These are the beginnings of backgrounds for an swap I’m participating in. Each member is to make 25 pages based on the theme of “winter” for the swap. I decided for my pages I would use watercolor paper (140#) and do a wash technique on the very bottom layer. Then work my way forward with stamps and paints and images.
What I didn’t do was to pull out my art techniques book and read up on watercolor before I started! But, I’ve been known to just jump in and see what happens.
What I learned was that it’s probably best to read first. If I had, I would have “stretched” these dry pages before I did the wash, and according to the book, they would not have then curled. Stretching, apparently, is done by taping the dry watercolor paper to a solid surface. Then brushing it with plain water to soak it, and allowing it to dry while still taped. Which should then maintain a flat surface as you apply further layers of watercolors.
Live and learn, and who knows, maybe they’ll still flatten out?