LESSON #17 - How to Stretch Watercolour Paper

[dennis]

In order for me to easily find and answer queries about this Lesson I will appreciate it if everyone will keep these  to this specific Lesson Posting only. This will also be of benefit to you as well in the future.  Thanks

Download the reference Photograph HERE

[erika]

Thanks for this webinar Dennis, I could only watch the very last half hour (cherry on top!) so will have to wait for the replay to see how you stretched the paper.

I love the ease with which you bring a wc to life - it really is inspirational to keep going... as my karate instructor always said: there are three rules to success
1. practice
2. practice
3... practice

And I think it was Gary Player who said the harder he practiced, the luckier he got 

Have a happy day and thanks for the great instructional videos 

[dennis]

Hi Erika, glad you managed to see the last part of the painting showing how to change a photograph to suit your own interpretation of the scene - taking a standard and making it a bit more exciting.

I just have to add the screen grabs to the pdf and that will be available the same time as the replay.

Thanks for your comments. I quite enjoyed painting this scene. Yes, it was Gary Player answered a reporter who told him he was just lucky to have won that particular tournament.

[Vangie]

Hi Dennis/Nolan
Hello.
Just here for a quick visit... I'm trying to figure out which webinars I've yet to book.  Please let me know if I've already booked/paid for this webinar Watercolour #17.  I couldn't see it on the list on 'Watch Paint Basket TV Now' to book.
Thanks
Vangie   

Hello Everyone 

[dennis]

Hi Vangie. According to my records you have not booked in for any of the following lessons: 17, 18, 19,20.

[dennis]

The Demo on stretched paper

[Val]

      This lesson was brilliant Dennis     Being able to actually watch you paint was a truly enlightening and inspiring experience. Nolan made mention that you both 'try' to give us the direction that we need. I feel it deserves reiterating that you do not try... you DO, and by your doing instill in us the inspiration and confidence to go forward.          
Thank you just doesn't convey the grateful bonds you have forged. 
As the Rasta say,  Ja Bless.   

[C.Bodine]

Dennis, as always, another great show! Thank you! I was really excited to get to be in class for once in about a month and ahalf!  I have been away from home every weekend for awhile.  I have had to miss Nolan's classes, also.  The woodshop has been extremely busy! It is such a disappointment not to join in the live lessons, but I am so thankful for the replays!

[dennis]

  Val. Just glad you were able, for a change, to watch the whole class - fantastic.

Welcome back, Christina. It was good to see your name suddenly pop up on the chat box. It's terrible when work gets in the way of your hobby

[ImBatman]

Dennis

A bit of confusion for me:

In the notes you say all surfaces (to stretch on) must be waterproof, but then in the video you say the tape may not stick properly to smooth surfaces.

After a couple of coats of polyglaze my board is ultra smooth - obviously because it is basically a layer of plastic to seal the board. Do you think it is it going to work for stretching?

Obviously straight MDF would eventually become ruined by water, so I was just wondering what direction to take.

Do I go and buy another sheet of thick MDF and use it. If so how do you then seal it to keep that adhesion?

Batman.

[Lillian]

Batman I'm looking forward to the answer to that too as I've been wondering the same.   

Dennis, please 

[dennis]

A difficult one to give you a positive answer on. I mentioned glass and melamine. Melamine is usually used for shelving, etc. The main problem is in the actual top surface of whatever you use to stretch on. Some surfaces may have an "oily" finish and nothing sticks to it. Also if the surface is too rough then there is not enough surface contact to take the strain of the drying watercolour paper.

A lot of problems can stem from the gummed paper itself. I have in the past bought a roll that was absolutely useless and the gum was of inferior quality and did not have the "stickiness" of quality gummed paper.

The gummed paper can also loosen if the watercolour paper is too wet when applying the gummed strip, with the result the paper under the strip is still too wet in relation to the drying watercolour paper.

There are other factors as well to take into account such as the temperature and humidity in to air, etc. So you see there are just too may things than can go wrong and waste precious time and paper. For me personally - as a professional - I have gone over to the heavier paper that does not require stretching.

I can't give a hard and fast rule so each will have to experiment to see which option suits them the best.

[Lillian]

  Dennis.  It sounds complicated!

I think I'll pay the extra and continue to get the blocks for anything I very seriously attempt to do, otherwise, I'll cut my sheets and tape them down with masking tape, similar as to what you do.

[ImBatman]

Thanks Dennis

I think what I'll do is head on down to Bunnings at some point and get a nice thick piece of MDF = 20 or 25mm thick - and coat it with Polyglaze and see how the tape goes at sticking.

I don't want to go ruining the board I already made for drawing and watercolours by cutting into the protective coating with a knife when removing the tape.

  for your consideration anyway.

Batman.

[dennis]

You don't remove the tape by cutting. Soak it thoroughly and then it lifts off. You can then scrape the residue off with a blunt instrument and wash the board to get rid of the glue.