Be careful not to wash the glue off by rubbing or wetting too much. I use 140lb. You then pick it up and allow most of the surface water to drip down off the paper. You may need to use a hammer to force the rubber back in place, which adds a good amount of additional tension. Lukewarm water seems to help the paper expand more quickly. The even size that is placed on the surface of watercolor paper during manufacture helps slow … 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. When it dries and contracts the paper risks tearing away from the fastening because the contraction is too strong. I recommend you do some testing if you use a different brand. Like a lot of watercolorists, I use Arches watercolor paper for a lot of my work. Make sure you put the paper the right way up ! The average time for soaking with 300 gsm paper is at least 5 minutes. This leaves room for taping the paper to the board. Hi, I'm Anthony. Try to leave the paper in a warm dry place to dry overnight. There are so many opinions and tutorials on how to stretch watercolor paper. Check for air bubbles while taping. When dry, the stretched paper should not cockle when water is applied. 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. Copyright text 2020 by Watercolor Affair. Moisten the back of the paper first then iron the back of the painting, with a towel placed on top for protection. 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. Now wet the paper using clear water and a large soft brush. This applies a lot of pressure on the tape, which sometimes just isn’t enough to hold the shrinking paper in place. He called it the “perfect paper stretcher”. 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. Alternatively, you can use a canvas stretcher to stretch out the paper. Repeat the process until the paper is fully soaked. Then try to "stretch" the paper into place using your fingers on the paper. I’ve seen artists show this method and to be honest i had my doubts, so i thought I would test it before passing judgement. This is pretty annoying because as you continue to paint, pigment tends to run into the low valleys and settle in pools. This kind of tape is water activated. The system was originally invented by the British watercolor artist Ken Bromley. 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. Press it firmly across the paper to soak up any excess water. And on top of that you can get this paper in block format. The answer is, you don't. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. 3. This is my favorite way to stretch paper – and I use it 80% of the time. When watercolor is added, the moisture causes the surface to expand slightly on the wet side. The first step in paper stretching is soaking the paper. You begin by wetting the paper. The paper expands when wet, then when blow dried it seems to go back to a flat surface. Or immersing the sheet in a tub of water. How to stretch watercolor paper. The paper loses its springiness when it’s sufficiently dampened. 24 hours is a good average but you should test the paper to check if it still seems cold or damp before using it. Create your painting while the sheet is still taped to the board. Untreated paper is like blotting paper and has a very high rate of absorption. Stretch paper only when necessary and when it suits your painting preferences. The board has grooves around the edges. Don’t soak too long because you don’t want to dissolve all of the sizing. This is done by adding a chemical known as sizing. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Soaking with a spray bottle, sponge, or large brush. This is at no extra cost to you. 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. You're welcome to follow along... 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. This method also has some advantages for artists who like wet on wet techniques. If your style of painting uses very little water you will have less cockling and might get away without stretching your paper. Leave flat to dry. When the paper dries, the fibers contract again. 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 ! {"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":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/14\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/14\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-2.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/ae\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ae\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-3.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ed\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ed\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-4.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/51\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/51\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-5.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-6.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d8\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d8\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-7.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-8.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-8.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-8.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-9.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-9.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-9.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-10.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-10.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-10.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/17\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-11.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/17\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-11.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-11.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f9\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-12.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-12.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f9\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-12.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-12.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/ce\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-13.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-13.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/ce\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-13.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-13.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-14.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-14.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-14.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-14.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f8\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-15.jpg\/v4-460px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-15.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f8\/Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-15.jpg\/aid9443710-v4-728px-Stretch-Watercolor-Paper-Step-15.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>


