Читать книгу Complete Artist’s Manual: The Definitive Guide to Materials and Techniques for Painting and Drawing - Simon Jennings - Страница 7
ОглавлениеBefore starting a painting or drawing, it is worth spending some time choosing and preparing the surface, or support, as this will have a great bearing on which medium you use, and the effects that you are able to achieve with it. Although the range of canvases, panels and papers may seem somewhat bewildering at first glance, finding the right support for your purpose is not very difficult when you understand the properties of each one. A properly prepared support will greatly increase the longevity of a work and, in addition, you can derive a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from this aspect of the artist’s work.
| CANVAS | In painting, canvas is still the most widely used of all supports. Stretched-and-primed canvas is taut but flexible, and has a unique receptiveness to the stroke of the brush. The two most common fibres for making canvas are linen and cotton, although hessian and synthetic fibres are also used. Each of these fibres differs in terms of durability, evenness of grain, ease of stretching and cost. |
Linen is considered the best canvas because it has a fine, even grain that is free of knots and is a pleasure to paint on. Although expensive, it is very durable and, once stretched on a frame, retains its tautness. Good-quality linen has a tight weave of even threads which will persist through several layers of primer and paint; avoid cheap linen, which is loosely woven.
Preparing linen canvas
The weaving process makes raw linen canvas prone to shrinking and warping when it is stretched, and it has a tendency to resist the application of size. However, both these problems can be solved by temporarily stretching the canvas, wetting it and allowing it to dry. Then remove the canvas from the stretcher bars and re-stretch it; this second stretching creates a more even tension across the cloth.
Cotton canvas
A good-quality 410–510gsm (12–15oz) cotton duck is the best alternative to linen, and is much cheaper. Cotton weaves of below 410gsm (12oz) are fine for experimenting with, but they stretch much more than linen and, once stretched, they are susceptible to fluctuations in tension in either humid or dry conditions. The weave of cheap cotton quickly becomes obscured by layers of primer and paint, leaving the surface rather flat and characterless.
Hessian
Hessian is inexpensive, but has a very coarse weave and requires a lot of priming. It is liable to become brittle and lifeless in time.
Synthetic fibres
Synthetic fabrics, such as rayon and polyester, are now used in the manufacture of artists’ canvas. These canvases come ready-prepared with acrylic primer and are worth trying out, as they are exceptionally strong and durable, flexible but stable, and resistant to chemical reaction.
Canvas textures
If you use bold, heavy brushstrokes, canvas with a coarsely woven texture is the most suitable. A smooth, finely woven texture is more suited to fine, detailed brushwork. Another consideration is the scale of your painting. A fine-grained canvas is best for small works, as the texture of coarse-grained canvas may be too insistent and detract from the painting.
Ready-primed canvas
Ready-primed canvas comes prepared with either an oil- or an acrylic-based primer. It is better to use an oil-primed canvas for oil painting and leave acrylic-primed ones for acrylic paintings, but you can use an acrylic-primed canvas for oils if you paint thinly and on a small scale.
Canvas may be single- or double-primed. The latter is more expensive; it has a denser surface, but it is less flexible than single-primed canvas.
Canvas weights
Wet the stretched linen canvas and allow it to dry.
The weight of canvas is measured in grams per square metre (gsm) or ounces per square yard (oz). The higher the number, the greater density of threads. Better-grade cotton canvas, known as cotton duck, comes in 410gsm (12oz) and 510gsm (15oz) grades. Lighterweight canvases of between 268gsm (8oz) and 410gsm (12oz) are recommended for practice only.
Ready-prepared supports
You can buy ready-primed and stretched supports which consist of a piece of canvas mounted on a stretcher. These supports are convenient, but are expensive when compared to the cost of stretching, sizing and priming your own canvas.
Popular artist’s canvases
1 Ready-primed cotton-rayon mix
2 Ready-primed cotton duck
3 Ready-primed artist’s linen
4 Superfine artist’s linen
5 Cotton duck
6 Flax canvas
7 Cotton and jute twill
Buying economically
Before buying lengths of canvas, work out how you will divide up the fabric to make as many pictures as possible with the minimum of wastage (canvas rolls come in several widths). When doing your calculations, don’t forget to allow a 50mm (2in) overlap all round each picture for attaching the canvas to the stretcher.
Acrylic and oil don’t mix
Most of the ready-prepared canvases and boards available in art shops are primed for use with oil or acrylic paint. If you paint in acrylics, take care not to buy supports which are prepared specifically for oils. The linseed oil in the primer repels acrylics, and the paint eventually comes away from the support.
Canvas texture
The formal elegance of this abstract painting is enhanced by the subtle texture of the linen canvas, which appears through the thin layers of oil paint.
Pádraig Macmiadhachain
Blue Morning
Oil on canvas
25 × 30cm (10 × 12in)
Overlap
Remember to add a minimum of 50mm (2in) of canvas all round, for when you attach it to the stretcher.
SEE ALSO
| STRETCHING CANVAS | Stretching your own canvas not only offers a saving in cost, but also means that you can prepare a canvas to your own specifications. |
Stretcher bars
Wooden stretcher bars are sold in most art-supply stores and come in different lengths. They have premitred corners with slot-and-tenon joints. The face side of each stretcher bar is bevelled to prevent the inner edge of the stretcher creating ‘ridge’ lines on the canvas. Stretcher bars come in varying widths and thicknesses, depending on the size of support you wish to make. For a work under 60 × 60cm (24 × 24in), use 45 × 16mm (1¾× 5/8in) stretcher bars. For larger works, use 57 × 18mm (2¼ × ¾in) bars.
Wedges
You will also need eight wedges or ‘keys’ for each stretcher. These fit into slots on the inside of each corner of the assembled stretcher; if the canvas sags at a later date, the wedges can be driven in further with a hammer to expand the corners and make the canvas taut again.
Canvas-straining pliers
Canvas-straining pliers are especially useful for stretching ready-primed canvases. They grip the fabric firmly without any risk of tearing, and the lower jaw is bevelled to give good leverage when pulling fabric over a stretcher bar; the correct tension is achieved by lowering the wrist as the canvas passes over the back of the frame.
Other equipment
Use a heavy-duty staple gun and non-rusting staples with a depth of at least 10mm (3/8in) to fix the canvas to the frame. You will also need a rule or tape, a pencil and a pair of scissors to measure and cut out the canvas; a wooden mallet to tap the stretcher bars together; and a T-square to check that the frame is square (or you can use a length of string to ensure that the diagonal measurements between the corners are the same).
Large canvases
A support that is larger than 80 × 100cm (32 × 40in) will require an extra crossbar between the two longest sides, to support them when the canvas contracts during preparation, exerting a great deal of force.
