Welcome to Polly's Blog

Welcome to Polly's Blog
Watercolour, humour, this and that

Saturday 6 April 2013

YUPO REVIEW

YUPO PAPER - Synthetic/plastic paper/ you can't tear it  - My Notes only

If you are wondering about trying this new paper, you may be prepared to wade through these notes that I made for myself.

Yupo is great fun to use and experiment with.  I love it.  You get textures you would never be able to do any other way.  So each painting is unique.  Here are some things I have learnt over the past few days, either from my own experimentation or looking on the internet. 

I hope you like my latest proper painting on Yupo.  I feel it's a big improvement on my first, (previous post) and it took no time at all.  I found you need to paint thicker than normal (well I did for watercolour).
Finished painting Silver Birch trees and water movement  taken out with damp tissue
Watercolour before taking out trees

You can't build up glazes or paint over your work as anything damp will affect paint already on the paper. You may find good effects by doing this though?

Good for practicing composition etc as you don't waste your usual paper. Wipe off when finished. If you do get grease on paper eg fingerprints or over use the paper, clean with soapy water.

Staining colours still stain eg. Alizarin, Winsor Violet also pen and ink drawing will leave an indentation on the paper.

Apparently you can spray with fixitive at least 15" away or you will disturb the paint or you can use a hair dryer but it will move the paint around. Haven't tried either of these.

Would be great fun or economical for children as you can paint and wipe over and over again.

For detail use less water but take care as any contact may still affect paint already on paper.

Store in clear sleeves to save painting from damage when you have done a masterpiece!!!

My experiment to remove when paint dry/damp to bring back white of paper, or alter composition etc.,  I used water on a tissue, a damp or wet brush.  A rubber didn't work:-
Watercolour wiped off easily
Acrylic ink impossible
Acrylic tubes easily
Water soluble oils easily

Drying time:-
Acrylic ink pooled and was very slow.  Tacky for ages and dried very hard. May be an advantage.
Watercolour took well over an hour
Water Soluble oils took forever (but oil does) well over 24 hrs
Acrylic tubes dried the fastest.

Mixing the colour on the yupo:-
Watercolour flowed and mixed well but left a trail of brush marks, this gave the texture.
Acrylic inks didn't flow freely with each other
Oil  the most difficult as brush strokes were very pronounced, hardly covering the paper even when thick.
I wouldn't use oils or acrylic inks. That is just my personal opinion.
Apart from the Red Ink I managed to wash off easily the other colours.

You can buy the paper from SAA(in the UK) or Amazon

Go to Google Images 'yupo paintings' some artists have created some wonderful paintings. Worth a look.

It really is like being a child with a new toy.  It will take a while to sort of control the paint on this paper, if ever, but if you like it then it would be another string to your bow.

Happy Yupo Painting!







25 comments:

  1. Thank you for this interesting post,dear Polly! Now, with your advice, I may experience better Yupo that sent me Renate!
    Good night and good Sunday, Rita.

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    1. Isn't Renate so kind to send Yupo paper to people. She is a star. Oh I have received the Morelle book today, it is brilliant. Thanks for telling me about it.

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  2. wonderful discoveries you have made about yupo.great advice..must keep notes too!!!

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    1. Thanks. Tried to write them as I was going along. I thought it might be a good idea as I am only experimenting

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  3. Polly your Yupo Birch trees are superb. I too find experimenting on this paper really exciting. You can use pure alchohol to remove anything that wont come off with water and you can use it to wipe the paper over quickly before you start and it will remove any grease left from handling

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    1. Hope you don't mean vodka. what a waste!!!! Thank you for that tip.

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  4. olly you must be really pleased with the birch trees ... looks fantastic on the screen ...interesting post ... sounds like you are hooked with yupo .

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    1. It will never replace watercolour paper, but if I want a change or to just try out a composition I will definitely play with it.

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  6. What a great post and a fabulous painting!! Not surprised you want to do more if this is what you can manage... all these things just take a bit of time, experimenting and practice... thank you for sharing all this Polly, great stuff!!

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    1. Thanks for saying it's a great post. I thought it might help others. It was after doing an impromptu demonstration at my club and answering their questions, that I thought I had better write details down before I forgot them.

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  7. This is really a great help, thank you Polly for all your precious tips ! I am going to try YUPO today and surely with your tutoring it is going to be easier, so thanks a lot ! Your painting is fabulous with an air of mistery , love it ! xx

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    1. Thank you Jane. Hope it helps. You may be able to add to my notes. Happy yupo painting. :)

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  8. Wow, you are a fast learner, Polly! The landscape is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing your experience and findings. I had similar impressions of this surface, but didn't have enough patience with it to get as far ahead, and learn so much.

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    1. Glas you like it. I'm like a bull in a china shop with something new! Glad I persisted and as much as I enjoy it it will never replace watercolour paper.

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  9. It seems difficult, but it is very beautyful Polly. I have never tried Yupo, so it´s great reading about it. It seems VERY different from ordinary paper. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. It is difficult. I will still prefer watercolour paper!
      But it is good for a fun hour or so.

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  10. Yupo isn't easy but you got a lovely result!!! I guess it is like any other material...it needs practice. I've tried it a few times but do it once and then I don't do it for a year. lol Someone told me you can even apply the paint with a small roller. The two great things about yupo are that you can wash it off, and you get outrageous textures. I can't wait to see what you do with it next.

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    1. As much as I enjoy it, I know I will always prefer watercolour paper. It is a lot of fun and I'm trying to think of things to do with Yupo that I wouldn't be able to do with watercolour - and then wash it all off!

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  11. That's a beautiful painting! I tried it once with awful results. I'll find your notes when I try again.

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    1. Think it was a bit of luck really. It's thinking of something to paint with it that's my problem. But then I will wash it off after anyway. Just playtime!!!

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  12. Polly - this is gorgeous. I have worked on Yupo paper as well but yours looks much more successful than mine. Will take stock of your notes. Like you I discovered thick is better where watercolor is concerned. Thanks for sharing...so lovely. Also thank you my friend for stopping by to visit my blog - have a wonderful day.

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    1. And thank you for coming to visit me! I think the trees were a stroke of luck because I was playing rather than painting! So thank you for your lovely comments. I am keen to add other people's note to mine so if you have any ideas please let me know. Take care

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  13. Hi, Polly,
    Thank you for sharing the precious info and wonderful paintings. I admire your challenge spirit and sense of humour in these posts. Keep up and share your joy with us!!
    Best wishes, Sadami

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    1. Blogging is wonderful. Art is a joyous adventure! I so enjoy reading other blogs and I have received so much inspiration from others. Thank you for taking the time to comment, as I know you are a busy little bee!

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