Watercolor paper stretchers???

[hblenkle]

I just ordered the Ken Bromley paper stretcher on Amazon. The price with shipping is around the same price as listed on his website without the shipping. $51.32 is not too bad for the board and shipping. It will take a long time to get to me. I live near Chicago, IL, USA so don’t mind. I rather wait then pay high shipping cost.

[Crechat39]

I’ve got both the Keba and the Bromley in both imperial and half imperial size . I prefer the Keba. It has never failed for me. For some the imperial sizes might be a problem but I buy my paper on the roll rather than individual sheets. Also I am in the extremely fortunate position of being able to afford to use as much paper as I need even for small format painting so I use whichever size fits best.
I can take it with me to my classes ( student rather than teacher! ) and change over paper easily if I need to.

[hblenkle]

I always paint on 1/8 or 1/4 sheet size paper so many of the stretchers were eliminated for my purposes because they only came as small as 1/2 sheet size — at least from where I looked to order.

[hblenkle]

Today, Wednesday Aug. 6 2014, I recieved the Ken Bromley paper stretcher that I ordered on July 29, 2014 online on Amazon. In the email it said it may not arrive till Aug. 25, 2014 or Sept. 8, 2014. Considering it came from England to Chicago area, USA that is fast. The stretcher arrived in perfect condition. After I use it a few times I will post the results of how well it worked.

[hblenkle]

I followed the instruction sheet and Youtube video on using the paper stretcher. Easy. The only potential problem I encountered was when putting the first gripper rod into the groove. I got about half way on putting the gripper rod in when the end came out of the groove. I had not got it all the way in. I started putting in the rod again and I noticed I had let the paper shift as I was putting the rod back in. I noticed the baggy loose tension of one end of the paper and pulled out the rod and got everything right. All went well from that point and was just like the video. I just looked at my perfectly stretched paper. I just posted this as a warning to watch that the paper doesn’t shift on you when you use the stretcher. So I had no problem, but I would have if I had not been paying close attention. Just would have had to try putting the paper on the stretcher again if I had missed the shift.

[hblenkle]

I painted wet washes on the stretched paper and no waves or ripples appeared. Works great like it is supposed to work. The washes had pooling wash over the paper and not just a light stroke.

[Saint Ragdoll]

hblenkle,
I agree, I love the Bromley Perfect Paper Stretcher and own several.
It does exactly what is is supposed to do, stretch the paper! And it is a joy to be able tompaint on that taunt stretched surface and not fight with clamps, clips, tape and what not that in the end, dont stretch the paper.
I would recommend the Perfect Paper Stretcher to everyone who loaths that awful brown gummed tape , but wants perfectly stretched paper. It is a bit pricy with the postage but it will last a lifetime and if you buy this stretcher at the beginning of your painting then you will not be spending money on tape or any other stretcher.
Teresa
Saint Ragdoll

[ams]

suhatu (Susan Harrison-Tustain) just recently posted a new thread here on stretching paper. I think she works very wet and quite large. You might want to take a look. How to Successfully Stretch Watercolor Paper.

Anne
C & C always welcome.
https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/topic/wip-still-life-with-purple-underpainting/

[hblenkle]

I have a light ply board. I soak the paper for 3 minutes, then staple every 2 to 3 inches. Let it dry, then use drafting tape on the edge to give a nice border. After the painting, pull off the tape and staples with a pliers or staple remover. I tried the tape you wet and put on the paper years ago. The worst part is trying to get the tape off the board. I noticed Susan didn’t show getting the tape off the board. Maybe the brand Susan uses comes off better than the brown tape. Have you tried Susan’s method. I am sure it works and I like having options. Besides the ply board and the Ken Bromley Stetcher I have a Coroplast board that I just use masking tape to hold down the paper unstretched if I am not working too wet. I would really like to hear how easy the special tape Susan uses comes off the board. That brown tape was a nightmare to remove off the board with water and a scraper.

[hblenkle]

I have been thinking of the brown tape nightmare. It seems to me I remember vaguely that someone tried putting masking tape on the board. The soaked expanded paper was put on the board surrounded by the masking tape. The towel got rid of the extra water and air bubbles. The masking tape was wet a little. The brown tape was put down overlapping the paper edge and the masking tape. Allow to dry and paint. The idea was the paper was cut free after the painting was done and the masking tape was pealed off with the brown tape adhering to it and the board did not need to be scrapped. I did not hear the outcome when the person tried it. It sounds good. Has anyone tried putting masking tape on the board so the brown or white packing tape does not stick to the board?

[hblenkle]

I just watched Susan’s video again. To get the tape off the board it says to soak the board for 15 minutes and then scrape and be sure to remove any glue left on board. It is so much easier and faster to use Ken Bromley’s stretcher and it works perfect. No fuss or mess. Real easy. It takes a few minutes to put the expanded wet paper on the board with the plastic rods and it takes a few minutes after painting to remove the rods and free the painting. No mess or trouble. Easy. Others may prefer their method of stretching and like I said it is good to have options.

[hblenkle]

I don’t usually frame my paintings. Haven’t in years. My walls have enough of my Oil and Acrylic paintings. I might want to frame one though. With the paper stretcher some of the paper is cut away. The part that was under the plastic rods. When I cut the paper away I left 1/8 inch white paper. On the back I wet the paper with a brush, let the water soak in for a few seconds till the paper absorbed the water, then I was able to staighten flat the white paper border and it was so easy to do. I figured it looked better. Also less of the painting to put under the mat. What mat size do you use on the paintings stetched by the 1/4 sheet stretcher? I was wondering if the paintings would need custom mat and/or frame.

[querin]

I also have the keba artmate half sheet size just love it ,no movement on the paper ,i use a lot of water,when i use the tape method i still get some buckling on the paper,it does dry flat but still need to work around some buckling.
Querin

Visit my webpage : www.marylkaart.com
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000516056786

[Abstract Faye]

I’m UK – but I bought one of these recently, used it and it works brilliantly!

I see he will post to the US etc too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261543855551?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

– Faye x

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