Yupo paper is fun to try with watercolor and ink as the paint will make very interesting textures while drying on that type of paper, that makes it ideal to start a painting with an abstract background.
You can paint directly on the Yupo paper or mount it on board before painting. I chose to mount it on board.
You will need
cradled panel, I used a 8 x 8 inches wood panel
Krylon workable fixative
Acrylic paint, I used Pebeo in titanium white
Graphite pencil
Krylon workable fixative
Blue Sakura Micron marker
White Oil Sharpie marker
Watercolor paint, I used Yarka watercolors.
Fluid Acrylic, I used Liquitex Ink in Red and Orange
The paper is mounted on the board with gel medium.
Once the medium had time to dry (about one day), trim the sides of the board with a cutter.
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Range of consistency from pourable to moldable, with various levels of finish and transparency. Create glazes, extend paints, build texture, change finishes. Gel types: Soft, Regular, Heavy, Extra Heavy, and Pumice.
You should get a very neat surface ready to be painted on.
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
Yupo is a compelling and unique alternative to traditional art papers. It’s a synthetic paper, machine-made in the USA of 100% polypropylene. It is waterproof, stain resistant, and extremely strong and durable. PH neutral.
Painting the abstract background
You can use watercolor, ink, fluid acrylic… to paint an abstract background. Here I used fluid Acrylic and Ink
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
Incredibly flexible, Golden High Flow Acrylics have an ink-like consistency that lends itself to a wide range of techniques painting, drawing, staining, glazing, inking, hand-lettering, airbrushing, and more. – High Flow Colors, Set of 10
Brush the paint to spread it all over the yupo paper.
To add more texture, you can add a few drops of alcohol
Your background will look something like this once dry.
Outlining shapes and painting the negative space
Now, relax and look at the background and try to see recognizable shapes that fit what you would like to paint. Here I wanted to paint flowers, so I am looking for blooms and leaves shapes. Outline the shapes you see with a graphite pencil. Graphite works well on Yupo paper and produces a very crisp line.
If you are painting flowers, try to connect a few of them with stems and add a few leaves.
Paint all the negative space with white acrylic and let dry.
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
Formerly Van Gogh Acrylics, these paints are value priced and easy to use. They’re an excellent choice for the beginning or intermediate artist. Clean up with soap and water. Quick drying and non-toxic, perfect for the classroom!
Adding designs with markers, pen and ink.
Then you can start to add details to the shapes you have left with color, here with a Sharpie white oil marker.
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers are great for touching up wood and metal, personalizing belongings, or adding pizzazz to school projects. Decorate and add accents to a variety of items, even non-porous materials such as glassware and terracotta.
Graphite works so well on Yupo paper that you can also use it to add designs and patterns.
You can also paint on top of those designs, here with diluted ink.
You can use a pen dipped in fluid acrylic or ink to add designs as well
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
This calligraphy pen and nib set gives you the tools needed to create beautiful works of art. Ideal for drawing, crosshatching, lithography, and fine details. Includes two plastic pen holders and six nibs.
Originally from France, I have been living in North Vancouver, Canada for the past 20 years.
My work has been collected and exhibited extensively in Canada and internationally. I am also part of the Art Rentals and sales program of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Many of my paintings have been published in Art books and magazines (Artist Magazine, Watercolor Artist Magazine, Acrylic Magazine, International Artist Magazine). I wrote 2 art instruction books with North Light/F+W Books.
I have been writing for the last 5 years for my blog: paintingdemos.com, that has a mailing list of about 10 000 subscribers and about 20 000 visitors per month.
I am an active member in the community, as a co-founder of the North Shore Art crawl, a co-founder of a weekly life drawing group, a board member of the North Vancouver Arts Council, and have been invited as a juror for public art, art grants and juried exhibitions. You can read more about my collaborations here.
I just purchased your book and I am excited to get started painting! I just have a question about what weight of Yupo is the best to use for this technique? I didn’t see anything about it in the book. This is my first experience with Yupo, so I don’t want to mess it up. I mainly paint in watercolor and have a ton of that paper, but I am interested in trying the Yupo for something new. Also, I live 7000 ft. above sea level, In Santa Fe, NM, do you think the Yupo would survive this dry climate after being varnished and attached to a cradle frame? I worry about the gel medium shrinking on the frame after a period of time. I guess I could talk to my local art supply store about that issue. Your work is really beautiful!.
