Description
If you intend using a lot of water in your water colour painting, then it is important to stretch your paper before starting to avoid cockling
– This is where the sheet wrinkles and forms ridges that are almost impossible to remove when substantial amounts of water are used
If you are working on heavyweight paper and do not intend using large washes or you are using gouache or acrylic then you do not have to stretch the paper, however the benefit of stretching your paper is the freedom to use as much water as you want, when you want.