Tacks
Using a hammer and non-rusting tin tacks to fix the canvas to the frame is more economical than stapling, but means more work.
Pliers
Canvas-straining pliers stretch ready-primed canvases firmly and without tearing.
Cutting the canvas
Use pinking shears to cut canvas; they avoid the need to fold the edges over at the back of the frame to prevent the canvas fraying.
Assembling the stretcher frame
Slot the stretcher bars together, checking that all the bevelled edges are at the front. Tap the corners gently with a wooden mallet or a piece of wood for a close fit.
Checking for square
Use a T-square to check that all the corners of the assembled frame make right angles. Double-check by measuring the diagonals with an expanding tape measure or a length of string; they should be of equal length. If the frame is out of true, correct it by gently tapping the corners with the mallet.
Stretching the canvas
(1) Cutting out the canvas
Working on a large table or the floor, lay the frame bevel-side down on a piece of canvas. Cut the canvas to fit the frame, allowing a margin of about 5Omm (2in) all round for stapling (1).
(2) Securing with the first staple
Ensure that the warp and weft threads of the canvas run parallel with the sides of the frame. Fold the canvas round to the back, and secure with a staple at the centre of one long stretcher bar (2).
(3) Tensioning the canvas
(4) Continuing to staple
Reverse the frame, pull the canvas firmly and evenly, and secure a staple opposite the first one so that consistent straining is obtained. You can use canvas-straining pliers, if necessary, to grip the cloth and pull it taut over the frame (3). If glue size is to be applied, the canvas should be taut, but not as tight as a drum, to allow for possible shrinkage. Repeat the process on the two short sides, so that one staple holds the canvas to the centre of each stretcher bar (4). Check the parallel alignment of the canvas weave.
Securing the canvas
(5) Stretching and stapling
Now add two more staples to each of the four stretcher bars – one on either side of the centre staples – following the sequence shown in the diagram (5). The staples should be evenly spaced at 50mm (2in) intervals. Continue adding pairs of staples to each side, gradually working towards the corners. Insert the final staples about 50mm (2in) from each corner. Note that working systematically out to the corners keeps each side in step with the others. Fastening the canvas completely on one side before doing the next stretches the canvas unevenly.
Finishing off
(6) Fixing the first corner staple
(7) Folding the flaps
(8) The finished corner
(9) Inserting the wedges
The corners should always be finished off neatly; if they are too bulky you will have difficulty in framing the picture. Pull the canvas tightly across one corner of the stretcher, and fix with a staple (6). Then tuck in the flaps on either side smoothly and neatly (7) and fix with staples. Take care not to staple across the mitre join, as this will make it impossible to tighten the canvas later on. Then fix the diagonally opposite corner, followed by the remaining two. If necessary, hammer the folds flat to produce a neat corner (8). Finally, insert two wedges in the slots provided in each of the inner corners of the frame; for correct fit, the longest side of each wedge should lie alongside the frame (9). Tap the wedges home very lightly. The canvas is now ready for sizing and priming.
SEE ALSO
| BOARDS AND PANELS | Man-made boards are cheaper to buy and prepare than stretched canvas; they are also easier to store and transport, and they will provide a more durable support than canvas. |
Wood panels
Wood, for centuries the traditional support for oil and tempera painting, can no longer be relied upon to be well seasoned, so it tends to split and warp. It is also heavy to transport, and is now largely superseded by economical composition boards.
Hardboard (Masonite)
Hardboard is inexpensive, strong and lightweight. It is available in two forms: tempered and untempered. The tempered variety is suitable for oil paints and primers, and it does not require sizing. For acrylic painting, however, use untempered board, which has no greasy residue. Sundeala board, grade ‘A’, is particularly recommended, as it is lightweight and its surface is slightly more porous than standard hardboard, giving a good key for size and primer.
Hardboard has one smooth and one rough side; the smooth side is the one most often used. The rough side has a texture which resembles coarse canvas, but it is only suitable for heavy impasto work, as the texture is very mechanical and over-regular.
Hardboard is prone to warping, particularly in humid climates, but this risk is reduced by priming the front, back and edges of the board. Paintings larger than 45cm (18in) square should additionally be braced with a framework of wood battening across the back (see here).
Plywood
Plywood comes in various thicknesses and has smooth surfaces. It does not crack, but it can warp. To keep the sheet stable, size and prime it on the front, back and edges. Large sheets should be battened or ‘cradled’ by gluing wooden battens to the back of the board (see here).
Chipboard
Chipboard is made from wood particles compressed into a rigid panel with resin glue. Thick panels of chipboard are a sound support as they do not crack or warp and don’t require cradling, but they are heavy to transport. Another disadvantage is that the corners and edges may crumble, and, being absorbent, they need to be well primed.
Medium-density fibreboard (MDF)
MDF is made from pressed wood fibre and is available in a wide range of thicknesses and in standard board sizes. It is a dense, heavy, but very stable material and has fine, smooth surfaces. MDF is easily cut by hand or with machine tools. Large, thin panels may need to be cradled to help keep them flat (see here).
Cardboard
Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec painted on unprimed cardboard on occasions; they used its warm brown colour as a middle tone, and produced a matt, pastellike effect on the absorbent surface. However, a finished painting must be framed under glass if it is to last. Cardboard must be sized on both sides and on the edges to prevent warping and to stop impurities in the cardboard from leaching into the paint.
Mount board
Heavy mount board, or pasteboard, is available in a range of colours and has a smooth surface suitable for painting in acrylics and gouache, particularly when thin washes and glazes are applied. It is also used for pen-and-ink drawing. Always choose conservation board for work that is intended to last, as this is guaranteed acid-free.
Watercolour board
Watercolour board consists of a solid core faced with good-quality watercolour paper. The board provides extra strength and stability, and dispenses with the need for stretching paper prior to painting. Check that the core of the board, as well as the paper, is acid-free. Watercolour boards also perform well with pastel and charcoal.
Pastel board
Pastel paper mounted on board is available in a range of sizes, colours and finishes, from soft velour to a high-tooth, abrasive surface.
Canvas boards and panels
Commercially prepared canvas boards and panels consist of acrylic-primed cotton canvas mounted on rigid board. They come in a range of standard sizes and surface textures, and are a good choice for beginners. Because they are compact and lightweight, they are ideal for painting outdoors. Cheaper-quality canvas boards with an imitation canvas surface have an unsympathetic, mechanical texture and a rather slippery surface priming, and the backing board is prone to warping.
Marouflaging board
Many artists prepare their own canvas boards by covering boards with canvas or muslin – a method known as marouflaging. Fabric glued to board provides a surface which combines the unique feel of working on canvas with the greater stability of a firm surface which is not prone to movement under atmospheric changes. Any natural fabric can be used, such as worn linen, cotton sheets or tablecloths, unbleached calico, butter muslin or canvas offcuts.
