More Painting on Yupo

Painting on Yupo

    "Emergence" 11x14 watercolor and gold leaf on Yupo, Held in a private collection

I've recently heard from a number of artists interested in step by step directions on displaying watercolor painted on Yupo as you would an oil painting.  I love finishing Yupo this way because it highlights the textures that are such a dominant feature of working with this medium.  I've actually had to warn people not to touch pieces hung in a gallery! 

There are three steps to the process I use.  First, I mount the paper on board.  Then I paint on it.  Finally I seal it.

Mounting the paper

I've switched from mounting on raw masonite to mounting on gatorboard or an art panel that is water resistant. I had an unfortunate accident with a piece I mounted on masonite. When the matte medium got  the board wet, one of the boards buckled enough to compromise the surface of the seal on the painting. So, if you do mount a piece of Yupo, make sure to seal the board first to protect it. Here's my process:

I do this before I paint on the paper. 

1.)  Seal your mounting board or use something that is water resistant. 

2.)  Use a sponge brush to spread liquid matte medium on the board before adhering your paper. You are working as if you were a collage artist. You could also look at techniques the mixed media artists use to adhere papers. Matte medium is one of their staples. 

4.)  Line up the paper with the edge of your board and carefully roll it down across the board. You'll want to get rid of all the air bubbles and make sure there's no medium on the front of the paper. That will show in the finished work.

5.)  Use a rolling pin or brayer to eliminate air bubbles. If you have some that are especially difficult to get rid of pierce them with a straight pin. Go over the surface of the paper with rubbing alcohol on a soft towel or tissue to remove oils and medium that may not be visible. 

6.) Place a heavy object on the board overnight to make it adhere flat.   You'll be ready to paint. 

Then go ahead and paint your masterpiece:)

I can suggest methods to use for painting in another blog.

Sealing your finished work

Craftsmanship matters at this point in the process. Do the work carefully and read the product labels on your mediums. 

1.)  Take your mounted and finished painting and spray with a spray matte medium following label instructions.

2.)  Then use several layers of liquid matte medium.  When you are working on top of the spray the painting is still very vulnerable to being "messed up." Apply in small amounts and be sure to experiment on something you aren't too attached to.  Build slowly and let it dry completely between layers. I usually do 2 sometimes 3 layers. Tip:  stir, don't shake your medium if you need to mix it.  The air bubbles will cause problems otherwise.

I make sure not to go too far. More is not better. The matte medium can peel off if it's too thick or if the seal is uneven. I ended up with a photo transfer effect one time by doing that. It went into another work but...it was unplanned. 

I also check my finish with water and a soft white cloth or tissue. If there is ANY color that comes off, the painting it is not safe to frame without glass. Be very sure of your craftsmanship before you sell your work when you're using a new process.  These are really nice to sell to collectors because they can even be displayed without a frame on a small easel or propped against something. 

I love exploiting the characteristics of Yupo to create exceptional paintings.  My one encouragement is that you let the painting do its thing!  Let me know if you have any questions and if you're in the southern California area come find my studio!   http://studiochannelislands.org/airs/mary-gail-king/

I have regular classes and quarterly workshops.  I'm also happy to schedule something in your area.