Artists Please!

[Retrochic]

I've bought some dale downey acrylic paper to try out a few ideas with acrylic paints. I normally use acrylic board but want to use paper for these 'throw away' ideas -venturing into abstract and board is expensive. My distant memory makes me think I have to prime the paper -is that correct. I vaguely remember soaking paper with thin mix of acrylic paint and water and leaving to completely dry -I've tried this and its gone all crinkly. I've looked on the dale rowney web-site but it gives no indication about what to do to prepare the paper -any ideas?

[jourdain2]

I've always found proper, quality acrylic paper to be OK without priming. I sometimes like to use acrylics in a 'watercolour' way and it's always been OK..

[Ratty2E]

I don't have a huge experience in this medium but I think you need to stretch the paper. Wet it and then pin it tightly to a board to dry it should then stay flat when you actually paint on it. I'm sure you could find plenty of YouTube videos explaining it better than I can. I also think you can get pre stretched paper.

[ummmm]

In school we used to wet the paper in plain water and stick it to a board with masking tape until it dried.

[Retrochic]

Jouirdain this is what I want to try very loose abstract almost like water colour so lots of wet into wet. The paper I'm using is Dale Downey 230mg Acrylic paper, textured like canvas.

Ratty Think I'll try the pinning down method and see what happens, and have a look on you tube when I get home. Thanks

[Retrochic]

Ummm yes I vaguely remember doing that think I'll try that and see what happens.

[jourdain2]

I've just had a thought, retrochic. I haven't time to try it out myself - cleaning out cupboards before move - but if you want to do a lot of wet-on-wet it might be worth trying a 'heavy-duty' watercolour paper. Just an idea which arrived as I discovered mouse-pooh under the sink - don't think there's a connection!

[DTCwordfan]

ditto Jourdain

[DTCwordfan]

I use 380g for acrylics and even 600 for my drawings....

[jourdain2]

600 is lovely to work on. I'm a bit rusty, but am dragging back lots of sketches and really want the northern light and colour again. The sun here in summer is brilliant, but so strong that it kills subtlety and I think that's what I grew up with and can do best. Finished the run of cupboards under the sink, b.t.w. about to start making kedgeree once yelling cat is fed.

[Retrochic]

I'm getting back into painting after a few years off. I used to do a lot in Canada in the winter as I was never into winter sports when its minus 25C outside. I like painting animals and also appreciate 'fantasy' pictures but can't do them so am going to practice a few abstracts on paper. I've soaked a couple of sheets and pinned them to a couple of clip boards and so far they look ok. I think I'll leave them on the boards while I paint. I don't hold much hope my abstracts will look anything other than kindergarten scribbles lol!

[DTCwordfan]

Retro - it's a start and the only way is upwards...if I was to show you my drawings when I came back to it versus recent ones. Don't throw your early stuff out as it's fun to look back, cringe maybe!

[jourdain2]

I had one student applying to art college who had kept a few early attempts (aged about 12) I insisted that she included them in her portfolio. The interviewing committee was enthusiastic about how they showed the depth of development. Never chuck anything away - that's why I'm arguing with OH about how much I need to bring back! At least stories are mainly on the computer!

[Retrochic]

Well the paper is a fail I soaked two sheets pinned and dried them but they've crinkled again , they are obviously too thin.I will use this paper for practicing techniques and go get some 600gm paper and some more board. I recently dug out my old work and surprisingly some looked better than I thought -funny how a fresh eye after a couple of years can make you look at the picture in a different way. I did an quick abstract of a horse tonight -I thought it wasn't very good but SIL came around for some eggs and said it looked really good -full of movement -all I could see was the head wasn't quite right,and was about to 'fiddle' with it until he mentioned Picasso was not exactly anatomically correct with a lot of his work LOL! I've left it, it will be crinkly in the morning which may add to its je ne sais quoi,maybe not. onward and upward -thanks for all answers and support :-)

[Ratty2E]

Just popped back to see how you got on. Have a look here http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/discover/tips-and-techniques/for-water-colour/stretching-water-colour-paper they have some good advice.

[Retrochic]

Ratty thank you for getting back to me and that link. I've tried stretching the paper and it didn't work - what did kind of work was spraying the back with the varnish (water based) that I use when I've finished my good stuff I paint on canvas board. It still 'cockled' when I painted but flattened back out again. I've decided to give up on the paper and stick to the canvas board as I've found three A4 size canvas board for £1 at the pound shop which actually works out cheaper than the paper. I'm still struggling with the concept of Abstract though -I tend to fiddle with a need to get everything 'correct'. Think I may enroll on a course, I need some inspiration and some self confidence!