Thread: How do I stop paper from curling when painting with Tempera paint?

The tempera paint is water based so as it dries it curls the paper. I've heard that putting a light coat of water on the back can help because then both sides are wet and hopefully will dry at approx. the same time. The paper is fairly lightweight and has a little more tooth than a normal photocopy-type paper.

And tips or suggestions?

It could be the tempera has too much water in it. Try adding a little baby powder to the paint to help with that. I have never tried wetting the back of the paper before.

Try taping the paper down on a board -- taping all sides -- with masking tape. Leave it taped down until the painting is finished and has dried completely.

This should work (or at least help), but most of all you shouldn't use a paper that is too thin, to avoid curling and buckling. That's why most watercolor papers are thicker although they, too, quite often (all but the very heaviest) need to be "stretched" by premoistening them and/or (at least) taping them down as you work.

You could use bristol board to paint on if you're using "paper", I never use normal paper, bristol is fairly inexpensive and is pretty thick, it usually doesn't curl. I tape all my bristol down with masking or painters tape (careful, some of the blue painters tapes actually stick to the paper worse then masking tape). Before you paint, coat the area you're going to paint with a light coat of water, like you're painting with watercolors. Then after you're done painting and untape your piece, it shouldn't curl. If it does, then you can give the back a light coat. Coating the back in water BEFORE you paint probably won't do much to help.

Hi,

check this :http://www.eggtempera.com/index.html
There's also a tempera forum at wetcanvas.

Kind regards,

José

http://theartinquirer.blogspot.com