Method
Check that the board is cut square and true. Dress the edges and lightly sand the smooth side to provide a key for the glue. Brush away all sawdust. Lay the board over the fabric, then cut the fabric to size, allowing a 50mm (2in) overlap all round (1).
With a household paint brush, apply size to the face and edges of the board (2). Smooth the fabric over the board with an equal overlap all round (3). Ensure that the warp and weft threads lie straight and parallel with the edges, as any distortion in the weave will show in the finished picture and be visibly distracting.
Apply more size to the cloth, brushing from the centre outwards and smoothing out any creases or air bubbles. When the size has dried, turn the board over and trim across the corners (4).
Size a margin around the edge of the reverse of the board, wide enough to stick down the overlapped cloth, which should not be pulled too tight as it may cause the board to warp. Smooth down the flaps of material and fold the corners over neatly (5). Add a final coat of glue over the reverse side to prevent warping. Leave to dry flat overnight before priming.
Keying hardboard
Before painting on the smooth side of hardboard, lightly sand the surface to provide a key for the application of primer.
Preparing a panel
To save time, an artist will periodically prepare a batch of panels at once, all cut from one sheet of board. For example, from a sheet of hardboard measuring 120 × 240cm (4 × 8ft) you can cut thirty-two 30.5 × 30.5cm (12 × 12in) panels, or thirty-eight 25.5 × 30.5cm (10 × 12in) panels. Most timber yards cut board for a small fee, or you can cut it yourself.
Cutting panels
Mark out the sheet with a rule and pencil, making sure all the corners are square, and saw along these lines. Now ‘dress’ the edges of each panel with a sanding block to remove any burrs from the saw cuts. To provide a key for the size or priming coat, lightly sand the surface of each panel. Always use a light touch; too much downward pressure may create depressions in the board.
Cradling boards
Cut two battens 50mm (2in) shorter than the width of the board. Chamfer the ends and then secure the battens to the back of the board, using wood glue for man-made boards, or woodscrews for solid wood or thicker boards.
Gesso panels
Gesso panels are the traditional support for egg-tempera painting. They can also be used for oil, acrylic and watercolour painting, but are quite difficult and time-consuming to prepare. Ready-prepared gesso panels can be bought from specialist art stores, though they are expensive. Gesso panels have an exceptionally smooth, brilliant white finish which particularly enhances the translucence of tempera colours.
Cardboard and hardboard
Cardboard’s warm colour brings a mellow harmony to Toulouse-Lautrec’s oil sketch. Note how the brush drags on the absorbent surface.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901)
Woman in Profile (detail)
Oil on cardboard
For his bravura painting, Tom Coates used the reverse side of some unprimed hardboard. There is a lively interplay between thick impastos and thin, drybrushed marks, with the paint catching on the tooth of the board.
Tom Coates
Alfred Daniels Painting
Oil on panel
25 × 20cm (10 × 8in)
Marouflaging a board
(1) Cutting the fabric to size
(2) Applying size to the face and edges
(3) Smoothing the fabric
(4) Trimming the corners
(5) Folding the corner
Priming for oil paint
To provide a sympathetic surface for oil paint, prime a marouflaged board with alkyd or acrylic primer. If you prefer a slightly absorbent, matt surface, thin the primer with white spirit (about 10 per cent by volume).
Time-saving
When making up several small boards, you will find it quicker and easier to glue the fabric to a large piece of board. Leave it to dry and then cut it up into the required number of boards, using a bandsaw As long as the fabric is glued down firmly, it won’t matter that some edges have no overlap.
Preparing canvas board
If you dislike the slippery surface of some commercially primed canvas boards, you can simply apply a further coat of alkyd or acrylic primer, in order to give a more absorbent surface. Matt household paint may be used for sketches or practice work.
SEE ALSO
| PAPERS FOR OILS AND ACRYLICS | Paper is a perfectly satisfactory support for small-to-medium-size paintings as well as preparatory sketches, as long as it is a heavy, good-quality one with plenty of tooth to grip and hold the paint. Thin papers will buckle when they are sized or primed. |
Preparation
Paper must always be sized before oil paint is applied in order to prevent the oil binder being absorbed and leaving the paint film underbound. The paper may be sized with rabbit-skin glue, PVA glue or acrylic matt medium, or primed with acrylic primer. Sizing is not necessary for acrylic paints.
Types of paper
Watercolour paper
Heavy, rough-surfaced watercolour paper or handmade Indian paper can be used as a support for oil and acrylic painting. The paper’s texture shows to advantage when the colour is applied in thin washes. For extra strength, the paper can be mounted on to hardboard.
Oil-painting paper
Sheets of paper, textured to resemble canvas and primed ready for oil painting, are available in fine or coarse grades. Cheaper-grade oil-sketching paper comes in pad and block form. This is convenient for sketching out of doors and is economical for practice work, but you may find that the surface is greasy and unpleasant to work on, like that of the cheaper painting boards.
Acrylic sketching paper
This comes in the form of spiral-bound pads of embossed, acrylic primed paper, which are very convenient for small paintings and sketches.
Paper for oil painting
Indian paper and canvas-texture paper
Size this with rabbit-skin glue, PVA glue or acrylic matt medium, or coat with acrylic primer.
Painting on paper
Paper is an excellent and economical support for painting. It will accept most media, as long as you follow the rules of preparation. This painting is in acrylics, worked directly onto a good-quality, heavy-weight watercolour paper. A toned wash of thinned acrylic was applied first, to tone down the white surface and to act as an extra size for the support.
Dennis Mathew Rooney
Haunt of Ancient Peace
Acrylic on watercolour paper
38 × 53cm (15 × 21 ¼in)
SEE ALSO
| SIZING FOR OILS | Supports for oil painting must always be sealed with a thin coat of glue size before the application of a priming coat. However, you should not prepare the canvas with glue size if you are going to use an acrylic ground or acrylic paints. |
Function of size
Size seals the pores between the fibres of the support, making it less absorbent. This prevents the oil binder in the priming and paint layers from sinking into the support, leaving the paint film underbound and liable to sinking, flaking and cracking.
Rabbit-skin glue
Rabbit-skin glue has traditionally been used for sizing oil-painting supports, since it has good adhesive strength. It comes in the form of granules, and is available in most art-supply shops. The glue size is made by mixing dry glue with water and gently heating it – but be warned that it smells unpleasant!
Preparing size
The ingredients should be carefully measured to produce the required strength (see here). If the size is too strong, it forms a brittle layer which could cause the primer and the painting to peel and crack; too dilute a size will produce a weak film which allows oil from the upper layers to sink into the canvas.
