If you intend to use a lot of water in your watercolour painting, then it’s important to stretch your paper before starting to avoid cockling. 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. Watercolor Paper Stretching Supplies. Eliminates (300lb) and reduces the buckling of paper while wetting paper or doing watercolor washes.Key … Start by stapling in the middle of each side, and work your way around. If you get the soaking time right, this method is solid and reliable. Lay the board on a flat surface and wait for paper to … Ideal for Watercolor Painting! Here are the main methods I know of: Using gum tape to stretch watercolor paper Hi, I'm Anthony. 188k members in the Watercolor community. However, they are not easy to find. Using traditional gummed paper strip, tape down the edges and leave the board to dry flat. You can reposition the paper at will and lift the edges to wipe up liquid. “Butcher’s tape” is made of heavy-weight kraft paper and has a water-soluable adhesive coating on one side. About 5 to 10 minutes of soaking is usually about all you need. But  if you can get very thick handmade paper this is an excellent surface which needs no stretching. Thank you! Some artists will tape and staple dry watercolor sheets down to the backing board to minimize buckling. Watercolor paper mounting supplies. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Youtube. Stretching Your Paper. To stretch your paper you need a rigid board that is slightly larger than your paper, gummed paper tape, a basin or tub big enough to soak the paper and water. Gummed tape is a better option than masking tape. 4.4 out of 5 stars 98. Stretching your watercolor paper is an important step because it keeps the paper from wrinkling when you paint. Then – wet your paper with a large 2in soft brush and allow it to dry before painting directly onto the board. A lot of artists will warn you against using a hairdryer to dry the paper. That’s it! Running paper under the tap will not be sufficient to soak it. A thicker board is best because you can use both sides. Learn more about how to use them in your work. Let the sheet dry overnight. Good for you. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. What I mean by stretching watercolour paper ‘properly’ is not that this is the only method, but that it’s lovely to paint on properly stretched paper, and not stretching it properly is kind of a waste of your time… The Principle: Brown gummed paper tape: the most important ingredient. This is done by adding a chemical known as sizing. Heavier papers require more soaking time and lighter papers need less time. These cookies do not store any personal information. Brown gummed tape is the only one you can use to stretch watercolor paper. If you don't want to mess with stretching the paper, try 200lb. Stretching your watercolor paper is an important step because it keeps the paper from wrinkling when you paint. You may need to use a hammer to force the rubber back in place, which adds a good amount of additional tension. You can use Gator board or plywood to stretch your paper. To remove your painting cut around the edges of the sheet using a sharp craft knife. 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 ! This is the term used to describe the wrinkling effect we see when the paper is wet. This is extremely useful when you want to use the transparency of the plexiglass to help transfer a drawing onto your watercolor paper. Acid-free White Adhesive TapeThis acid-free white adhesive tape is activated by wetting the back. Adhere to the edges of the paper and affix to Gator board, Watercolor Mounting Boards or any paper or wood board for painting indoors and out. There are 4 ways to do it… There are four traditional ways to stretch or mount your watercolor paper. 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. This allows the paper to expand fully. Try to leave the paper in a warm dry place to dry overnight. It's very important that you have water-activated tape, since regular tape won't work on wet paper. I really abuse that paper, yet it still holds up and won’t buckle. Stretching watercolor paper keeps it from buckling while you are painting on it. In the next morning, it will be stretched … Bonne découverte. Soak. The finished, dried … And on top of that you can get this paper in block format. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Watercolor masking tapeWatercolor Wash Out Tape helps you create clean white paper border edges while painting. This is not what I call paper stretching. Get your paper lined up straight on your board, and tape each side. