mallory
01-12-2004, 12:12 PM
This is a duplicate of a post submitted to the Plein Air Forum:
My report on painting on computer paper.
I was talking with someone about painting on YUPO. They explained that you get the same kind of surface by painting on the back of photo paper. They meant the kind of paper that developers use to print photos. I misunderstood and ended up painting transparent watercolor on HP Photo Paper for the computer. The kind designed for ink jet printers. I painted on the shinny coated side.
I did a quick test sheet to see what was going to happen and realized right away that it wasn't going to be like YUPO. When the computer paper gets wet the coating starts to dissolve and it mixes a bit with the paint solution. And it didn't accept graphite sketching.
But, I decided to go ahead and use it. I tried to keep the moisture down. Glazing is difficult, because once you have painted over a surface, it has a texture to it. I was a bit worried about my brushes, because the coating on the paper would gum things up a bit and I didn't want the gummy stuff to ruin my brushes, my palette or my paints. But, when I was done I cleaned my brushes well and they don't look any worse for wear.
The paint dried quickly and produced a jewel like surface similar to YUPO. The colors were slow to blend and allowed a lot of texturing with brush strokes.
I don't know what will happen over time. The paper may not be archival, but is designed to hold ink so I suspect the image is more or less stable. I doubt that the surface is acidic. I wonder if the HP website could get information about their paper.
Given all this, I may try it again. Of course I may also go to a photo lab and try to buy "blank paper" and paint on the back of that as suggested by Laura. :)
I have submitted the painting. It was plein air done on 8.5 x 11" paper. I have also submitted a detail to better see the kind of texture I achieved.
mallory
My report on painting on computer paper.
I was talking with someone about painting on YUPO. They explained that you get the same kind of surface by painting on the back of photo paper. They meant the kind of paper that developers use to print photos. I misunderstood and ended up painting transparent watercolor on HP Photo Paper for the computer. The kind designed for ink jet printers. I painted on the shinny coated side.
I did a quick test sheet to see what was going to happen and realized right away that it wasn't going to be like YUPO. When the computer paper gets wet the coating starts to dissolve and it mixes a bit with the paint solution. And it didn't accept graphite sketching.
But, I decided to go ahead and use it. I tried to keep the moisture down. Glazing is difficult, because once you have painted over a surface, it has a texture to it. I was a bit worried about my brushes, because the coating on the paper would gum things up a bit and I didn't want the gummy stuff to ruin my brushes, my palette or my paints. But, when I was done I cleaned my brushes well and they don't look any worse for wear.
The paint dried quickly and produced a jewel like surface similar to YUPO. The colors were slow to blend and allowed a lot of texturing with brush strokes.
I don't know what will happen over time. The paper may not be archival, but is designed to hold ink so I suspect the image is more or less stable. I doubt that the surface is acidic. I wonder if the HP website could get information about their paper.
Given all this, I may try it again. Of course I may also go to a photo lab and try to buy "blank paper" and paint on the back of that as suggested by Laura. :)
I have submitted the painting. It was plein air done on 8.5 x 11" paper. I have also submitted a detail to better see the kind of texture I achieved.
mallory