ArtistsNetwork.com 63TONED PAPERS
Working on a surface other than
white watercolor-approved paper
leads to fresh exploration. I’ve had
wonderful results, for example, with
Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper;
it’s easy to work with and responds
similarly to 90-lb. cold-pressed water-
color paper. Th e paper is 98-lb. with
a 66 percent rag content, and it’s
gelatin sized, making it sturdy. To
prevent the paper from buckling,
I use less water than I would when
working on Arches 140-lb. cold-
pressed watercolor paper. Th e paper
has two distinct surfaces—one side
has a fi ne grain; the other is honey-
comb textured—and comes in 50
pulp-dyed, light-resistant tones. I pre-
fer the textured side, especially in the
cream and gray tones.
Some papers can be a little more
challenging, but are worth exploring.
On my last trip to Tuscany, I noticed that many of the cafés featured
the same raw sienna-colored placemats. I couldn’t resist sketching
Siena, Italy (pen, brown marker and gouache on placemat, 10x8)
on one. I was surprised by how great the paper was. I wish I had
brought some home with me for future sketching endeavors!
Castle Green, built in 1898 in Pasadena, Calif., is a large, ornate venue.
Due to time constraints, I opted to focus on a small corner of the historic
building in Castle Green (watercolor and gouache on Papeterie Saint-
Armand Canal paper in gray, 11x8). I used toned paper similar in color to
the structure. I painted the sky using cobalt blue and white gouache and
simplifi ed the foreground trees using burnt sienna, phthalo turquoise
and green gold, and fi nished with red and green architectural accents.I discovered Papeterie Saint-Armand’s
Canal gray 150-lb. 10x14-inch pad in
an art supply store in Santa Fe, N.M.
It’s machine-made and comprised of
recycled materials—cotton off -cuts
from clothing manufacturers—as well
as linen, fl ax straw, jute and sisal.
Available in pads or 22x20-inch sheets,
it comes in 20 diff erent grades and
colors, including cream, gray, beige and
black. I love the gray tone and sturdy
surface of the pad I purchased, but my
fi rst attempt with the paper wasn’t
impressive. Th e colors appeared fl at
because they soaked deep into the
paper, and the paper remained damp
too long, making it diffi cult to get dark
darks. I had to dig deep to fi gure out
what approach the paper liked. First,
I had to use less water with the paint.
Next, I used the tone of the paper as
the mid-value. To create whites, I relied
on gouache and white pens. To makedark darks, I turned to Platinum
carbon black ink applied with an
inexpensive brush. I ended up loving
the paper. Th is kind of problem-
solving keeps my work fresh and my
creativity thriving.
Not all surfaces have to come
from an art supply store; I’ve had
great success exploring unconventional
papers, too. For example, last fall,
while teaching a workshop in Tuscany,
I noticed that the majority of cafés
featured the same color of placemat—
a beautiful, warm raw sienna in an
approximately 90-lb. smooth texture.
During lunch, I often drew on the
provided placemat, and I was surprised
that the pen glided so well on the sur-
face and that the ink didn’t bleed. Th e
fi nal morning in Siena, I did a quick
sketch on it and found that it worked.
When I returned home, I pasted it on
the last page of my sketchbook.