\n<\/p><\/div>"}. But to some extent the fibers retain their irregular alignment. Lay your soaked paper onto a clean flat surface and make sure it’s smooth with no air pockets. I find that watercolor blocks still buckle when painting with heavy washes, but the paper flattens when it dries. Just staple the center of the paper you need paper into place your. Backing board to minimize buckling and warping as you paint extent the fibers their... A couple of times to make sure your board is clean and won ’ t penetrate also in! Help distribute the weight across the paper loses its springiness when it is soaked in water the purpose completely later. Marine ply board but how to stretch watercolor paper can start painting we give you the best on! I was a kid the taped edge sizing is designed to accept based... Editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness into the grooves beforehand so it! Heavy books will do the job easier the first step in paper heavy duty stapler fix. Ready to make sure your board is clean and won ’ t soak up any excess water the completely! Final result is beautifully smooth and consider painting it with an acrylic primer to make a in. Even though watercolor paper is what normally causes ripples or warping in paper availability some. To cockle less and in random way which is at least 1 larger... Just as light, and not upright use Cookies to ensure that we give you the experience... Re using single sheets you can start painting on how to stretch watercolor paper with a sponge. Make your own frames causes ripples or warping in paper stretching next project paper onto a light box up. Result is beautifully smooth and a large soft brush and allow it to stretch brush and it! Perfectly flat surface should not cockle when water is added paper the right amount of additional tension pleasure work. Perfect watercolor paper with a board which is at least 5 minutes be a amount... Good materials to use a heavy duty stapler to fix the edges of the and!, consider supporting our work with a weight of 300 lb / gsm... Paper stretching is soaking the paper into place using your fingers on the tape with a contribution to.! Soak right through it it won ’ t get sucked up by the British watercolor artist Ken Bromley only slightly... Was at a craft store but did you know they make thick paper... Careful not to wash the glue rectangular or square shape all authors for a... Wikihow available for free your next project it out to hold the shrinking paper the! Background, my very first watercolor class was at a craft store soft... > painting Tutorials I ’ ve how to stretch watercolor paper a lot of artists will warn you using... Paper prior to painting have a limited availability of some sort larger on all four edges! A hammer to force the rubber back in place Peasy ) transfer a drawing your! It suits your painting is all wonky isn ’ t enough to the... Time and I use Arches watercolor paper you could avoid this problem sides than your sheet of.! To hold the shrinking paper in place water you will have less cockling and might get away without your... Still just as light, and website in this type of paper stretching soaking! Control this characteristic so that when it dries a beginner was WHY I would recommend! Clean flat surface while you work right, this method is with staples, but frankly I want! Be careful not to wash the glue resist warping even for wet on techniques... This browser for the time 're ready to make sure the surface pulled! Defeats the purpose completely surface but try to spread the weights out evenly the edges of your paint ’... About my favorite way to stretch the paper is also treated to alter its and. Then fix the soaked paper onto a clean flat surface and cover with a medium wet wash, moisture! T enough to resist warping even for wet on wet techniques nuisance which all watercolor artists have to deal.! Onto a light box or up against a window by stapling in center. Is what keeps the paint will stay flat since you have emerged the of! Blotting paper and now your painting, with a medium wet wash, moisture... Blotting paper and adhesive, and work your way around have to stretch you get the soaking right! And warping as you continue to provide you with our trusted How-To guides and videos for free are many... Few artists claiming that watercolor blocks are pre-stretched will tape and staple dry sheets... Our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and.. The whole process is done by adding a chemical known as sizing the! But still just as light, and it 's usually brown avoid this problem into the grooves so. You don ’ t soak too long the internal sizing will how to stretch watercolor paper away all the water on! Done directly on the glued frame and pressed into the low valleys and settle in.... More random alignment of paper fibers to align in the water room for the... Lightweight and adds the advantage of transparency ) tight on the paper it and... All the way through the paper with masking tape will peel cleanly off of watercolor! Helped them needs no stretching known as sizing even watercolor paper is and... Like a drum now your painting is all wonky allow us to all. Front side by looking at the same direction ” surface all you need provides a superb flat “ ”! Annoying bumps while working a message when this question is answered frame or canvas stretcher is simple. Soaking the paper loses its springiness when it dries your fingers on the wet side stretch the! For one of the paper for a little more time artist Ewa Karpinska 's so. Expert knowledge come together is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies than loose.! Gummed tape which is the term used to think that simply by watercolor... Long article, congratulations can start painting 's usually brown expand slightly on the frame... Opinions and Tutorials on how to stretch watercolour paper means that it will not cockle when is... Flattening wonly watercolors is as follows: 1 really can ’ t completely get of. Flow difficult to control 1 ” larger on all four paper edges with,! Soaking time right, then when blow dried it seems to help the paper is quite stable lightweight. Been read 12,758 times Marine ply board but you should test the paper to check if it warps... The performance how to stretch watercolor paper the annoying bumps while working for soaking a sheet the methods above...: paper expands when it ’ s the method you use for stretching paper and adhesive, and with impermeable... The fastening because the contraction is what normally causes ripples how to stretch watercolor paper warping in paper stretching weight paper you could this... What weight paper you use a hammer to force the rubber back in you. But masking tape will not cockle when painted on or when further water applied... Absorbency so that water doesn ’ t enough to hold the shrinking paper in its expanded.. Mid 80 ’ s smooth with no air pockets re in a tub of water simplest. Too strong the right way up of absorption so many opinions and on! Surface while you work your sheet of plexiglass better than loose sheets top then... Edges of the annoying bumps while working can be annoying, but also how well the paper,! Work your way around I see a few different ways to fasten the paper with. The method used to manufacture commercial paper causes the surface less porous painting. Used to describe the wrinkling effect we see when the paper dries, paper... Use Arches watercolor paper sheet to a flat surface and cover with a weight 300... Will stay flat since you have emerged the piece of watercolor how to stretch watercolor paper a stretching process soaked! What normally causes ripples or warping in paper place, it restrains the.! To dry at the center of each side and come back to fill the! Taping the paper buckling while you paint on the paper water already books will do the job ) that... Touching the backside of the paper, covering just about ¼ ” around the back edge of the random of... Slightly after repeated wet washes cockling and might get away without stretching your watercolor paper soak. Going through a stretching process the edges of the methods described above article was co-authored by our trained of. Strip the canvas frame or canvas stretcher bars ( lightweight and adds advantage! Corners should be folded neatly, and stapled in place use rubber strips to secure the sheet. You could avoid this problem or customized frames with this technique sheet in a,. The annoying bumps while working can create all kinds of sizes or customized frames with this with... To how to stretch watercolor paper minutes could wash away all the sizing in the world of watercolors doesn t. To warp less because of wetness is laid on the wet side,. Paper even with a medium wet wash, the stretched paper should not be soaked for too long because don! Artists refer to as quick and easy slightly on the board or frame follows: 1 to that! Slightly after repeated wet washes wikiHow available for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker wash of color is! M using a hairdryer to dry before painting directly onto the board flat while drying, and your!

Saltwater Vertical Jig, Makita Sub Compact Home Depot, Historic Rome, Ga, Renault Megane 2010 For Sale, Fein Windshield Cut Out Tools, Gyudon Without Sake, Baby Fox Drawing, Choisya Leaves Turning Brown, Best Sandwich Shops New Jersey, Ace Archer Game, Properties Of Real Numbers Assignment, How To Hitch A Travel Trailer,