| Have you ever gone in to buy some paper
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| | painting difficult and the paint will dry
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| for painting and been overwhelmed by the
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| | in the hollows giving a disappointing
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| choice? You would think it would be a
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| | result.
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| simple thing to buy a sheet of paper,
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| | Stretching paper needs to be done in
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| wouldn't you? Well, it can be if you
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| | advance and the paper allowed to dry
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| know what the different choices mean and
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| | before you use it. You will need a clean
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| how it can affect your finished painting.
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| | drawing board, some 1½ inch wide gum
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| Manufacturers have created a whole range
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| | strip, and water to soak the paper in
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| of paper products for the artist. So
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| | (the bath is handy for this).
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| many choices that unless you know what
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| | Soak the paper in the water until it is
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| some of the terms mean it can be very
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| | saturated, this will take less than a
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| confusing.
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| | minute. Place the paper onto the board
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| When you want your painting to last for a
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| | and smooth it out from the centre to the
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| long time always go for acid-free. This
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| | edges.
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| is the type of paper used in archives.
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| | Cut pieces of gum strip to fit the length
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| The next thing is the surface texture of
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| | and the width of the paper, plus a couple
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| the paper, whether you want a fine
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| | of inches. Dampen the gum strip and use
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| texture or rough. You may be asking "How
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| | it to stick the longer edges of the paper
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| do I know? I just want something to
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| | to the board, and then do the shorter
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| paint on!"
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| | edges. Smooth out the paper and the gum
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| The texture you choose will depend on
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| | strip and leave it to dry naturally and
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| your style of painting. If you like to
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| | on the horizontal. Do not place it near
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| have a lot of detail in your paintings
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| | a heater!
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| you will need a smooth textured paper -
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| | If you just want to paint without needing
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| in which case you want one that is 'Hot
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| | to prepare the paper, there are pads of
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| Pressed'.
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| | ready stretched paper that save you
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| If you use a lot of watercolour (or
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| | having to do this yourself. These pads
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| watercolour style) washes then the paper
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| | have the paper glued around the edges and
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| you should choose will be 'Not'. That
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| | you paint on the top of the pad. Once
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| means 'Not hot pressed'. It has a bit
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| | you've finished the painting and it is
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| more texture than Hot pressed papers.
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| | completely dry, a knife is inserted at
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| If you paint a lot of landscapes and/or
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| | one of the edges and moved around the
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| like granulation (which happens when the
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| | sides to cut through the glue and free
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| colours separate while they dry) you will
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| | the top layer.
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| probably like using Cold pressed papers.
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| | It is a good investment to buy good
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| These have the roughest texture.
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| | quality paper. It is much easier to use,
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| Papers are sold in weights. This affects
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| | and gives a better result.
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| the thickness of the paper. Papers that
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| | Next time you need to buy paper think
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| are less than 300-lb or 640gsm (grams per
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| | about how you like to paint, and it will
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| square metre) will need to be stretched
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| | be much easier to decide on the type of
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| before painting. If you don't stretch
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| | paper to buy.
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| the paper it will buckle when wet making
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