Place the dry granules into the top part of a double boiler. Add the water and leave for about two hours to swell. Heat the resulting solution gently in the double boiler until it has melted, stirring until all the granules have completely dissolved, and never allowing the size to boil – this will destroy much of its sizing qualities. If you don’t have the use of a double boiler, you can heat the glue in a bowl standing in a pan of water (as shown in the illustration, right).
Set aside the glue for a couple of hours, to cool and form a jelly. Keep the container covered to prevent any loss of water through evaporation, and to protect from dust and flies. Test the strength of the glue with a finger – the surface should be rubbery, yet just soft enough to split. The split formed should be irregular; if it is smooth and clean, the size is too strong. If this is the case, just rewarm it, add water, and allow it to reset. If the size has not set, you can stir in up to 10g (¼oz) of glue and then leave to soak for 12 hours.
Preparing size in advance
If you are mixing up a batch for later use, it is useful to note that glue size can be kept in a refrigerator for up to a week before starting to decompose.
Applying size
Rabbit-skin glue is a strong adhesive and must be used thinly, or it will crack. One thin coat is sufficient to size a canvas; too thick a layer forms a continuous, level film on the surface, and prevents the subsequent priming layer from bonding with the canvas. Gently reheat the size until it is just lukewarm and almost jelly-like in consistency. Apply it to the canvas in a thin layer, working quickly before the size begins to dry. Start from the edge, and brush in one direction only – do not make a back-and-forth motion with the brush, as too much size will be applied. Size the back flaps and edges of the support as well as the front. Leave to dry in a dust-free place for about 12 hours before applying primer.
Temperature
Size may be applied hot to panels and boards, but on canvas it must be applied lukewarm. If too hot, it will soak through and glue the canvas to the stretcher and you will need to prise it free with a palette knife. Hot glue size may also cause fabric to over-tighten.
Sizing boards and panels
For boards and panels, use the slightly stronger solution described on the opposite page. Thin boards should also be sized on the reverse and edges, to prevent warping. Leave to dry for 12 hours, then sand lightly.
Rabbit-skin glue
This is the time-honoured size for rendering canvas impervious. Available in granule form, it is dissolved in hot water.
Recipes for glue size
These measurements are a good starting guide, although you may wish to vary them slightly.
For sizing canvas:
You need 55g (2oz) – two rounded tablespoons – glue to 1.1 litres (2 pints) water. (Alternatively, use 1 part by volume of glue to 13 parts water.)
For rigid panels:
Use a stronger solution of 85g (3oz) glue to 1.1 litres (2 pints) water. This recipe will make enough size to cover a support measuring about 120 × 180cm (4 × 6ft).
Improvised double boiler
An effective substitute can be made from a bowl or clean tin can heated in a pan of water.
Sizing implements
Brush size in one direction only
The best brush for sizing is a flat hog varnishing brush, with a good width and long bristles. Decorators’ brushes can be used, but poor-quality ones may shed hairs. Some artists use a natural sponge, which gives more control; gently squeeze out more glue when you feel the surface going dry. It can also be used to mop up any excess.
Unprimed supports
The warm brown tone of surfaces such as hardboard, plywood, cardboard and linen canvas provides a middle tone which can be incorporated into the painting. To make them suitable for painting on, while maintaining their colour and texture, seal them with a coat of dilute glue size (for oils) or acrylic medium (for all media). Here, Ken Howard uses very thin, turpentine-diluted paint, so that the canvas colour shows through. This gives a marvellous impression of reflected light on the model’s back.
Ken Howard
Homage to Lautrec
Oil on unprimed canvas
40 × 30cm (16 × 12in)
Alternative glue size
A modern alternative to traditional glue size is carboxymethyl/cellulose (CMC). This expands and contracts at the same rate as the canvas, greatly reducing the risk of cracking. It is also easier to use: just dissolve the granules in either warm or cold water (using an 8 per cent solution by volume), leave to swell and apply with a stiff brush. There is no heating involved – and no smell.
SEE ALSO
| PRIMING | The primer, or ground, not only seals and protects the support, but also provides a base that will readily accept the application of paint. |
Choosing primer
There are various types of primer, each with its different characteristics. It is important to choose the right one for your needs, as it affects the way paint is ‘pulled’ from the brush, and its finished appearance. For example, if you like to work on a smooth surface, you will require a different ground to someone who prefers a slightly textured, dryish surface that gives the paint a matt, chalky appearance.
In addition, it is vital that you select the right type of primer for your chosen support. Canvas expands and contracts, and thus requires a flexible ground; therefore an inflexible gesso ground is not suitable.
The ground should be absorbent enough to provide a key for the paint, but not so absorbent that it sucks oil from it – a common cause of sinking (the appearance of dull patches of paint across the canvas).
Oil primer
The traditional, and best, primer for oil painting, particularly on stretched canvas, is oil-based lead-white primer. This is flexible, stretching and contracting with the canvas on changes in temperature and humidity. It dries to form a durable base, which will not absorb too much oil from the paint.
Applying oil primer
Lead-white primer is quite stiff, and should be let down slightly with turpentine so that it can be brushed out easily. Apply an even coat as thinly as possible, brushing it in well (1). Finish off with a long smoothing stroke in line with the weave of the cloth (2). You should leave this first coat to dry for two days before applying a second coat.
The primed canvas should either be used while touch-dry (within a week or two) or be left to cure for four to six months before use. If paint is applied between these times, the primer sucks oil from the paint, leaving it underbound and with insufficient adhesion to the support.
Yellowing
The linseed oil in which lead white is ground turns the priming coat yellow if the primed support is stored away from the light for any length of time. The whiteness is restored upon exposure to sunlight.
Alkyd primer
This is a valid alternative to oil primer, as it is flexible, non-yellowing and fast-drying; each coat can be overpainted after 24 hours. Dilute alkyd primer with white (mineral) spirit to the required consistency.
Acrylic primer
Acrylic primer is flexible, durable, water-thinnable, fast-drying and inexpensive. It can be used to prime canvas, board, paper and other surfaces, and can be applied directly to the support without the need of an isolating layer of size. It dries in a few hours.
Acrylic primer is the ideal surface for acrylic paints, providing a bright undercoat which brings out the vividness of the colours and gives added luminosity to thin washes. It can also be used with oil paints on rigid supports, but this is not recommended for canvas painting, except in a thin layer: acrylic is more flexible than oil, and the different tensions may eventually lead to cracking of the paint surface.
Acrylic primer is often referred to as acrylic gesso, a confusing term as it is not a gesso at all; traditional gesso is prepared with animal glue and chalk, and is very absorbent.
Applying acrylic primer
Work from the edges and apply the primer quickly in sections. Use a large brush or a paint roller, and keep the working edge moving, as acrylic primer dries quickly. Leave to dry for a few hours. The second coat should be applied at right angles to the first.
