Due to finding out that my process for drawing does not work very well on cardboard I have decided to have a go at stretching ordinary cartridge paper so that my backgrounds are flat and do not crumple due to the wet media I use, in turn helping to make my compositions look more professional. I attempted this process starting with two small scale drawing to allow me to see how it would turn out.
Stretching the paper
To stretch the paper all you need is a role of gum tape, a wooden board, paper and a damp sponge or cloth.
Firstly I needed to dampen the paper I was going to be using with a sponge placing it in position ready on the board. Then using the gum tape, wetting it slightly with the sponge I placed four strips along each edge of the paper making sure it was all stuck down with no air gaps. Once complete I had to allow the paper to completely dry before working on top of it. Once dry I applied my ideas to the paper using my wet on wet ink technique and again letting it dry thoroughly. When the paper was completely dry, using a craft knife I cut away the paper from the board.
before. - after
Due to stretching the cartridge paper working positively; my backgrounds are now crumple free which helps to complement my drawings and looks more proficient when displayed on a wall. I will continue to stretch my paper gradually increasing in size to allow me to present my ideas more effectively without the distraction of warped paper.
