Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Stretching paper...

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Author
Message

David Perry

  • Respected User
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 610
Posted
Lots of good tools for the well heeled... Meanwhile, on planet frugal should I use the gummed tape on a board technique or is there a better way?? D
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 6377
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1783
Posted
The easier way is to buy heavier paper, at least 300lb, then you won't have to stretch it.
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3850
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1552
Posted
I also use 240 paper and have no problems without stretching even though I work quite wet - I never stretch (well paper that is).

Michael Robinson

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 2904
Posted
David, there's more to life than spending time stretching paper, save time and buy heavier paper!
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20354
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7139
Posted
I've stretched paper sometimes, not at others; if you do stretch it, soak the paper, both sides - you don't really need to immerse it in the bath, a good slosh with the hake will do it - get wide gummed tape, the narrow stuff is an utter fag to use, and just stick the paper to your board - lots of tongue over the dry half of the tape, in which you'll almost certainly give your tongue a paper cut, or use a brush or a sponge (ie: use a brush: or a sponge) and make sure it's stuck down wherever it can be, then leave it overnight. By the time you come back to it the next day, it SHOULD be taut. Isn't theory wonderful......? Practice may not be.... Or alternatively, stick a bit of masking tape on the corners of your paper and lift it off and adjust the paper when it starts to buckle. The more water you use on thinner paper, of course, the more it WILL buckle. So I'm entirely with those who say use heavier paper - I've got 140lb paper at the moment, and it's not easy to use at all. But it does stretch quite well (it's a Fabriano). From experience, and mine isn't as wide as some with watercolour, Bockingford doesn't buckle quite so badly at this sort of weight. As another alternative, go to YouTube and see what Alan Owen does with his paper - he uses quite a variety - and what Steve Cronin does with his (he's a Fabriano devotee). Nothing complicated, just bull-dog clips. Also take a look at Dave Usher's demos. In truth, a well-stretched piece of paper is pleasant to work on and very responsive to most techniques, but .... it's a flaming nuisance when you just want to get on with it.

Kay Devlin

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 126
Posted
There is another option: leave your paper unstretched. If it buckles after it has dried, what you can do is to turn it upside down on a board, spray the back evenly with water, put another board on top and weigh it down with heavy things, and leave it like that to completely dry. It will be perfectly flat after that. Usually I do stretch my paper, mainly because a) I don't like working on buckled paper, b) I almost always use 300g paper and I like being able to use lots of water without it buckling, and c) if it's attached to a board it's nicely portable and I have edges to use a ruler / T-square against, I can make colour notes on the tape at the edges, and d) the process of stretching the paper is, for me, a part of the painting. The only time I don't stretch it is if I'm using HP paper, as I only use it for detailed things and don't use a lot of water then - I'll flatten it afterwards, if it needs it. Kay M
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3850
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1552
Posted
Interesting but still seems a lot of trouble when the easier answer is to use a heavier weighted paper in the first place.
P7200031

Mia Ketels

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 275
Posted
Hi, my method is: after finishing the painting on lighter weight paper, - I carefully wet the back side of the paper with a sponge and clear water, - put it on a board (I use a large enough very strong cardboard), wet side down, - cover it with a glass-plate (larger than the painting), - put some heavy books or ... on it, - wait for it to dry for a few days and : everything is ok and even! I hope this is of any help. It is simple and I don't need stretching my paper before painting on it. I love this method because I have a lot of 300gr paper of different brands and I don't know before I start drawing or painting what paper I will want to use :) Mia http://www.painters-online.co.uk/artist/MiaKetels