When priming board, you can apply as many as five coats for greater whiteness and opacity. For a really smooth finish, thin the last coat with a little water. For a textured finish, impress a piece of canvas (or any textured fabric) into the final coat of primer while it is still damp. Pull it away, then let the panel dry.
Checking primers
Commercially produced primers may become hard if kept on the shelf for too long, so it is wise to shake a tin before buying it to make sure that the contents are still liquid.
Applying primer:
• Apply it in several thin coats – a thin coat is pliable while a thick coat is likely to crack and may even flake off the support.
• Cover the entire surface evenly. Don’t go back over brushstrokes.
• Make sure that each coat is touch-dry before any subsequent coat is applied, and also before starting to paint.
(1) Applying a thin, even coat
(2) Finishing off
Acrylic over glue
Never use acrylic primer over animal-glue size, as it will prevent the paint from adhering properly to the support.
Paint rollers
It is a good idea to use a paint roller to apply acrylic primer. A roller keeps the paint moving and delivers an even coat; for small supports, use a small radiator roller.
Working sequence
Work in sections; leave primer to dry between coats; apply subsequent coats at right angles.
Emulsion paint
An economical primer, often used by students, is ordinary matt household paint, which provides a sympathetic, semi-absorbent ground. However, household paint should only be used on rigid supports, and not on stretched canvas. Use only good-quality paint; cheap emulsions have a limited life span.
Using primer creatively
The lovely, matt, airy quality of Fred Cuming’s paint is due in part to the ground he works on. After many years of painting, Cuming still finds the best primer is a good-quality, matt, white undercoat. When the primer is thoroughly dry, he applies a thin layer of linseed oil to the surface and wipes it off immediately, leaving just a trace of oil. When this is dry – after two weeks – the resulting surface provides a sound key for the paint, and prevents it sinking.
Fred Cuming
Bathers – Cap Ferrett
Oil on panel
60 × 50cm (24 × 20in)
Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford
Textured finish
For a textured finish, lay and then press a piece of textured material, such as an old piece of sacking, into the final primer coat.
SEE ALSO
| MAKING PRIMERS | Ready-made primers are adequate for general needs, but obviously they cannot be tailored to individual requirements. Making your own primer is economical and will give you greater control over its quality and absorbency |
Egg-oil emulsion
This general-purpose, easily made primer is suitable for canvas and board. It is ready to paint on after two days’ drying (see list of ingredients here).
Break the egg into a jar. Using the eggshell as a measure, add the same volume of refined linseed oil and twice the volume of cold water. Screw the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until an emulsion is formed. Grind a little emulsion with titanium white pigment until it forms a stiff white paste; add the rest of the emulsion to bring the mixture to the consistency of double cream. Thin the mixture to a milky consistency with lukewarm glue size mixed 1 part to 12 parts cold water. Brush very thinly onto a sized support.
Traditional gesso
Brilliant white gesso (see ingredients here), is very smooth and porous, and is the ideal base for painting luminous colours and detail. Gesso is best applied to a rigid support prepared with glue size – it is not flexible enough for use on canvas. It is most suited to water-based paints, such as tempera, acrylics and Chroma colours.
Heat the size, mixed 1 part to 8 parts cold water, gently in a double boiler. Slowly add some warm size to the whiting and stir until it forms a thick paste. Blend without creating excess bubbles. Gradually add the rest of the size until a smooth, creamy mixture is obtained. (Keep the pot of gesso warm and covered, otherwise it will harden, the water will evaporate and the glue will become too strong.) To increase the brilliance, add powdered white pigment. Leave for a few minutes before using.
Applying gesso
Apply gesso carefully in thin layers and work quickly: if you go back over an area, streaks will develop. Dampen the brush with some water to prevent air bubbles forming on the surface. Apply the first coat of hot gesso in short, even strokes (1), keeping the working edge moving – when the gesso begins to cool, move on to an adjacent area. Apply up to six coats for a dense, white finish; add each coat at right angles to the last (2), using short back-and-forth strokes. Each coat should be completely dry before the next one is applied. Level off in one direction (3). Lightly sand between coats with fine sandpaper (4), dusting off the surface before applying the next coat.
Egg-oil ingredients
• titanium white pigment
• one egg
• linseed oil
• glue size
• water
(1) Applying the first coat
(2) Adding coats at right angles
(3) Levelling off
(4) Sanding between coats
Gesso ingredients
• 1 part Gilder’s whiting
• 1 part glue size
Sealing gesso
On an absorbent gesso surface, oil paint takes on a matt, airy quality which is pleasing but makes the paint quite difficult to handle. In addition, gesso soaks up much of the oil from subsequent paint layers, leaving them brittle and prone to cracking. To overcome this, the dry gesso surface should be partially sealed with a weak solution of glue size (about half the strength used to make the gesso).
SEE ALSO
| TONED GROUNDS | Some artists like to paint on a toned or coloured ground, as a white ground can be inhibiting; by covering the canvas or paper with a wash of neutral colour, you immediately create a more sympathetic surface on which to work. |
‘Reading’ tones and colours
A white ground can give a false ‘reading’ of tones and colours, especially in the early stages of a painting, when there is nothing to relate them to. Most colours appear darker on a white surface than when they are surrounded by other colours, and this creates a tendency to paint in too light a key. If you work on a neutral, mid-toned ground you will find it much easier to assess colours and tones correctly, and you can paint towards light or dark with equal ease.
If the colour of the ground is allowed to show through the overpainting in places, it acts as a harmonizing element, tying together the colours that are laid over it.
Choosing a ground colour
The colour chosen for a toned ground will depend on the subject, but it is normally a neutral tone somewhere between the lightest and the darkest colours in the painting. The colour should be subtle and unobtrusive, so that it does not overwhelm the colours in the overpainting. Diluted earth colours, such as Venetian red, raw sienna or burnt umber, work very well, as do soft greys and greens.
Transparent and opaque grounds
A toned ground can be either opaque or transparent. With a transparent ground (also known as imprimatura), the paint is heavily diluted and applied as a thin wash. A transparent ground allows light to reflect up through the succeeding colours, thereby retaining their luminosity, and it is used where transparent or semi-transparent colour is to be applied. Opaque toned grounds are used with opaque painting methods, where the light-reflecting qualities of a white ground are not so important.
Applying transparent grounds
Dilute the colour until it is thin, and then apply it with a large decorator’s brush or a lint-free rag. Loose, vigorous strokes give a more lively effect than a flat stain of colour. After a few minutes, you should rub the wash with a clean rag, leaving a transparent stain.
