Art paper can be an intimidating thing. When you’re just starting out, it can seem like an impossible task to learn how to use it properly but you can be sure that it’s worth the effort to learn. Here at The Beginner’s Guide to Art Paper, we want to help you make the most of your art paper with some tips and tricks for getting started.
Troubleshooting first:
If your paint keeps soaking into the paper and won’t come off when you scrub it, don’t worry! This is normal for art paper, but there are ways around this, if you know what you’re doing. The best way to work with the absorbency of art papers is by using a primer or gesso on your canvas before applying paint. If you want a good primer that works well with art paper, try our own primer (link) here at The Beginner’s Guide to Art Paper. It has excellent reviews and is made right here in the USA!
If your paint is water-soluble you might have problems with this as well. Try using a fixative spray (link) on your painting after it dries or varnishing it with clear nail polish
It may seem strange to you that art paper is for beginners. It’s not like you’re going to be working with clay and chisels or something.
The truth is, though, there are a lot of people out there who have never worked with art paper, and it’s underestimating them to assume that they’ll manage just fine. They need some help getting started, which is where art paper comes in.
To begin with, let’s talk about what art paper actually is. You might imagine that it’s made out of special stuff—some kind of magic or something like that. However, the truth is, it’s made by just about the same process as regular paper. And, even though it looks different from regular paper, it’s not all that much different from the inside either.
Because of this similarity between both papers, you can use a lot of the same supplies to work on both. But if you’re going to be using art paper for your drawings and paintings (which you will be), there are some supplies specifically for this purpose which are worth looking into further. Because these supplies are made for art paper, they will look better and last longer when used with it than if you were to use them with regular paper.
TIP
The idea of art paper is intimidating to a lot of new artists. It seems like it would be more expensive and harder to work with than regular paper. It can be, but there are ways to make it easier on yourself!
Art paper is simply paper that is better for painting with watercolors. It’s thicker, which means that you need less water for your paint to flow across the page to create a beautiful scene. It’s smoother, which means that your brush glides across the page with ease. And it’s tougher, which means that you won’t accidentally tear through the sheet while you’re painting.
Toughness may seem like the last thing you want in art paper, but trust me when I say it can be very useful. Think about when you’re painting: how often do you suddenly have a hand on the page? If you’re anything like me, then you’ll find yourself touching the picture constantly to move it around and make sure that everything is going where it should go. With normal paper, this can be disastrous if you grab one of the corners and rip through; not so much with art paper!
And smoothness is a really great thing about art paper. There are some things I don’t love about it—it can
Art paper is a wonderful material, with many applications. It is often favored for its almost unlimited potential for artistic expression and its superior ability to handle color and detail. On the other hand, it’s also a very difficult medium to master.
Trying to draw on art paper without professional training can be an awful experience, especially when your first few pieces are destroyed in the process. With time and practice, you’ll eventually get the hang of it. But until then, here are some tips to help you make your first attempts less painful.
If you are just starting out with art paper, these tips will help you get the most out of your new hobby.
Paper comes in a lot of different inks and weights, and knowing how each kind works is essential to getting good results.
Types of Art Paper:
Rough paper: This type of paper is usually made from recycled material, such as newspaper or junk mail. The pieces are usually uneven in shape and size and often have ragged edges. When glued into a book, the ragged edges provide some texture to the final project.
It isn’t always easy to find this type of paper in stores, but it is available on the internet.
Rough paper can be used for almost any kind of art project. It looks great when used for collages or for making 3D images using techniques such as paper quilling or origami.
Artists who use this type of paper are often self-taught and inspired by their environment, like street artists and graffiti artists. They also love incorporating recycled materials into their work.
Papers that look like rough or handmade papers but aren’t really: These papers include those that have been pre- carved by machines or printed on, or ones that are actually smooth paper that have been sand
Art paper is the standard surface of choice for watercolor painters. The paper is thick and absorbent, allowing the paint to flow easily and creating a rich color saturation.
But that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for everyone.
The texture of art paper makes it ideal for watercolors, but also makes it difficult to manage when using inks, markers and other types of paint. The slick surface of the paper can lead to inconsistent ink flow, as well as a tendency for the ink to pool in one area if left untouched for too long. Markers are an especially tricky medium on art paper, as the thick texture of the paper can cause the marker ink to bleed and spread into unwanted areas.
T-shirts are another popular medium for printing, but this is difficult to achieve with art paper since the ink may not properly absorb into the paper’s surface. Finally, illustration board is much thinner than art paper and provides a very different feel when painting or drawing on it. There are many other papers that may better suit your needs depending on what type of artwork you are making.
My name is Jessica and I’m a full time artist and art teacher. My passion is teaching art to people of all ages and skill levels, from beginner to professional. While I do run a traditional art school, I also love to share my knowledge with the world.
I’m an oil painter and mainly work with traditional mediums, but I also dabble in watercolors and mixed media. The majority of my work is figurative but I love to experiment with abstracts when inspired by the materials at hand.
And that’s where these blog posts come in! I regularly post new “Tips & Tricks” for artists, covering a wide range of topics including: choosing an art school, equipment for artists, art supply hacks, artist interviews, advice for young artists, artist tips & tricks and more!