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It doesn’t matter if the tape folds around the edges of the board. I often use this method with a sheet of plexiglass. This change in the structure of the fibers is what causes raised ridges and low valleys to form on the surface of the paper which we see as buckling. Not easily available in the US but you can get them shipped from the UK or find them directly at the Ken Bromley Art supplies store. This treatment is added to improve the performance of the watercolor paper. Like a lot of watercolorists, I use Arches watercolor paper for a lot of my work. Ideal for Watercolor Painting! cold press paper and the masking tape works just fine on this paper. Note that when you tape it down, you’re pretty much going to lose the part that you tape. Good quality watercolor paper is made from 100% cotton fibers. When the paper dries, the fibers contract again. But in my tests this method does not work ! Watercolor paper expands when it is wet. Why stretch your paper? A water resistant surface to lay your paper on is all you need. Here's the method I use, and so far as I … Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Gummed tape is a better option than masking tape. Indeed, some watercolor artists invent ingenious ways to prepare their paper. This is probably the most common method. In the case of removing brown gummed watercolor tape from stretched paper, it's best to leave a wide enough margin to trim it off of the paper completely, because removing it … Secure the paper using the support’s system, or with staples or tape. The BogaBoard™ Watercolor Paper Stretcher uses a patent-pending process of securing the paper by use of wedges which fit firmly into the slots of the board.The wedges need contact only 3/8″ to 1/2″ of the paper’s edge to hold it securely. I see a few artists claiming that watercolor blocks are pre-stretched. Whatever paper you choose, use the heaviest sheet you can afford, for the simple reason that it will be more robust and less likely to be bent in long term storage. They then paint, let it dry, cut it off the board and then can trim the gumstrip tape off the paper and still have a small white border for framing. If you’re using single sheets you can tell which is the front side by looking at the watermark. 24 hours is a good average but you should test the paper to check if it still seems cold or damp before using it. Stretching Watercolor Paper. Check the Soak Level. ... Place the tape along all four edges of the paper, covering about a quarter of an inch. Adhesives—so useful when we need them and yet sometimes so annoying when they leave residue in places where we don't want it. Avoid soaking wet sponge as it may have … The boards with freshly-stretched paper, standing up to dry. This was a … Plus as a bonus, I’ll even suggest how you can avoid stretching paper altogether ! Close. You now have a perfectly flat surface while you work. Vote. I’ve seen a lot of artists use this method which results in a nice tight paper surface. Simply soak your paper for 5-10 minutes. Stretching Your Paper. 2. The average time for soaking with 300 gsm paper is at least 5 minutes. So you're ready to make a dent in the world of watercolors ? Cut strips of gummed tape to length and wet back with a damp sponge. Sizing is designed to help control this characteristic so that all of your paint doesn’t get sucked up by the paper ! I recommend you use a heavy duty stapler to fix the paper in place, it just makes the job easier. ½” is a good minimum thickness). Flatback Paper Marking/Labeling Tape Residue Free, for Watercolor Paper to Prevent Tearing To stretch your paper you need a rigid board that is slightly larger than your paper, gummed paper tape, a basin or tub big enough to soak the paper and water. Your mounting board should be made of tempered (the darker stuff) masonite or a sealed plywood board at least 3/8″ thick.The size should allow at least 4-6″ of exposed board around the edges of your paper. When you wet small areas of the paper you have hills and valleys develop. Using a Paper Stretcher. Personally, I like the board stretching method using a plexiglass sheet so I can transfer my drawings, or the lightweight advantage of using stretcher frames. Tips . If the paper is too large to submerge it can be soaked on the board but allow up to 25 minutes soaking on each side to ensure expansion of the paper. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. What happen when we stretch a paper? For help with how to stretch watercolour paper read this earlier blog post Stretching Watercolour Paper for a Better Painting Experience. For this method you need an empty canvas frame or canvas stretcher bars. Tags: art, paint, watercolor Using masking tape as a mask for watercolor is done by laying down a strip of masking tape over your shape on your watercolor paper and then carefully cutting around it to protect that shape. If you’re a perfectionist you can draw some pencil guidelines about a ¼” around the inside edges of your paper. Apply the gummed tape to each side of the paper/board, overlapping the paper by about 2 cm, and board by about 2cm. The first step in paper stretching is soaking the paper. You lay down a nice watery wash of paint, you settle down to enjoy your painting, and then… It all goes lopsided ! The BogaBoard™ Watercolor Paper Stretcher replaces the conventional “gum tape on plywood” method of stretching … The Otto Paper Stretcher is the easiest way to stretch watercolor paper without tacks or tape. I find that watercolor blocks still buckle when painting with heavy washes, but the paper flattens when it dries. You can manage your cookies in your browser settings at any time. Just make sure your board is clean and won’t