Making opaque grounds
Mix a little tube colour into the white priming or gesso before applying it (see here). Alternatively, you can mix the colour with white paint, dilute it a little, and then brush a thin layer over the priming. Never mix oil paint with an acrylic primer, or vice versa.
Drying times
A toned ground must be dry before you can paint over it. An oil ground takes a day or two to touch-dry; an acrylic ground is dry in minutes. So long as it is applied thinly, you can use acrylic paint for the toned ground and work over it with oils.
Ground colours
Diluted earth colours, such as Venetian red, raw sienna or burnt umber, are subtle and unobtrusive.
Jacqueline Rizvi
Two Apples
Watercolour and body colour on toned paper
17.5 × 22.5cm (7x 9in)
Jacqueline Rizvi rarely works on white paper. The rich, glowing effect of this simple still life is enhanced by the use of toned paper as a base for delicate washes of watercolour and body colour.
| WATERCOLOUR PAPERS | A well-known professor of painting used to say that no artist really succeeds until he or she has found his or her ideal paper. Today there are plenty of excellent watercolour papers on the market to choose from, and it is well worth experimenting in order to find the one that best responds to your working method. |
Paper production
There are three ways of producing watercolour paper: by hand; on a mould machine; and on a fourdrinier machine.
Handmade paper
The very best papers are made of 100 per cent cotton, and are usually made by skilled craftsmen. Handmade papers are lively to use, durable, and have a pleasing irregular texture. They are expensive, but worth the cost.
Mould-made paper
European mills produce watercolour paper on cylinder-mould machines. The paper fibres are formed into sheets with a random distribution, close to that of handmade papers. The paper is durable, extremely stable, and resistant to distortion under a heavy wash.
Machine-made paper
Although inexpensive to produce and to purchase, machine-made papers are less resistant to deterioration, but they may distort when wet. Some papers also have a mechanical, monotonous surface grain.
Choosing paper
Watercolour paper is an excellent surface for acrylics, pencil, ink, gouache and pastel, as well as watercolour. The character of the paper, and its surface texture, play a vital role in the finished picture. Very often it is the choice of paper that is to blame for a painting going wrong, rather than any inadequacy on the part of the artist.
Some papers are superior in quality to others, but it does not necessarily follow that an expensive paper will give you better results. The important thing is to find a paper that is sympathetic to what you want to do. For example, it is no good using an absorbent rag paper if your technique involves repeated scrubbing, lifting out and using masking fluid; the surface will soon become woolly and bruised.
Popular papers are available in local art shops. Specialist art shops stock less common and handmade or foreign papers; some are also available by mailorder direct from the mill or through distributors, who can send sample swatches, price lists and order forms.
Once you have settled on a favourite paper, it pays to buy in quantity. The bigger the order, the more you save.
Paper sizes
Sizes of papers will differ from country to country, and it is still common practice for art suppliers to describe paper in imperial sizes. The following table is a guide to imperial sizes and their metric equivalents.
Medium
22 × 17½in
(559 × 444mm)
Royal
24 × 19in
(610 × 483mm)
Double Crown
30 × 20in
(762 × 508mm)
Imperial
30½ × 22½in
(775 × 572mm)
Double Elephant
40 × 26¼ in
(1016 × 679mm)
Antiquarian
53 × 31in
(1346 × 787mm)
Experimenting with watercolour papers
Try out different textures and makes of watercolour paper until you find one which suits your painting style. As you become more knowledgeable, you will also be able to choose a paper to suit your subject.
In these examples, the artist has chosen a smooth texture for the nude study (below), which is perfectly appropriate for the tone and texture of the flesh. The winter-evening snow scene (centre) is ideally suited for a medium-texture paper which conveys the effect of misty light and captures the subtle grain of the snow. A rough-texture paper (bottom) communicates the solidity of the building and the dampness of the weather to the viewer.
Choosing watercolour papers
Choice of watercolour papers is very much a matter of personal preference; one artist’s favourite may be another artist’s poison. The chart below is intended only as a guide to a versatile selection of widely available papers. They have all been tried and tested by professional watercolour artists; however, your own assessment may be quite different.
Paper content
Apart from water, the main ingredient in making paper is cellulose fibres, derived from either cotton or woodpulp. Cotton is used for high-grade papers, woodpulp for others. Some papers contain a blend of cotton and other cellulose fibres, offering a compromise between cost and quality.
Cotton rag
The best paper is made from 100 per cent cotton. Although the term ‘rag paper’ is still used, the raw material nowadays is natural cotton linters. Rag papers are very strong, yet pliable, and withstand demanding techniques.
Woodpulp
Woodpulp produces a more economical, but less durable, paper. Confusingly, papers made of 100 per cent woodpulp are sometimes advertised as ‘woodfree’; this is a technical term meaning wood broken down by chemical means, rather than mechanical ones – it does not signify that the paper has not been made from wood. Mechanical woodpulp still contains lignin, which releases acids into the paper over a period of time, causing it to yellow and embrittle. The chemical woodpulp used in woodfree paper is processed to remove all the lignin.
Weight
The weight (thickness) of watercolour paper traditionally refers to the weight of a ream (500 sheets) of a given size, most often imperial (about 22 × 30in or 56 × 76cm). For instance, a 72lb paper is a light paper, 500 sheets of which weigh 72lb. The more accurate metric equivalent of grammes per square metre (gsm) is now common. Lighter papers (less than 300gsm/140lb) tend to buckle and wrinkle when washes are applied, and need wetting and stretching on a board before use. Heavier grades don’t need to be stretched unless you intend to flood the paper with washes.
Absorbency and sizing
All watercolour paper is internally sized to varying degrees, to control its absorbency and produce a more receptive working surface. Heavy sizing produces a hard surface with little absorption and a long drying time; this allows you to push the paint around on the surface. Colours remain brilliant, as they are not dulled by sinking into the paper. Lightly sized papers are softer and more absorbent, with a shorter drying time. Alterations are more difficult because the paint sinks into the fibres of the paper, but absorbent papers are suited to direct, expressive painting methods.
Internal sizing
Internal, or ‘engine’ sizing means that size is added to the paper at the pulp stage, and contained in the body of the paper. Internal sizing renders the paper robust and prevents colour washes cross-bleeding beneath the paper surface, even when it has been abraded.
Surface sizing
Many watercolour papers are also surface-sized, which is done by being passed through a tub of gelatin size (hence the term ‘tub-sized’). Surface sizing not only reduces the absorbency of the paper but it also produces a more luminous wash (on absorbent papers, colours tend to dry far paler than they appear as a wet wash). It also reduces the risk of fibre lift when you are removing masking material and lifting out washes of colour.
Tinted papers
Most watercolour paper is either white or off-white, in order to reflect the maximum amount of light back through the transparent washes of colour. Some manufacturers, however, specialize in a range of tinted papers, and these are often used when painting with body colour or gouache.
