmore®, a division of Dixon Ticonderoga. Sheets that are 90lb/190gsm or lighter can soak for about 3 minutes. Hope this helps. Just a small slit that would allow you to insert the blade in between the paper and the gatorboard..