Thanks Julie !,
For yupo paper weight, the heavier it is, the easiest it is going to be to avoid air bubbles while mounting it on a board.
As for the hot and dry weather, I would think it is not going to be an issue for Yupo but maybe do a few tests?
Happy painting 🙂
Paul F.
I really dislike calling Yupo “paper”. It isn’t paper, it is a plastic film. Specifically, it is a polypropoline film. Anything you apply to it simply floats on the surface and is not absorbed into the film. If you are lucky, there is enough adhesion between the material you apply and the film.
Noelle Franklyn
I’ve been hunting around for tips on using a variety of inks and paints, ect on yupo paper and I’ve just started using alcohol inks and find they dry before I can move them around. I’ve found some good info online and yours is one of the best sites I’ve visited, re this. So, thank you. Will look for your works and tips.
Beautiful! I love the colors of this, and how you put the white details over the color. Thanks so much for the informative tutorial – I just found you via Pinterest. I’m excited to explore your other posts now. Thanks!
Sandrine! I stumbled across your lovely art work on Pinterest! You are my new crush. 🙂 I have been painting with acrylics, speedball ink and using negative space for many years now–differently than you–and am really excited to try some of your techniques. I wonder if you could talk about the difference between painting on the yupo before mounting it on the cradled board. Does this work? Or does the paper painting become too rumpled and bumpy to mount nicely?
Thanks James! I am glad you liked the blog and that we are using some of the same techniques. You could mount Yupo paper after painting I guess but I would be very cautious not to damage the painting while mounting it on board. As you know yupo paper is a very slick surface and paint could be scratched off the surface so I like better mounting it first and then painting.
Leni
What is the brand and size of the nib pen here that you used?
And i want a dip-nib pen for using masking fluid and other ink. What is preferable?
You have such a lovely site so full of information. Once I get a grip on my work and a series going I really want to share with others the way you have.
I want to thank you for sharing your techniques on this site. I majored in art many years ago but with marriage and family I let my art take a back seat in my life. Now I am oldish and your art inspired me to get going again and with your shared techniques I am happily producing art again, art that I am excited about. Thanks for your generosity!
Thanks Suzette! I am very happy to hear that you started making art again as my intent for this blog is to inspire other artists 🙂 I hope you will have lots of fun!
What color ink or fluid acrylic are you using on your pen to trace the flowers (it looks like an aqua, maybe?). It looks so lovely and creamy. I was hoping to find some for myself!
Thank you so much for sharing your steps with us.
When I paint the negative space, it seems the inks bleed through the white paint. Have you experienced this? Would you recommend spraying it with a matte spray to set the colors first before the white?
I’ve also noticed that using alcohol on 140 watercolor paper seems to eat away at the paper. If I mount it first using these techniques does this help keep it from buckling? Or is the secret using yupo paper? Love your tutorials!
Hello Laura,
If you don’t want the bleeding I recommend you spray the painting once dry with workable fixative ( I am using Krylon workable fixative). The other way is to let your first layer dry, the acrylic will make it water resistant and then paint another layer on top.
For the alcohol, you could try on 300 lb paper, or on 140 lb that has been mounted on board. You are right, mounting the paper will prevent any buckling.
Thanks!
Laura
When I paint the negative space, it seems the inks bleed through the white paint. Have you experienced this? Would you recommend spraying it with a matte spray to set the colors first before the white?
I’ve also noticed that using alcohol on 140 watercolor paper seems to eat away at the paper. If I mount it first using these techniques does this help keep it from buckling? Or is the secret using yupo Paper? Thanks!! LOVE your tutorials.
pinned, linked, googlePlused, FB’d and tweeted too.
