Can anyone tell me if, to get a good painting surface, you have to stretch all watercolour papers before you paint on them or can you buy pre-stretched? I started with water colour and gave up early on, moving to oils instead, but I fancy having a go at watercolours again. Look forward to any advice.
Ross.
Hi Ross,
I have used (once) the pre-stretched paper and it was useless and i thought it a wast of the extra money spent. I always soak my W/C paper in the bath for 5 mins or so then take the excess water of by folding a towel round it ( not as to dry it ) then tape it to my painting board with brown gummed paper tape and let it dry . This works every time for me .
I almost never stretch paper - I like to be able to move it around if I want to. I don't buy pre-stretched, 300lb or anything special - I just paint on it as is, and it usually dries flat when all is said and done.
On the rare occasions where I do feel a need to stretch I wrap my damp paper around a gessoed canvas and staple it to the back, then cut free when finished.
It's helpful to stretch if any buckling whatsoever will interfere with your work or keep you from getting an effect you want - I am only pointing out that it's not a 'have to'. It never occurred to me not to - that was just how you started a watercolor, right? - for quite awhile. Then I started to realize that there were plenty of professional artists who didn't stretch, so I just gave it a try and realized it wasn't at all necessary for my style, and that being able to move and tilt different sections of my paper, without tilting the entire board - was so helpful!
So, for me, stretching is just a totally unnecessary step and actually makes it harder for me to do certain things the way that I want to.
And I work on 140lb paper.
Don't listen to 'have tos' without finding out exactly why.
Elisabet,
Wow! This is full of colour and life. A great match for the motion in the water. I'm amazed that you were able to paint this so fast and so well.
Jim
Elena,
I'm happy to continue the challenge. I feel I have learned a lot by doing the challenge paintings for the past year, and think it's only fair that I start giving back. I am also willing to share the duties. If you have a photograph that you…