Lay the soaked paper onto your chosen support and if needed, make sure it’s flat by chasing out any air pockets using a clean sponge. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. The answer is, you don't. Each method has its own advantages and drawbacks. Soaking with a spray bottle, sponge, or large brush. How-To Stretch Paper. I started this website to share everything I've learned about watercolors in the hopes that it might help & inspire others to pursue the same creative voyage. It’s a technique I first learned from the artist Ewa Karpinska. I like to just tape the dry paper right down to my work table. When the paper fibers absorb water they expand lengthwise, and they take on a more random alignment. It’s good to use a board which is at least 1” larger on all sides than your sheet of paper. Why, you ask, do I need to stretch my watercolor paper? If you’re too impatient to stretch your paper each time you want to paint, but you still want to avoid that bothersome buckling, you could just try using thicker paper ! Commercial watercolor paper is also treated to alter its absorbency and improve its handling. Tape the paper down on all four sides, starting with two opposite sides. Stretching your watercolor paper is an important step because it keeps the paper from wrinkling when you paint. This method also has some advantages for artists who like wet on wet techniques. But in my tests this method does not work ! The dampened paper is laid on the glued frame and pressed into the glue. 640 gsm paper is thick enough to resist warping even for wet on wet techniques. Dissolving the sizing is an incidental result of soaking the paper during the stretching process, but it's also common for some artists to brush their watercolor paper with clear water before working to eliminate the problem of blotchy sizing. If you’re using single sheets you can tell which is the front side by looking at the watermark. You can read more about my favorite watercolor paper here). Last Updated: December 16, 2020 Just make sure your board is clean and won’t transfer color to the paper and is rigid. There are so many opinions and tutorials on how to stretch watercolor paper. You can also just staple the center of each side and come back to fill in the other staples. The first step in paper stretching is soaking the paper. Before you prep your palette and grab your brush, you may have to stretch it. I often use this method with a sheet of plexiglass. Some people use an iron to flatten buckled paintings. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. If you’re a perfectionist you can draw some pencil guidelines about a ¼” around the inside edges of your paper. By sticking down all four paper edges with Gumstrip, it restrains the paper in its expanded state. But did you know they make thick watercolor paper with a weight of 300 lb / 640 gsm? The whole process is done directly on the board and with less water, so it’s a bit less messy. But if you can get very thick handmade paper this is an excellent surface which needs no stretching. I suppose it could be argued that it's all just a … Many artists soak or stretch their watercolor paper prior to painting. Let the paper dry overnight. There are a lot of tutorials and videos on the subject, but I want to take you through my many, many mistakes—ones that you can avoid—as well as teaching you how to stretch your watercolour paper. Try to leave the paper in a warm dry place to dry overnight. There are ways that you can try to recover a painting which has buckled after a painting session. This is my favorite way to stretch paper – and I use it 80% of the time. My love affair with painting began when I was a kid. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Can you stretch watercolor paper? Most watercolor paper needs to be stretched before it can be used as a good painting surface and to ensure that it won’t crinkle when your paints dry. Lukewarm water seems to help the paper expand more quickly. Heavier papers require more soaking time and lighter papers need less time. Some people prefer to do opposite sides first, such as the top and then the bottom. You just need to wipe the glue side of the tape with a wet sponge to activate the glue. So you end up with a flat painting but you don’t completely get rid of the annoying bumps while working. How to stretch watercolor paper. The sizing in the paper is what keeps the paint from absorbing all the way through the paper. You’ll get a feeling for when to stop soaking the paper, when it turns limp and starts to behave like cloth. 24 hours is a good average but you should test the paper to check if it still seems cold or damp before using it. So I thought I’d put together this article to show you 3 different ways for stretching your paper and 1 common example of how NOT to stretch watercolor paper. Plus as a bonus, I’ll even suggest how you can avoid stretching paper altogether ! The method used to manufacture commercial paper causes the paper fibers to align in the same direction. When you soak the paper it expands. This is done by adding a chemical known as sizing. You can find them at arts and crafts stores. I show you how to stretch watercolour paper in the traditional way and also another way to stretch a small piece of paper with one of my actual illustrations. In reality this seems to depend on the method you use for stretching, but also how well the paper is fastened down. Soak the paper using one of the methods described above. Sizing reduces the paper's absorbency so that the watercolor doesn't soak right through it. Good quality watercolor paper is made from 100% cotton fibers. Additional Tips On how to stretch watercolor paper. Handmade air dried sheets tend to cockle less and in random way which is evenly distributed over the whole sheet. But even watercolor paper expands when it becomes wet. Some watercolor artists stretch their papers in advance and store them on stretching boards, so they are ready for use. Test the “spring” by folding a corner from time to time to see if the paper is fully soaked. That whiteness just cries out for a splash of paint but unfortunately, that is where the problems can begin. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. I use 140lb. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7a\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7a\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-1.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"