CheyAnne Sexton
Sandrine, Your art is always so interesting and unique. I’ve painted many watercolors on Yupo and love it. I need to get me some white acrylic and try your techniques tho. Plus I love the idea of mounting watercolor paper or Yupo to a board. Would this work with masonite as well? If so, Would I need to do anything special to the masonite that you know of? I’ll go check out your post about mounting. thank you so much for making all this info so available.
peace n abundance,
CheyAnne
Thanks CheyAnne. I think it would work on masonite although I haven’t tried it. The advantage of the board is that the surface is very smooth, as any bump might show through the paper. So I guess it will work with the smooth type of masonite. Let me know if you try it:)
CheyAnne Sexton
I like the idea of your board because they are more like a canvas type of piece, and masonite is much skinnier and might me harder to hang. It is very smooth tho. I buy the treated kind for my art boards and there are no bumps. I’m going to try this but not quite sure when yet. I will let you know how it turns out and maybe I’ll even blog about it. I do admire how you keep your blog rolling and need to do the same. Lots of energy and time it takes to create just one post. Thanks for your reply. Peace
Rupa
I love this painting. I have Yupo paper and will give this a try with the water colors/acrylics I have. Thank you so much for showing us the negative painting technique. The possibilities are only limited by our imagination it seems with this technique of finding shapes in a randomly painted background.
91159600
This looks like good fun! Never used yupo paper but have heard it is difficult to use and that you need to use gloves to work with it because the natural oil marks the paper. Is this true? Didn’t know you could use acrylic paint on it either…thought it was only watercolour. You teach me so many things. I truly wish I lived in the Lower Mainland so that I could take some of your workshops. Thanks for adding to my day!
Thanks! I am glad you are enjoying the blog.
I am not wearing gloves to paint on yupo, usually it is enough if you wash your hands with soap before painting. You can also clean the yupo paper with alcohol to remove any trace of grease before painting. Let me know what you think if you try yupo 🙂
Rupa
@91159600, you can achieve great results even with alcohol inks on yupo paper.
Comments (32)
Julie
I just purchased your book and I am excited to get started painting! I just have a question about what weight of Yupo is the best to use for this technique? I didn’t see anything about it in the book. This is my first experience with Yupo, so I don’t want to mess it up. I mainly paint in watercolor and have a ton of that paper, but I am interested in trying the Yupo for something new. Also, I live 7000 ft. above sea level, In Santa Fe, NM, do you think the Yupo would survive this dry climate after being varnished and attached to a cradle frame? I worry about the gel medium shrinking on the frame after a period of time. I guess I could talk to my local art supply store about that issue. Your work is really beautiful!.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Julie !,
For yupo paper weight, the heavier it is, the easiest it is going to be to avoid air bubbles while mounting it on a board.
As for the hot and dry weather, I would think it is not going to be an issue for Yupo but maybe do a few tests?
Happy painting 🙂
Paul F.
I really dislike calling Yupo “paper”. It isn’t paper, it is a plastic film. Specifically, it is a polypropoline film. Anything you apply to it simply floats on the surface and is not absorbed into the film. If you are lucky, there is enough adhesion between the material you apply and the film.
Noelle Franklyn
I’ve been hunting around for tips on using a variety of inks and paints, ect on yupo paper and I’ve just started using alcohol inks and find they dry before I can move them around. I’ve found some good info online and yours is one of the best sites I’ve visited, re this. So, thank you. Will look for your works and tips.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Noelle, I love it when I know I helped other artists 🙂
Leah
Beautiful! I love the colors of this, and how you put the white details over the color. Thanks so much for the informative tutorial – I just found you via Pinterest. I’m excited to explore your other posts now. Thanks!
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Leah, I am glad you found me through Pinterest 🙂
Dar James
Sandrine! I stumbled across your lovely art work on Pinterest! You are my new crush. 🙂 I have been painting with acrylics, speedball ink and using negative space for many years now–differently than you–and am really excited to try some of your techniques. I wonder if you could talk about the difference between painting on the yupo before mounting it on the cradled board. Does this work? Or does the paper painting become too rumpled and bumpy to mount nicely?
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks James! I am glad you liked the blog and that we are using some of the same techniques. You could mount Yupo paper after painting I guess but I would be very cautious not to damage the painting while mounting it on board. As you know yupo paper is a very slick surface and paint could be scratched off the surface so I like better mounting it first and then painting.
Leni
What is the brand and size of the nib pen here that you used?
And i want a dip-nib pen for using masking fluid and other ink. What is preferable?
Sandrine Pelissier
Hello Leni,
You have all the references about the nib and pen on this post:
https://paintingdemos.com/drawing-patterns-with-a-dipping-pen-and-ink/
Asfor masking fluid, I would not use a pen as it most likely will get plugged but a silicon brush like colour shapers.
