Watercolor and More - YUPO paper demo

Painting on YUPO synthetic paper

Stalagmites and Stalactites by Janice Tingum

Stalagmites and Stalactites by Janice Tingum was an award winning entry in Dr. Ph. Martin's monthly art contest.

Supplies Used:

YUPO synthetic paper 10" x 13"

Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Watercolors - Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine, Hansa Yellow Light

Plastic wrap

Spray fixative

Background Info:

Stalagmites and Stalactites was one of the first paintings I made on synthetic paper. An artist friend had given me a few sheets of this unusual paper and I wanted to test some of its properties. To touch, the paper has a smooth, plastic-like feel. The Yupo Corporation explains that the paper was "originally devised to combine the best attributes of film and paper." While the company perhaps did not initially expect artists to use it as a painting surface, it has become a popular support in recent years and is now available for purchase through art supply stores.

Unlike typical watercolor paper, synthetic paper is waterproof. Thus, the paint and water will pool or bead up on the surface. The paint generally dries fast, though. Since the synthetic paper is waterproof, the watercolor paint does not seep into the paper and can be washed off, even after the paint has dried. I have started over with a sheet of the paper many times simply by running water over it and wiping it off with a paper towel. This feature can have a downside, too, in that it makes it difficult to build layers without disturbing the underlying layer.

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I use synthetic paper primarily to loosen up and experiment. Once in a while, an image will emerge from a piece I'm working on and then I'll develop it further.

For Stalagmites and Stalactites, I was experimenting with two products at once - the YUPO synthetic paper and Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Watercolors. These watercolors come in a liquid form in small bottles with droppers attached. I decided to limit my palette to the three primary colors of red, blue and yellow. It is fun to see all the colors that form in this demonstration by mixing just three colors.

YUPO synthetic paper comes in varying weights and transparencies. The paper used in this painting is 74 lb cover weight.

Step 1:

Secure the synthetic paper to a flat surface with tape along all four edges. Moisten the surface of the paper with water. Immediately, before the water on the paper evaporates, drop 4-5 drops of the red, 4-5 drops of yellow and 3-4 drops of the blue paints onto the wet paper. I use less blue than red or yellow, as the Ultramarine is very intense and can make the painting too dark. Avoid dropping one color directly over another. When dropping in the colors, do so randomly and in a way to create variety on the paper, rather than one area of a single color. It is not necessary to apply color to the entire surface. In fact, there should still be a significant amount of white paper showing. Do not tip the paper.

Step 2:

Quickly, while the paint surface is still wet, tear off a sheet of plastic wrap just large enough to cover the surface of the painting. Gently place the plastic wrap over the painting. Do not worry about smoothing out the wrinkles or bubbles. They are what will give the painting its texture.

Step 3:

I allowed the paint to move on its own under the plastic wrap without disturbing or tipping it. Depending on the humidity in your painting environment, it may take a day or two for the paint to dry, possibly longer if it is really humid. To test whether the paint is dry, carefully lift the plastic wrap off of a corner and test the paint. Keep the wrap on the paint until it is completely dry. Then pull the wrap off in one continuous motion.

Step 4:

Since dry paint on YUPO synthetic paper can be easily disturbed, apply a fixative to the surface, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Results and other options:

No two paintings done this way will ever look the same. A few things that may affect the outcome are:

* As the paint seeps under the wrap, it will work its way to the furthest edge possible. Thus, if the wrap extends beyond the edge of your painting, paint may pool up around the edges and diminish the intensity of the paint on the surface.

* Experiment with different colors and different ratios of color.

* This painting was done without tipping the paper to manipulate the flow of the paint. However, for different results, you may want to tip the paper.

* Instead of placing plastic wrap on the wet paint, place another sheet of YUPO® synthetic paper on it. Try different things with this - one option is to allow the paint to dry before removing the top paper; another option is to remove the top paper while the paint is still damp. This will result in a monoprint.

* Since synthetic paper is still a relatively new product as a watercolor painting surface, I am unsure of how the paintings on this surface will hold up in the long term. This remains to be seen. Thus, I recommend that artists photograph their paintings from time to time to watch for any changes.

YUPO® is a reigstered trademark of Yupo Corporation.

Dr. Ph. Martin's® is a registered trademark.

Hydrus™ is a registered trademark.

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