CHris Barbe

Could you elaborate please

For approx 16x20 140lb sheet (14x12 painting) this is what I do: Soak paper in clean container 3 minutes. Lay flat on a clean surface. Lightly blot the edges with paper towel. Transfer to painting board (hardboard or MDF). Now take some *good quality* duct tape and tape the edges with at least half the tape width on the paper. Press firmly on paper and board to make sure it sticks. Let it dry naturally. Now if you are painting using large washes the paper may have minor buckling but NO small cockles or divets to catch water/paint. Once dry the paper will be flat again. Also, look into Strathmore Aquarius II paper. Although this is a 80lb paper it supposedly does not buckle - I have to try it.

Thanks for your detailed advice. For the time being I've gone back to staples... I need to get on with the painting see. Too much time and money spent faffing with paper. They are a pain to pull out though.

Yes, I know what you mean. I have just watched some videos on flattening the painting paper AFTER it's finished. That's another option, too.

Try not soaking it as much as you are, it might help. Especially with the smaller postcards, I would use one staple in each corner when it's dry and then soak lightly with a sponge, let dry and then give it a try. When your painting is done, to remove the staples, use a steak knife and gently lift up from behind the paper. Sometimes you can even paint over the staple mark and keep more of your surface for mounting.

I think I'm just gonna switch to 300lb plus paper. Screw stretching it. Too much work lol

Hi Tommy--for paintings for such a small size, there's no need to stretch the paper. Just tape it to a board. I use simple masking tape, but first I lift a little lint off my shirt to take off some of the stickiness of the tape off so it doesn't harm the paper. Or, if you insist on soaking the paper, do a quick soak, dry it and then tape it. If you are using a wooden board (like an old plywood piece), maybe staples are a way to go. But take care; I recall a time in college I stapled a 1/2 sheet of Arches to a board after soaked it and was awakened by the sound of staples flying off the board because the paper shrunk VERY tight! Good Luck!

Edge-try spritzing the paper with a spray water bottle (I use an old Windex bottle, rinsed out well and filled with tap water). A quick spritz AFTER you taped it (or stapled it) is all you need. But, if that is too much of a hassle, just tape it to a board flat and go to town. A 300 lb paper is great but 140 is fine, most of my watercolors are on 140 lb. 90 can buckle with very wet washes . Good luck and thanks for asking!

Who is Richard Reed?

butcher tape? can you tell me the brand please. I have tried so many ways to stretch my paper and it never works, but I've not tried butcher tape

I use the original butcher tape that meat stores wrapped meat over counter sales. The only source I know for rolls of this is from Pillar tapes in Toronto. They will ship to you.

Ok, thanks James. I might give it a go.

+gilbey80 Thanks Gilbey, and thanks all for your interest. I hope to get more videos up soon. Happy painting!

+Doug Cushman I Look forward to seeing some more video's from an amazing teacher. Which is hard to find these days.

If you soak it, it takes a lot more sizing off and makes it hard to use masking tape for stretching. I was taught to soak it when I was younger but I just brush the water on both sides now and tape it down leaving tape edge dry so tape will stick.

+Mary Kosary Yes, I try to use only photos I've taken myself. I normally don't use photos as a general rule but when the weather is cold and windy or I just can't get outside, a photo is the next best thing. Black and white photos are best so you aren't locked in to a set color scheme.