Home Forums Explore Media Watercolor The Learning Zone Thin watercolor paper

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #992748
    tangerine
    Default

        Hi watercolor peeps :wave:

        I use watercolor paper to create elements for collage (I am sticking the watercolor paper on the background) but I find most of it pretty thick. I thought of cutting pieces out of Stillman and Birn sketchbooks but that gets expensive.

        So I was wondering if anyone knows of a thin paper that will take watercolor well and won’t buckle too much and doesn’t have too much tooth. :confused:

        I know there’s rice paper and tissue paper but it doesn’t give me that watercolor look so I’d prefer to look for actual watercolor paper. Student or artist grade would both be okay.

        #1220666

        Check out Strathmore’s Aquarius II. I have never used it, but I have a sample. I was looking for something with more tooth (like a “rougher” CP) that I’d end up gluing into my sketchbook and this looked just like my Stillman and Birn Delta. It’s 80lb, with special fibers, that are supposed to keep it from buckling. So, this might be just exactly what you need!

        Also, Stillman and Birn have announced that their paper is now available by the sheet. I’m not sure where to buy it, but I guess it is out there. http://www.stillmanandbirn.com/ArtPaper.html

        I hope that helps a bit.

        :) Noelle

        #1220668
        briantmeyer
        Default

            Get 90# paper, or less, but I’d suggest 90# arches as it’s pretty thin but also 100% cotton top of the line paper which is really tough. Don’t have experience with other lightweight papers.

            Buckling is just going to happen if you work wet, but what you want to do is either first glue it and then paint it, or stretch it. ( if you work pretty dry it won’t get enough to get wet )

            Get it wet so it fully expands, takes 2-3 minutes submerged in water, don’t do it too long or you lose your sizing then do something to keep it that size when it dries, I do it over stretcher bars, but you can just staple it to a sheet of plywood along all the sides. They also have devices with clamps that do this, anything that keeps it in position when it was wet. This gets it really taut like a drum and isn’t an issue. ( it actually exerts a lot of force, use the wetness to stretch it, if you pull it further it will actually bend your stretcher bars, note that paper that isn’t this tough will just tear as it dries so make sure it’s 100% cotton artist grade paper ).

            Other methods it still seems to buckle a bit.

            The other approach is to use the wetness of the paper itself as a glue, get it wet on both sides ( spray bottle ), and get it evenly wet, wait until the buckling subsides – the buckling is uneven wetness. Then put it on a sheet of plastic, coroplast, etc. which it will want to stick to. As it dries it will buckle some but you just rewet it on the back as needed. This is working wet into wet and useful when you don’t have anything prepared.

            The other question is why do you care if it buckles? After it is done, and you get what you want, turn the paper over, mist it lightly so it’s a bit wet on the back, then put it under a heavy flat object, it will be perfectly flat when it dries. Ironing also can work. However it dries is how it’s going to stay.

            #1220664
            hblenkle
            Default

                I bought “The Perfect Paper Stretcher” from Ken Bromley on line. Even with shipping it was not expensive being that I live near Chicago Il in the United States and they are in England. It was made to use 90 and 140 pound paper and keep it perfectly flat, which it has for me. There are Youtube videos about it too to show how to use it.

                https://www.artsupplies.co.uk/

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z2zeS0oVi4

                #1220665
                tangerine
                Default

                    Also, Stillman and Birn have announced that their paper is now available by the sheet. I’m not sure where to buy it, but I guess it is out there. [URL]http://www.stillmanandbirn.com/ArtPaper.html[/URL]

                    I hope that helps a bit.

                    :) Noelle

                    Awesome! I found it here: http://www.artsupplywarehouse.com/finelineDisplay.php?id=130090

                    I will have to order some, I will check out Aquarius too.

                    Brian, you make a good point about the buckling, I guess it doesn’t matter all that much.

                    hblenkle, thanks, I will check out that paper stretcher.

                    Thank you all for the suggestions. :wave:

                    #1220667
                    mgarcia51
                    Default

                        I know someone who does a lot of watercolor collage and she uses the Strathmore Aquarius, previously referenced, because she says it dries perfectly flat.

                        She gave me a couple of quarter sheets. I tried one unstretched, then stretched the next one. Both buckled too much for my tastes, affecting my paint applications. But my end goal wasn’t for collage.

                        The thinness might be just what you want.

                        Maria

                      Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
                      • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.