Several apple sketches later, I came to the conclusion that using pencil, ink, washes, and needing to erase makes the cotton or cotton rag papers my best choice. However, with some care, all of these beautiful papers would be a dream to use. If I stick with pencil only, the all-purpose cotton would be my choice.
I’m trying to decide how much paper, what thickness, etc., before I place an order.
I’m so glad I found Twinrocker papers. These amazing papers are made in Indiana by hand, and if you can decipher the names, weights, colors, and ingredients, you’ll be able to confidently order gorgeous paper, but if you’re like me, just order the samples and figure it out as you go.
I ordered the watercolor set of three papers which I used for the three drawings above, and I also ordered the sample pack that contains pretty much everything else, which I’ll review later.
I decided to do some studies of our porch, and I truly enjoyed creating these. Our porch is a happy, warm place filled with plants and light, and I loved how they turned out. I used ink pens, washes, masking fluid, tape, etc., to see how the papers preformed. They were amazing! I love all three and can’t find anything negative to comment on.
Nearly all Twinrocker papers can handle some water, so I’m not certain I need the watercolor paper for my technique. Part two of this review will be of the pack of smaller-sized samples. I’ll try graphite and pen and ink to do some quick sketches.
I bought a DVD by artist Ann Pember, Painting in the Flow of Watercolor, where she paints a beautiful watercolor on a smooth illustration board. I’ve been using 140 lb. Arches, and I haven’t had an urge to change paper other than trying 300 lb., but I was up for painting on a totally different surface, hoping I could find one that wasn’t terribly expensive. On her website, she mentioned that Yupo, a synthetic paper, could give a similar effect to the board she uses. I wasn’t taken in by a 100% plastic paper, but I did bump into stone paper products, which haven’t been around all that long, and felt they could be interesting. Made of crushed stone and 20% plastic resin, there are no trees used. The surface is slick, the paper is very light and flexible, and it needs no stretching. It’s also fairly inexpensive to try.
I bought a Terraskin notebook, which has a strange quality. Paint adheres on the back side of the page but not the front. It’s sold in rolls and large sheets of varying thicknesses, so I don’t know if that’s always the case. Here’s a look at a few quick tests.
Pigments settle on the surface, and granulating colors leave either dark or light flecks. It’s hard to get a smooth wash with granulating pigments. However, the dreamy effect that takes place is really wonderful. Spritzing water creates a instant salt effect that I used heavily.
I then bought a pad of another brand, Yasutomo. It works very similarly. I’ve found that painting on this surface makes me slow down as the drying takes a very long time (and you can’t use heat to speed it up). I’m content to see what the paint will do. Also, layering is possible, but pigment dries very bright so it may not be necessary.
Here’s the Ann Pember tutorial painting done on the larger Yasutomo on top, where I took a few hours to complete it, and the smaller Terraskin on bottom, which I did quickly, in less than an hour. They don’t really resemble the original, but they were delightful to paint. I can see how I need to spend more time with shadows to create depth. The speckled sky on the bottom is how cobalt blue dries on the Terraskin notebook. Also, on the top painting, I followed Ann’s advice and used a limited palette. I chose French ultramarine, burnt sienna, transparent yellow oxide, and a small amount of cobalt blue. I’m really pleased with the variety of mixes I achieved.