You should always check that the tinted paper you buy is sufficiently lightfast. Good-quality papers will not fade under normal conditions, but cheaper paper may not be as permanent as the colours that are laid on it, and in time the change could affect the overall tone of your painting.
Many artists prefer to apply their own tint by laying a very thin wash on white paper.
Watercolour sheets
Watercolour paper is most commonly sold in sheet form. In addition, many mills supply their papers in rolls, which are more economical, and pads. Spiral-bound pads are particularly useful for when you are working outdoors. They are available in a wide range of sizes, although they usually contain 300gsm (140lb) Not paper.
Watercolour blocks
These comprise sheets of watercolour paper which are ‘glued’ together round the edges with gum. This block of paper is mounted on a backing board. A watercolour block removes the need for stretching paper.
When the painting is completed, the top sheet is removed by sliding a palette knife between the top sheet and the one below. Although more expensive than loose sheets, watercolour blocks are convenient and time-saving for artists.
Watercolour boards
Watercolour board is yet another way of avoiding the need to stretch paper. It consists of watercolour paper which is mounted onto a strong backing board in order to improve its performance with heavy washes.
Try before you buy
Smooth-texture paper
Medium-texture paper
Rough-texture paper
Trial and error can be a costly affair, given the price of the average sheet of watercolour paper. However, most paper manufacturers produce swatches or pochettes – booklets containing small samples of their ranges. These provide an excellent and inexpensive means of trying out several types of paper.
Trevor Chamberlain
Reclining Nude; Snow, Late-evening Effect; Showery Evening, Isleworth All watercolour on paper Various dimensions
Texture
There are three different textures of watercolour paper: (from top to bottom) hot-pressed or HP (smooth), Not or cold-pressed (medium grain) and rough. Each manufacturer’s range is likely to have a slightly different feel.
Handmade papers
Esportazione
by Fabriano
Surfaces: Not and rough Weights: 200, 315, 600gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, tub-sized
A robust, textured surface that stands up to erasure and scrubbing and carries washes without sinking. Four deckle edges. Watermarked.
Richard de Bas
by Richard de Bas
Surfaces: HP, Not and rough
Weight: 480gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, internally sized
A thick, robust paper with a fibrous texture. Washes fuse into the paper structure. Four deckle edges.
Watermarked.
Indian
by Khadi
Surfaces: HP and Not
Weights: 200, 300gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, internally sized
A strong paper, able to withstand wear and tear. Lifting out colour is easy, and masking fluid rubs off well.
Artists’ Paper
Surface: Not
Weights: 175, 250gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, tub-sized, loft-dried; buffered with calcium carbonate
Gently absorbent, but robust and firm. Also available in cream, oatmeal and grey. Four deckle edges.
Mould-made papers
Arches Aquarelle
by Canson
Surfaces: HP, Not and rough
Weights: 185, 300, 640, 850gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, tub-sized, air-dried
A warm white paper with a robust, yet soft, texture. Carries washes without undue absorption. Resists scrubbing and scratching. Lifting out is difficult, and fibre-lift occurs when masking fluid is removed.
Lana Aquarelle
by Lana
Surfaces: HP, Not and rough
Weights: 185, 300, 600gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, tub-sized
A good, textured surface. Lifting out and removal of masking fluid are easy. All weights stand up well to washes without undue buckling.
Bockingford
by Inveresk
Surface: Not
Weights: 190, 300, 425, 535gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, internally sized, buffered with calcium carbonate
A versatile, economical paper, robust yet absorbent. Lifting out is easy; masking fluid comes away cleanly. 30Ogsm also in tints.
Saunders Waterford
by St Cuthbert’s Mill
Surfaces: HP, Not and rough
Weights: 190, 300, 356, 640gsm
Content: 100% cotton rag, internally and gelatine sized
A stable, firm paper, which is resistant to cockling, and with a sympathetic surface. Scrubbing, lifting out and masking are easy.
| Weights of watercolour paper | |
| Metric | Imperial |
| 150gsm | 72lb |
| 180gsm | 90lb |
| 300gsm | 140lb |
| 410gsm | 200lb |
| 600gsm | 300lb |
| 850gsm | 400lb |
Acid content
Papers that contain an acid presence, such as newsprint and brown wrapping paper, are prone, in time, to yellowing and deterioration. Paper acidity is measured by the pH scale. An acid-free paper does not contain any chemicals which might cause degradation of the sheet, and will normally have a pH of around 7 (neutral). All good-quality watercolour papers are acid-free, to prevent yellowing and embrittlement with age. Some are also buffered with calcium carbonate, to protect against acids in the atmosphere.
Increasing sizing
If paper is too absorbent, paint sinks into it and colours appear dull. To remedy this, dissolve a teaspoon of gelatin granules in 500ml (18fl oz) of water and apply to the surface before painting.
Reducing sizing
If a heavily sized paper does not take paint well, then pass a damp sponge over the surface several times. Leave it for 30 minutes, then dampen again before painting. Some handmade papers may need to be soaked for up to two hours in warm water.
Trying for size
The amount and quality of sizing varies according to the brand of paper. A quick test is to lick a corner of the paper with the end of your tongue: if it feels dry and it sticks to your tongue, you will know that it is absorbent paper.
Spiral pads
Watercolour paper can also be purchased in the form of spiral-bound pads, which are convenient for outdoor sketching. They generally contain 300gsm (140lb) Not paper.
SEE ALSO
| STRETCHING PAPER | Wet paint causes the fibres in watercolour paper to swell, and this can lead to buckling, or ‘cockling’, of the surface. To prevent this happening, you should stretch paper before starting to work on it. |
Achieving a smooth painting surface
The paper is wetted and then securely taped to a board. On drying, it will contract slightly and become taut, giving a smooth surface that is less prone to cockling. With heavier papers (300gsm and over) there is less need for stretching, unless heavy, saturated washes are to be applied. Lighter papers always need stretching.
Method
Cut four lengths of gummed brown-paper tape 50mm (2in) longer than the paper. Do this first, to avoid panic at the crucial moment, when wet hands, crumpled tape and a rapidly curling sheet of paper could cause chaos.
Immerse the paper in cold water for a few minutes (1), making sure it has absorbed water on both sides; heavier papers may take up to 20 minutes. Use a container large enough to take the sheet without being cramped. For large sheets, use a clean sink or bath.
Immerse only one sheet at a time in fresh water, as each sheet will leave a residue of size in the water.
Hold the paper up by one corner and shake it gently to drain the surplus water. Place the paper onto the board (2) and smooth it outwards from the centre, using your hands, to make sure that it is perfectly flat.
