Do You Need to Pre-Stretch Watercolor Paper?
"I followed the tutorial, but my paper buckled, and everything pooled in the wrong places."
One of the most frustrating things for a beginner watercolor artist is seeing a perfectly flat sheet of paper turn into a wrinkled, wavy landscape the moment a wash is applied. Water runs down into the paper's valleys, drying into dark, muddy pools.
This happens because watercolor paper is made of fibers (either cotton or cellulose) that expand when wet. If you wet only the top side of the paper, the top fibers expand while the dry back side doesn't, causing the paper to curl and buckle.
When You MUST Stretch
Stretching is highly recommended if you are:
- Painting Wet-in-Wet: Using large amounts of water over the entire surface of the paper.
- Using 140lb (300gsm) or lighter paper: This thickness is standard but will absolutely buckle under heavy water loads.
- Painting large pieces: The larger the paper, the more dramatic the buckling will be.
When You Can Skip It
Pre-stretching takes time. You have to soak the paper, tape it down flat while wet, and wait hours for it to dry completely drum-tight before painting. If you don't want to go through this process, here are your alternatives:
- Use 300lb (640gsm) Paper: This paper is thick like cardboard. It can handle large amounts of water without buckling, meaning so no stretching is required. However, it is much more expensive.
- Use a Watercolor Block: These are pads of paper glued on all four edges. The glue holds the paper taut as it gets wet and dries flat. Once dry, you slice the top sheet off.
- Painting Dry or Small: If you are doing dry-brush work, painting small details, or working in a small sketchbook, you won't use enough water to cause severe buckling.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Stretching your paper saves you from the headache of pooled washes, but it can be tedious. If your budget allows, watercolor blocks or heavy 300lb paper offer a fantastic, hassle-free alternative for wet-in-wet techniques.
Continue learning with the next step in this watercolor series.