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View Full Version : How can I flatten paint-warped paper?

eminkey2003
July 2nd, 2009, 12:06 AM
Whenever I paint on sketch vellum (so far goauche, watercolor, and acrylic), the paper warps like this. Is there any way I can make it flat again?

712783
tehmeh
July 4th, 2009, 01:30 PM
The tip is to stretch it before you paint onto the surface, use some kind of board and dampen the paper by brushing over it gently with water, and tape it stretched to the sides. This'll prevent it from warping later on. I'm not sure how you would recover already-warped paper.
Kman.
July 4th, 2009, 08:01 PM
dont paint on sketch vellum.

use watercolor paper, or something thick.
•Lindsay•
July 5th, 2009, 12:35 AM
Just pile a LOT of heavy books on it. You might have to leave it like that for several days, but it works.
Zirngibism
July 5th, 2009, 01:14 AM
Before you pile the books on it, dampen the back of the paper lightly with a mister or a towel.
The Pariano
July 5th, 2009, 01:28 AM
Or you could mount it onto some sort of panel, while whatever adhesive you're using is drying make sure you got some big books on top of it.
AChipps
July 5th, 2009, 03:52 AM
I have flatten paper like that before, and some parts of the paper left folds. If you can't flatten it the way you want, get a good picture of it and have it printed. Then next time use Watercolor paper, or poster board. I think they come in 24x36 and bright white is aways good, but one side is coated, so that leaves you with the rough side to work on, unless you use markers.
PieterV
July 5th, 2009, 04:04 AM
Also priming the page with a few layers of gesso when using acrylics or goache will significantly reduce warping.
eminkey2003
July 6th, 2009, 03:43 AM
Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up gluing this one to oaktag using spray-adhesive.
dashinvaine
July 6th, 2009, 01:33 PM
Take it to an art gallery/picture framers, they should have a dry-mounting press. They can work wonders, and it won't cost much.
Bastioni
July 6th, 2009, 01:43 PM
When paper wrinkles like that it tells you one thing, you're using a too dense of a medium on paper which isn't dense enough to absorb it all.

Use a very thick bristol or cotton canvas next time. Your piece is ruined once it bends, there's nothing you can do to sort it out again but not make the mistake again.