Take a dry sponge around the edges of the paper where the gummed tape is to be placed, to remove any excess water (3). You should moisten each length of gum strip with a damp sponge immediately before use. Beginning with the long sides, stick the strips around the outer edges of the paper, half their width on the board, half on the paper (4).
Leave the paper to dry flat, allowing it to dry naturally, away from direct heat. Do not attempt to use stretched paper until it is dry. Leave the gummed strips in place until the painting is completed and dry.
Commercial paper stretchers
For those artists who find stretching paper a time-consuming chore, the only previous alternative to this has been to use expensive heavyweight papers or boards. However, there are now various effective devices available, which are designed by watercolour painters and which will stretch lightweight papers drum-tight in minutes. Among the ingenious designs, one uses a two-piece wooden frame to hold the paper firmly in place as it dries; another employs a system of plastic gripper rods which are pushed into grooves in the edges of the board, to hold the paper.
Choosing the best equipment
Use only gummed brown-paper tape for stretching paper – masking tape and self-adhesive tape will not adhere to damp paper. A clean wooden drawing board is the ideal surface for stretching paper; traces of paint or ink might stain the paper. Plastic-coated boards are not suitable, because gummed tape will not stick to them.
Immersion times
(1) Immersing the paper
(2) Smoothing the paper
(3) Removing excess water
(4) Sticking the gummed strip
These depend on the weight and degree of surface sizing of the paper. Thin paper soaked for too long will expand greatly, and may tear as it contracts; too brief an immersion means the paper will not expand enough, and will buckle when wet paint is applied. The correct soaking time for each paper will come through trial and error, but in general lightweight papers and those not strongly sized should be soaked for 3–5 minutes; heavily sized papers may need 15–20 minutes. (If a fine layer of bubbles appears when the paper is immersed, this indicates a strongly sized paper.)
| SUPPORTS FOR PASTELS | Some pastel artists like to work on primed hardboard, muslin-covered board or canvas, but most prefer to paint on one of the many tinted papers made specially for pastel work. |
Effects
The subtle texture of pastel paper catches at the pastel particles to just the right degree. When the pastel stick is passed lightly over the surface, the colour of the paper shows through and gives an interesting broken-colour effect; when the pastel is pressed firmly into the tooth of the paper, solid patches of colour are obtained.
Types of paper
Canson Mi-Teintes
A machine-made paper produced in France. A lightly sized rag paper with a neutral pH, it has a fairly soft surface, suitable for pastel, charcoal and chalk. It is available in a wide range of colours.
Ingres
A mould-made paper produced in Italy, Ingres is one of the most widely used papers for pastel work. It has a hard surface and a laid finish, with a neutral pH. Suitable for charcoal and chalk, it also has a wide selection of colours.
Velour paper
Also known as flock paper, this has a soft surface like velvet which produces a rich, matt finish more like a painting than a drawing. It is best not to blend pastel colours too vigorously on velour paper, as this may spoil the nap of the surface.
Sand-grain paper
This has a pronounced tooth which grips the pastel particles and there is enough resistance to the drawn line to make it very pleasant to work on. The rough surface is suited to a bold and vigorous approach. It is, however, an expensive surface for large-scale work, as it shaves off the pastel fairly rapidly.
Sansfix
The unique tooth of this paper, similar to that of a very fine sandpaper, is made from a thin layer of fine cork particles, which eliminates the need for using fixative. Similar in feel to Mi-Teintes paper, it has a light card backing, and is acid-free. It is ideally suited to pastel work.
Charcoal paper
This inexpensive paper is useful for rough pastel sketches. However, it is rather thin and fragile, and you may find its regular, linear surface texture too monotonous.
Choosing a surface
A pastel painting is very much a marriage of the medium and the paper. The two work side by side, creating an exciting fusion of texture and colour. When choosing a surface for pastel painting, there are three factors to be considered.
Texture
Texture is a vital part of pastel work, and the choice of surface can make or mar the finished picture. Smooth papers allow you to blend colours smoothly and evenly where a soft, delicate effect is required, whereas rougher papers break up the colour and provide a vigour and sparkle.
Colour
Pastel paper is available in a wide range of colours. In pastel painting, areas of the paper are very often left untouched, and contribute to the picture. For example, the paper can be chosen to harmonize with the subject, or it can provide a contrast.
Tone
The tone of the paper has considerable importance in a painting. ‘Tone’ refers to the relative lightness or darkness of the paper, regardless of its colour. In general, a light-toned paper emphasizes the dark tones and colours in a painting. For dramatic effects, use light pastels on a dark paper.
Tinting papers
Using a teabag
There may be times when you wish to tint your paper by hand. For instance, you may find the colours of pastel papers too flat and mechanical, and prefer the more painterly look of a handtinted ground. Or you may want to work on watercolour paper because you like its texture, but white paper doesn’t show the vibrant colours of pastel to best advantage; it makes them look darker than they actually are.
Methods for tinting papers
Using crushed pastels
Watercolour, acrylic or gouache paints can be applied with a brush, sponge or spray diffuser to leave a pale tint of colour. You can modernize an ancient Chinese method by rubbing a damp teabag across the surface of the paper; this creates a warm undertone. Another technique is to save the broken ends of pastels and crush them to a powder with a heavy object. Dip a damp rag into the powder and rub it over the paper. When the paper is dry, tilt the board and tap the surplus powder off.
Using rough paper
If you work in a bold, vigorous style, with thick layers of colour, choose a rough-textured paper such as sand-grain, or a rough-textured watercolour paper. The hollows in rough paper are capable of holding enough pigment for you to apply several layers of colour without the surface becoming ‘greasy’. The rough texture of the paper also contributes to the visual effect of the painting: the pigment catches on the ridges of the grain and skips the grooves, creating a sparkling, broken-colour effect.
Using smooth paper
Smooth papers are best suited to fine details and linear work because the shallow grain quickly fills up with pastel particles, and the surface becomes greasy and unworkable if too many layers of pastel are applied.
Using mid-toned papers
These are generally the most sympathetic for pastel drawings. They make it easy to judge how light or dark a particular colour should be, and provide a harmonious backdrop to most colours.
Working on pastel papers
Choosing and exploiting the qualities of a particular paper is one of the pleasures of working with pastels. These examples show how different textures, tones and colours interact with the pastel pigment, thereby creating a range of expressive effects.
Detail on rough Mi-Teintes paper
Carole Katchen
African Smile
Pastel on Mi-Teintes paper
Detail on velour paper
Andrew Hemingway
Red Oilcan, Peaches, Plant Pots and Eggs
Pastel on velour paper
Detail on toned Ingres paper
James Crittenden
Through the Olives II
Pastel on Ingres paper
Detail on watercolour paper with coloured-acrylic tint
Judy Martin
Downs View
Pastel on watercolour paper
SEE ALSO
