Last nights poem was not as glorious in the cold logical light of day, but the cold day HAS been glorious! I've flattened a new huge piece of Fabriano Accademia drawing paper using a new idea;
1. Get two pieces of wood as big as the paper (one piece and a smooth floor will do). You probably need a big drawing board anyway so that's one piece. I've used two huge pieces of 12mm MDF.
2. Unroll the paper and cut. This bit can be quite difficult. I used heavy books to hold the loose side down and used one of those snap-off blade knives.
3. Get a pump sprayer, one of those plant watering things. Spray the wood evenly to dampen it evenly.
4. Then put the paper on it and the second bit of wood on top and walk about on it for a bit. That slight dampness on the wood should help dampen the paper perfectly evenly without wrinkling.
The wood is still on there though. I'll see what it is like tomorrow. Some heat to dry it out would be nice. It's at times like this when I wish it was summer.
I'm currently past halfway drawing Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, an 80x50cm allegorical surrealist picture about facing a choice between an artists' life and a normal life.