transfer color to the paper and is rigid. paper. Block papers are not stretched. Orient the sheet so that the watermark reads correctly. You then fix the edges of the paper so that when it dries and contracts the surface is pulled tight like a drum. I measure by eye, just unrolling the tape and holding it against the paper as I go. There a different ways to fasten the paper down to the board or frame. Sizing is added to watercolor paper to reduce its absorbency. Check for air bubbles while taping. Feel free to give it a go, but frankly I wouldn't recommend this technique. Make sure you put the paper the right way up ! The tape dries without adhering to my board each time I’ve tried! But even watercolor paper expands when it becomes wet. Today I am going to show you how to stretch your watercolor paper so it will stay perfectly flat when you paint on it. Now you may need to smooth the tape down a little. To stretch the paper you need to fasten the soaked sheet to a smooth flat rigid surface. Cut your paper about 3cm larger on each side than you wish your finished painting to be, you will lose this amount of paper from the area covered by tape. The method used to manufacture commercial paper causes the paper fibers to align in the same direction. Leave flat to dry. Get the latest news, offers and guides delivered directly to your inbox. Watercolor blocks are a good alternative to sheets if you don't want to go to the trouble of stretching your paper beforehand. Soak your paper in cool water for 5-10 minutes. For example left and right, then top and bottom. If you opt for the spray or brush technique, you can place your paper on a clean board, soak it, then turn the paper over and soak again. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. I double blue painter's tape to make it double sided, and attach my dry paper to the Gator board at all 4 corners. This is because acidity embrittles the paper and eventually makes it too weak to handle. Both sides of the board can be used – simply stand the board on four ink bottles to let the air circulate. Gummed tape: Other names for this are gum tape, gummed paper tape, kraft paper tape or butcher tape. If you have a relatively small piece of paper, say 9×12″, then you can just use cheap clear packing tape to hold the watercolor paper down to a hard surface or board. I measure by eye, just unrolling the tape and holding it against the paper as I go. (Its important to use good quality paper. This is pretty annoying because as you continue to paint, pigment tends to run into the low valleys and settle in pools. You use rubber strips to secure the soaked paper in place. Some good materials to use for stretching boards include: Marine grade plywood (A good choice if you prefer something solid. If your using a sponge or bristle brush, be careful not to wipe over the sheet too firmly, as this will raise the fibers on the surface and can damage the paper. Watercolor paper expands when it is wet. Read more About Me... * My articles may contain the occasional affiliate link, which can help me earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Be careful not to wash the glue off by rubbing or wetting too much. Click to consent. 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. Let your paper dry in a horizontal position so the water is equally distributed. Tape the paper down on all four sides, starting with two opposite sides. The final result is beautifully smooth and a pleasure to work on. Watercolor Paper Stretching Supplies. Provides good seal and holding power. Place along all four outer edges of the paper, covering just about ¼â€ of the paper. You just need to wipe the glue side of the tape with a wet sponge to activate the glue. The paper loses its springiness when it’s sufficiently dampened. 300 pound paper gets expensive, so many watercolor artists buy 140- pound paper and stretch it to a hard surface. I don't even think you need to stretch 140 lb paper. The board has grooves around the edges. It is also possible to purchase stretching boards or “paper stretchers” from your local art store. Copyright text 2021 by Watercolor Affair. The tape around the edges of the paper is usually left on and can be hidden with a mount. This acid-free brown adhesive tape is activated by wetting the back. (If it helps, you can use a few small pieces of tape to hold the paper in place as you tape your first edge.) Mounting the watercolor paper. Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks offer water resistance – apart from Liquid Indian Ink, Gold and Silver. We’ve sent you an email with a confirmation link to finalise your subscription. I like to just tape the dry paper right down to my work table. Find out more here. I’ve mounted paper to foam core board and had the board buckle when the paper shrank—don’t make … Posted by just now. The Stretching Process: It used to be, in order to stretch your paper that you had to use a paper tape that you wet and a masonite board to attach it to. A bowl of clean water: to wet the gummed tape. The system was originally invented by the British watercolor artist Ken Bromley. Then you can staple or glue the paper to a board. It's not necessary to stretch 140-lb. This type of paper is so heavy that it only buckles slightly after repeated wet washes. I use Arches watercolor paper most of the time and I find this is sufficient. Traditional brown packaging tape. Repeat the process until the paper is fully soaked. Removing the gummed tape without damaging the paper or painting would be difficult or impossible. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. There are also 300lb (600gsm) hot pressed papers available. 2. How to stretch the paper: The first step: clean your board! Then you can staple or glue the paper to a board. I'm using 3" Kraft Paper Tape from Blick in this example. or 300lb. If the absorbency of the surface is not regular this can cause blotches when you apply a wash of color. Another fine alternative to stretching watercolor paper. This system will leave no holes in the deckle, and is easy enough to use that artists of all ages will be delighted. Reduces the buckling of paper while wetting paper or doing watercolor washes. Watercolor blocks are a stack of sheets that are bound together with thick adhesive around all four sides. Taping the paper with masking tape before soaking defeats the purpose completely. Your board should be at least 3cm larger in all directions than the paper you will be stretching. Be careful not to drip glue from the gummed tape onto your paper, the glue will dry and cause blotchy marks when you paint. Be very careful if you try this method because there’s a real risk that you’ll burn the paper, so use a low heat setting. So, test your watercolor paper prior to using the masking tape on a painting. The packing tape will peel cleanly off of the watercolor paper without ripping. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. ( gator board would be my choice ) A lot of painters don’t stretch paper and it really isn’t necessary. 640 gsm paper is thick enough to resist warping even for wet on wet techniques. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Stretching Board. 5. 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). ​Most artists stretch their paper to overcome warping. This method also has some advantages for artists who like wet on wet techniques. This kind of tape is water activated. The downside with marine ply is that the board is heavy, but gator board can be difficult to find if you’re in europe. Lukewarm water seems to help the paper expand more quickly. Gator foam board (stronger than normal foam board, but still just as light, and with an impermeable surface). This method is very efficient but pricey. My love affair with painting began when I was a kid. How intermixable are the four Winsor & Newton oil colour ranges? Discover the two main causes of cracking when working with Designers Gouache, which has a lower proportion of binder to pigment than watercolour. 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. Stretching Watercolor Paper. Another fine alternative to stretching watercolor paper. I have heard of watercolour painters that stretch their paper as usual and then apply masking tape to cover the inside edge of the paper in a small border, just inside the gumstrip. There are ways that you can try to recover a painting which has buckled after a painting session. The paper, soaked and ready to tape to the board Taping down the soaked paper with brown gummed tape The freshly taped paper, with a roll of kitchen towel to dry it with. You can create all kinds of sizes or customized frames with this method. I find all paper does require stretching if you are using water on your painting. Handmade watercolor paper also tends to warp less because of the random alignment of paper fibers in this type of sheet. You need to soak your paper just the right amount of time or you can run into problems later. 3. Untreated paper is like blotting paper and has a very high rate of absorption. For this most artists opt for one of the following methods. It is usually a kraft-paper-brown color and 3 to 4″ wide. I used to think that simply by using watercolor paper you could avoid this problem. Smooth the paper with your hands to remove the excess water. When watercolor paper absorbs liquid, it buckles and deforms, leaving ridges and depressions which make paint flow difficult to control. The BogaBoard™ Watercolor Paper Stretcher uses a patent-pending process of securing the paper by use of wedges which fit firmly into the slots of the board.The wedges need contact only 3/8″ to 1/2″ of the paper’s edge to hold it securely. Just securing your paper to your board with tape will be fine in that instance. New to stretching water color paper. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The packing tape will peel cleanly off of the watercolor paper … After soaking, remove the paper and allow the excess water to drip off before lying it on the clean board. This paper needs to be wetted like a stamp, before it glues. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These don’t stick and they don’t stretch with the paper. Go over the paper a couple of times to make sure the whole surface is dampened. