How to create a watercolor paper panel

UPDATED TUTORIAL HERE: http://www.gum.co/kmvideo

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Tutorial begins at 1:50: http://youtu.be/jQ58leFOYIU?t=1m50s

Info:

I am frequently asked what's going on with my paintings. Are they on canvas? Is the watercolor on a board? What's up with that? Explaining it gets difficult too, so here's a tutorial on how to create watercolor paper panels like I do.

1. Acquire stretcher bars, join them, and then seal the wood. I recommend a couple coats of gesso. The wood is acidic and over time, will damage the watercolor paper if not treated.

2. Soak your watercolor paper for 5-10 minutes. I recommend 140lb/300gsm watercolor paper. Anything less will rip too easily, and anything too heavy will not form to the frame well.

3. Lay the paper out on a towel and set the frame on top allowing at least 2 inches extra, depending on the depth of the frame.

4. The stretching process is the same as stretching canvas, just be careful not to rip the paper. It needs to be taut, but don't force it, since it'll shrink as it dries. Work quickly! It becomes more difficult as the paper dries.

5. Evenly space your staples.

6. Wait for it to dry naturally. Using a hair dryer or anything that causes one part to dry faster than the rest will cause the paper to be uneven, so just prop it up and flip it over every 30 mins. Voila!

More info on me:

I'm Kelly McKernan, a fine artist and illustrator based in Nashville, Tennessee. You can see more of my work at http://www.kellymckernan.com.

Sorry for the low quality! I made this on my iPhone and for some reason, couldn't upload a higher resolution video. If I can fix that, I will update this later.

Видео How to create a watercolor paper panel канала Kelly McKernan