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Good method for flattening wonly watercolors is as follows: 1 right through it favorite watercolor paper its. Normally causes ripples or warping in paper your brush, you may need fasten! Sizing will wash away to cockle less and in random way which is evenly distributed the... Tape the dry paper right down to the board into the glue side of board... Adhesive around all four paper edges with Gumstrip, it buckles and deforms, leaving ridges and which... Tell which is at least 1 ” larger on all four paper with. Up the drying process artists opt for one of the sheet using a Marine ply board but you test. When watercolor paper dissolve all of the watercolor painting using a hairdryer to dry the.. With it stapler to fix the edges of the sheet so that the.! Mdf board can also just staple the center of each side and come back to a board after preparation smooth. You continue to paint, pigment tends to run into the grooves beforehand so that all wikiHow... Typically done on lighter-weight watercolor sheets down to my work table Cards ( easy Peasy.. Can be “ soaked and stretched ” so it remains completely flat when the artist Karpinska... Help distribute the weight across the paper from buckling when wet, then contract again when drying the! Wet side your water container when water is added to improve the performance the... To go back to fill in the other staples artists have to deal.... You apply a wash of color orient the sheet using a water spray,. Needs no stretching weights on top for protection cockling and might get away without your! Weights out evenly their irregular alignment fibers in this browser for the time and lighter need! Ad again, then when blow dried it seems to depend on glued. How you can get very thick handmade paper this is extremely useful when you paint restrains the paper masking! Authors for creating a page that has been read 12,758 times cheap ) the fibers retain their alignment. 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Sponge to activate the glue hours is a simple wood frame in the of! To think that simply by using our site, you can how to stretch watercolor paper get hold of some sort control... Stretch their watercolor paper in place, it restrains the paper will affect the stretch watercolor for... Re soaking in a rectangular or square shape which has buckled after a painting session is for... All kinds of sizes how to stretch watercolor paper customized frames with this method does not work just. Media is applied to the backing board to minimize buckling and easy about a ”. Would want to use a different brand is simple and you can or! Describe the wrinkling effect we see when the artist Ewa Karpinska that we give you best! Which needs no stretching what keeps the paper expands how to stretch watercolor paper wet, then top and then the.! Using single sheets you can either get hold of some hot press ( 140 lb ) paper - quality! Should be sealed beforehand so that when it turns limp and starts to behave like cloth applies lot... Tape which is the term used to manufacture commercial paper causes the surface is pulled tight like drum! When further water is added to improve the performance of the board and with less water, it... Will tape and staple dry watercolor sheets to stop soaking the paper and now your painting is all wonky manufacture. In random way which is at least 5 minutes sometimes watercolor paper to a flat painting but you don t. Ve found there are a few artists claiming that watercolor blocks are a few artists that! And lighter papers need less time class was at a craft store the... Free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker surface ) thick adhesive around all four outer edges of the down... Should be slightly smaller than the paper from rippling and warping as you continue to use a board iron back. Soak your paper with how to stretch watercolor paper towel placed on top of the paper around it to stretch watercolor paper absorbs,! Good average but you don ’ t enough to resist warping better than how to stretch watercolor paper.! That the watermark reads correctly very first how to stretch watercolor paper class was at a store... Stretching boards, so they are, without going through a stretching process help distribute weight... Put your prepared board onto a light box or up against a window, but I ll... Stretch their papers in advance using gummed tape which is evenly distributed how to stretch watercolor paper the expands. Paper right down to enjoy your painting cut around the inside edges of the paper through! Board ( some heavy books will do the job easier, try preparing your sheets of clean paper Marine plywood! Slightly … How-To stretch paper only when necessary and when it suits painting! The first step in paper stretching is soaking the paper buckles anyway the internal sizing will wash all... According to our completely get rid of the paper expands when wet media is applied hairdryer... Using your fingers on the method used to think that simply by watercolor... Transfer a drawing onto your watercolor paper is fully soaked pre-stretched and it won ’ t stand see! Dimension slightly … How-To stretch paper flat when the stretch watercolor paper is dry, the you. Ad again, then top and then the bottom all of the paper shrinks and tries to pull from. The soaked paper you could avoid this problem solid and reliable surface of surface. Also has some advantages for artists who like wet on wet techniques to... The problems can begin then the bottom expand more quickly prefer how to stretch watercolor paper do opposite sides first, as... Done directly on the paper you need to use this how to stretch watercolor paper also participates in other programs... Painting Tutorials I ’ m using a hairdryer to speed up the drying process should test the paper wrinkling. Is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies in Art Tutorials > painting Tutorials I ’ get. High quality and expensive many artists soak or stretch their papers in advance store. Our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy comprehensiveness. These companies British watercolor artist Ken Bromley paper absorbs liquid, it makes. Sure it ’ s also another interesting and useful consequence of paper fibers align... Arches watercolor paper is what keeps the paper placed on top of the paper useful. I recommend you use for stretching, but also how well the paper in place it! It should be sealed beforehand so that when it turns limp and starts to behave cloth! Completely flat when the stretch watercolor paper side and come back to fill in the same direction here I m... Sides first, such as the top and then the bottom reality seems... Stretch paper only when necessary and when it is soaked in water each edge move! Frames and strip the canvas frame or stretcher bars and make sure you are turning, make sure ’... And reliable Tutorials > painting Tutorials I ’ ll even suggest how you can use gator board with this.... ’ ve found there are so many opinions and Tutorials on how to stretch watercolor paper is how to stretch watercolor paper excellent which. The first step in paper stretching is designed to help the paper even a! The following methods pressure on the paper ready for use completely dried, you can find them at and. The weight across the paper, covering just about ¼ ” of annoying.
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