QA

Quick Answer: Can I Draw On The Back Of A Watercolor Peice

Can you paint on the back of watercolor paper?

Yes, you can paint on both sides of watercolor paper. Usually the only difference is the texture is more subtle on the back. Most watercolor papers have sizing on both sides, and some even have sizing throughout the core of the paper.

Can you draw over Watercolour?

On a piece of watercolor paper, draw a few lines or simple shapes using your graphite pencil, then go over it with a few different colors of your Prismacolor watercolor pencils. If so, try adding more watercolor pencil, pressing more firmly, so that there is more pigment on your paper.

Can you use pen over watercolor?

When working with watercolor, you’ll need quality waterproof ink. This will allow your line work to stay clean and sharp as you apply paint over it. Most pens and inks will be labelled as ‘waterproof’, whether in pen form or bottled format.

Can you use Sharpie over watercolor?

No reason you can’t put watercolor atop a Sharpie drawing. The Sharpie is solvent based and the watercolours are, naturally, water soluable so the only bleeding you need worry about is the bleeding of the initial Sharpie work. The nature or extent of which depends on the characteristics of the paper used.

Do you paint on the rough or smooth side of watercolor paper?

There is actually no right or wrong side to paint on. Today’s watercolor paper is designed so that both the front and the back surfaces may be used for painting. One side usually comes smoother or rougher than the other. There is only the matter of preference.

Is 160 GSM paper good for watercolor?

Weight. The weight of watercolor paper is not indicative of quality because the best paper comes in both heavy and light varieties. Light paper is anything less than 140 lb/300 gsm and heavy is 300-400 lb/600-850 gsm.

Should you sketch before watercolor?

If you are confident enough to paint directly with watercolor with out sketching, don’t worry go ahead. Usually we sketch before watercolouring it is just for a reference. While painting complicated landscapes or other images sketching first will help you to get an idea about the image you are going to paint.

Can you rub out pencil after watercolor?

You Won’t Risk Damaging the Painting With the Eraser Erasing the pencil lines from a watercolor painting is another opportunity to damage the painting. For one, you can damage the paper if you erase too aggressively. Watercolor paper is tough, but it can only handle so much erasing.

Should I outline my watercolor?

As long as you use an archival, waterproof ink, you can outline your watercolor painting with no issues. Whether you create your outline before or after you paint is completely up to you. If you decide to create your outline after you paint, just make sure your watercolors are completely dry first.

Can you use fountain pen ink for watercolor?

Keep in mind that while fountain pen ink is wonderful for use in sketchbooks, it is not archival. I use some of the bulletproof inks with watercolor for colored sketches. I also use gray and black inks in brushes to create multiple values without using the ink lines to get the wash color.

What pen doesn’t smear with watercolor?

Uni-Ball Signo pen is our first choice for a quality gel pen that is waterproof. It works really well with watercolor and we have never had complaints. It is also fade-proof which is a nice addition as well. It has straight and very thin lines that don’t create any blobs at the end of long lines.

Should I color or outline first?

To stay within the lines when coloring I would recommend to start with outlining the edges. Then color in the rest of the area. Note: keep in mind that when you are using some markers, color gets darker where the strokes overlap.

Can you watercolor over ballpoint pen?

I primarily make drawings and work with a variety of different materials. Not all of the materials are considered traditional – from ball point pen and watercolor to charcoal, shellac and ink. Mix the ballpoint pen with watercolor and you have a completely different atmospheric feel.

Is there a front and back side to watercolor paper?

There is no front/back/correct side or surface. Depending on how the paper is manufactured, each side could appear exactly the same, have a slightly different pattern or surface, or even major differences.

Is cold press watercolor paper smooth?

In a nutshell, the terms “hot press” and “cold press” refer to the paper’s surface finish or texture. Cold pressed paper has a slightly bumpy, textured surface. But hot pressed paper has a smooth surface finish.

What paper is best for watercolour painting?

100% cotton papers are professional quality, and are considered to offer the very best painting surface. Cotton gives incomparable stability and ensures that you work will stand the test of time. Wood pulp (also known as woodfree) paper is made using a chemically treated pulp with lignin removed.

Is 100 GSM paper good for watercolor?

Any paper weight over 170 gsm is called board, generally because of how thick it usually is. So 200gsm is really a great weight of paper to use for watercolor painting. Most affordable watercolor paper pads are available around 200 gsm weight, obviously getting more expensive as you increase the weight.

Is 200 GSM good for watercolor?

200gsm cotton paper is a perfect choice for daily drawing and for those of you who have experience with regular sketchbooks. 200gsm premium is also great for practicing watercolor techniques, gouache, pencils and even fountainpens. 200gsm cotton paper is simply strong enough and it is still a good choice.

What is 140gsm paper?

120-140 gsm – The weight of your average promotional poster. Think movie posters hanging on a teenager’s bedroom walls or product posters hanging in store windows. 210-300 gsm – This thicker type of paper is stiffer but still bendable. You’ll see it used for some magazine covers and higher-quality flyers.