Tonee
You have such a lovely site so full of information. Once I get a grip on my work and a series going I really want to share with others the way you have.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Tonee 😀
Suzette Graham
I want to thank you for sharing your techniques on this site. I majored in art many years ago but with marriage and family I let my art take a back seat in my life. Now I am oldish and your art inspired me to get going again and with your shared techniques I am happily producing art again, art that I am excited about. Thanks for your generosity!
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Suzette! I am very happy to hear that you started making art again as my intent for this blog is to inspire other artists 🙂 I hope you will have lots of fun!
Loryn McMeekin
I would like to receive your posts to my email…
Sandrine Pelissier
You can subscribe here to my newsletter:
http://www.sandrinepelissier.com/mailing-list.html
Thanks 🙂
Amy Coppola
What color ink or fluid acrylic are you using on your pen to trace the flowers (it looks like an aqua, maybe?). It looks so lovely and creamy. I was hoping to find some for myself!
Thank you so much for sharing your steps with us.
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Amy 🙂
I am using Speedball ink in Teal green with the dipping pen.
Barbara
So farking beautiful!!! Xo
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Barbara !
Laura
When I paint the negative space, it seems the inks bleed through the white paint. Have you experienced this? Would you recommend spraying it with a matte spray to set the colors first before the white?
I’ve also noticed that using alcohol on 140 watercolor paper seems to eat away at the paper. If I mount it first using these techniques does this help keep it from buckling? Or is the secret using yupo paper? Love your tutorials!
Sandrine Pelissier
Hello Laura,
If you don’t want the bleeding I recommend you spray the painting once dry with workable fixative ( I am using Krylon workable fixative). The other way is to let your first layer dry, the acrylic will make it water resistant and then paint another layer on top.
For the alcohol, you could try on 300 lb paper, or on 140 lb that has been mounted on board. You are right, mounting the paper will prevent any buckling.
Thanks!
Laura
When I paint the negative space, it seems the inks bleed through the white paint. Have you experienced this? Would you recommend spraying it with a matte spray to set the colors first before the white?
I’ve also noticed that using alcohol on 140 watercolor paper seems to eat away at the paper. If I mount it first using these techniques does this help keep it from buckling? Or is the secret using yupo Paper? Thanks!! LOVE your tutorials.
CheyAnne Sexton
pinned, linked, googlePlused, FB’d and tweeted too.
CheyAnne Sexton
Sandrine, Your art is always so interesting and unique. I’ve painted many watercolors on Yupo and love it. I need to get me some white acrylic and try your techniques tho. Plus I love the idea of mounting watercolor paper or Yupo to a board. Would this work with masonite as well? If so, Would I need to do anything special to the masonite that you know of? I’ll go check out your post about mounting. thank you so much for making all this info so available.
peace n abundance,
CheyAnne
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks CheyAnne. I think it would work on masonite although I haven’t tried it. The advantage of the board is that the surface is very smooth, as any bump might show through the paper. So I guess it will work with the smooth type of masonite. Let me know if you try it:)
CheyAnne Sexton
I like the idea of your board because they are more like a canvas type of piece, and masonite is much skinnier and might me harder to hang. It is very smooth tho. I buy the treated kind for my art boards and there are no bumps. I’m going to try this but not quite sure when yet. I will let you know how it turns out and maybe I’ll even blog about it. I do admire how you keep your blog rolling and need to do the same. Lots of energy and time it takes to create just one post. Thanks for your reply. Peace
Rupa
I love this painting. I have Yupo paper and will give this a try with the water colors/acrylics I have. Thank you so much for showing us the negative painting technique. The possibilities are only limited by our imagination it seems with this technique of finding shapes in a randomly painted background.
91159600
This looks like good fun! Never used yupo paper but have heard it is difficult to use and that you need to use gloves to work with it because the natural oil marks the paper. Is this true? Didn’t know you could use acrylic paint on it either…thought it was only watercolour. You teach me so many things. I truly wish I lived in the Lower Mainland so that I could take some of your workshops. Thanks for adding to my day!
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks! I am glad you are enjoying the blog.
I am not wearing gloves to paint on yupo, usually it is enough if you wash your hands with soap before painting. You can also clean the yupo paper with alcohol to remove any trace of grease before painting. Let me know what you think if you try yupo 🙂
Rupa
@91159600, you can achieve great results even with alcohol inks on yupo paper.