Making sanded paper and drawing board

[lynn p.]

I am so excited to share paper making!!  We watched Alan Flattmann make paper last week and it it is so easy.  He uses FF grit pumice which you can find online or maybe at an old timey hardware store for a few bucks, liquitex gesso (he buys from Jerry's artarama in big jug)--any gesso will work but shouldn't be the super thick kind.  The formula is l cup pumice, 1 cup gesso and 1 cup water.  If you want to tone it he uses a little thin black acrylic and ochre colored acrylic which gives a light grayish tint.  He likes working on neutral surface.  You just paint it on 140 ib watercolor paper (maybe a failed painting) with a 2 in foam brush, using horizontal and then vertical strokes, light touch at the end.  It dries in a few hours.  For smaller works he also applies it to museum rag board. The surface should be 100 percent cotton.  For large works he uses the same formula but on gatorboard.


The thing I just LOVED learning is how to make a drawing board.  He uses gatorboard and glues on a cell foam sheet (these are sometimes found in plumbing supply houses), 1/4 inch thick cut slightly (1/2 in) larger than the gatorboard with any adhesive spray (found at home depot etc).   Lay out newspaper and put down the gatorboard and foam piece.  Spray each one liberally and then carefully stick them together.  After it dries, trim the foam with a utility knife.  It is a dream surface on which to use pastels as it is so soft and a great give.

[Val]

Wow! How cool is that to make your own pastel papers! 

I know I can find foam brushes here (sometimes), maybe the rest in Guat. City. Another adventure unfolds! 

[Win]

Super,  Thanks for sharing this  with us. 

[Happychappy]

   so much Lynn for sharing this wonderful information with us.  Much appreciated.


Patricia

[NHC50]

You can also you a clear Gesso it has a grit in it. I have tried it and it does work.
Nina 

[Val]

  Not that I've ever seen any here, but will keep that in mind as well. Thanks Nina. 

[Cath]

  for sharing that Lynn.

Nina, also, for the tip about the clear gesso - thank you.

[Val]

I did find some gesso at a shop down the street, white, and tried it on a couple of foam boards. They only had thin, I would guess maybe 3/16" thickness, and they warped terribly. I painted the backside and it did straighten out for the most part, but started to warp again after a day or so. So, moving on and will try to find thicker foam board, or some of the plastic corrugated board used for signs. I am going to try the recipe Lynn provided. Will let you know how that goes.....  I do love an experiment!   
I may try it on some MDF board. Does anyone know if I would need a particular thickness? Hoping to avoid the warping issue.

[nolan]

I would not recommend using the corrugated board used by estate agents unless it is the 5mm thick version which is probably too expensive anyway. The 3mm board disintegrates every quickly.
The thickness mdf would depend on the size canvas you want. For small ones 3mm will be fine. For larger sizes go to 5mm

[Val]

    Thanks Nolan. We did find a couple of mdf boards in the dollar store, and as luck would have it they are 5mm thick! The biggest they have is a 50x50mm board which is fine for me at the moment. That´s BIG for me!!!       
I want to start building larger paintings and I think this would be an affordable method for me. So exciting!!! 
Many thanks for the tip about the plastic board. Close call there 

[nolan]

sounds good Val, keep us posted on the progress