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Use moisture to awaken the gummed tape on the stretch watercolor paper. Do this so when the stretch watercolor paper is completely dried up. Vote. But there’s also another interesting and useful consequence of paper stretching. ... artist tape for watercolor paper watercolor brushes I use Arches, 140 lb. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. But did you know they make thick watercolor paper with a weight of 300 lb / 640 gsm? And there … Use different color sponges for smoothing a piece of paper and moistening gummed tape, so you never run the risk of getting gum on your sheet of watercolor paper. After a lot of experimenting with different techniques, however, I finally settled on using blue painter’s tape (like this stuff) to stretch my paper. Dry. This is almost like cardboard ! You paint on the top sheet and when it dries the paper won't warp or buckle. Alternatively, you can use a canvas stretcher to stretch out the paper. If you have a relatively small piece of paper, say 9×12″, then you can just use cheap clear packing tape to hold the watercolor paper down to a hard surface or board. If you soak too much, the paper expands considerably. Stretching Board. Measure out strips of your gummed tape along each side of your dry paper, tearing or cutting them so that each width is about 6cm wider than each side of your paper. I double blue painter's tape to make it double sided, and attach my dry paper to the Gator board at all 4 corners. This leaves room for taping the paper to the board. Try to find the beige colored masking tape that is … Arches is one of the best brands. For taping the paper to the board, you use a gummed tape (such as Kraft paper tape, a packaging tape). User account menu. A Masonite board or a thick (¼”) piece of plexiglass will work fine. The classic, and standard method is to use water-adhesive tape available from any art store: Amazon.com: Gummed Paper Tape 2In X 75Ft: Everything Else This has been the standard for many years. Legal Information: Watercolor Affair is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com. Step 8. It shrinks back when it dries. However they do seem to resist warping better than loose sheets. So you get some of the benefits of a watercolor block (which helps to hold the surface flat) and a lower amount of buckling because of the thickness of the paper ! Most professional watercolor papers have had their acid removed so that the painting wouldn’t yellow over the years and last for more than a century; however, I’m concerned that the gum that is on the tape used for wrapping packages when used for stretching watercolor paper does contain acids and these will seep into the wet paper… Stretching Watercolor Paper to Prevent Wrapping. However, if you soak the paper and secure (staples, butcher's tape) it during … This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Don’t soak too long because you don’t want to dissolve all of the sizing. Once the paper is dry, I use white artist tape or beige masking tape to cover the staples and paper edges. I never do. As I said depending on the weight of the paper, you don't need to stretch it. Remember to apply a little water to the adhesive of the paper but not too much as that can ruin the glue. But when you paint on the paper even with a medium wet wash, the paper buckles anyway ! Watercolor paper in prepared blocks will dry flat also, if left on the block to dry. Taping it down with masking tape. Make sure the surface is smooth and consider painting it with an acrylic primer to make the surface less porous. Stretching Your Paper. Some people use an iron to flatten buckled paintings. Taping it down with masking tape. Stretching paper in the above manner is the most economical way to get a flat and taut painting surface, however, the results can sometimes be a bit hit and miss. If you soak too long the internal sizing will wash away. Some watercolor artists stretch their papers in advance and store them on stretching boards, so they are ready for use. Lower the tape onto the paper. Cut off the edge of the stretch watercolor paper that has the gummed tape in it. Primarily we stretch watercolor paper to avoid “cockling”. You can do it with masking tape and be ready to paint 15 minutes! Synthetic papers generally do not warp at all. The first step in paper stretching is soaking the paper. Stretching your paper is the common solution. Canvas frame or stretcher bars (lightweight and cheap). The importance of stretching watercolour paper. If you’re soaking in a tub, simply plunge the sheet into your water container. It's very important that you have water-activated tape, since regular tape won't work on wet paper. 1/2 inch would be heavy, but thinner than that might warp. Test the “spring” by folding a corner from time to time to see if the paper is fully soaked. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Place the painting on a flat surface and cover with a board of some sort. You're welcome to follow along... Be careful not to drip glue from the gummed tape onto your paper, the glue will dry and cause blotchy marks when you paint. Lay it on your board and dry the top surface of the paper completely with a paper …
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