Need advice on drawing large

rae · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 128 Location: Brisbane

Need some help!

I have an idea for a very large drawing I plan to do on a roll of watercolour paper at least 5 metres in length.

So, I don't have the space to lay it out to work on. I only have the one drawing easel to balance it on. I need to work with it up on an easel - I hate working on the floor.

Have been thinking I could keep it semi rolled and just unroll each section to work on and keep either end rolled up rather like a scroll. Does this sound like it will work? Any ideas about holding each end in place while I work? I am going to be working with some pretty heavy compressed charcoal and the like, so I guess I'm going to have to fix each section to keep from making an almighty mess.

Any tips??

sunday · Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 3995 Location: Victoria

Hi rae,
A friend of mine does figurative watercolours on life-size sheets - she used to stick the paper on the wall. Mind you she had to repaint the house when she sold it last year Wink

art8dave · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 1333 Location: Sydney

Any way of fixing it to a wall?
I have seen artists who staple large canvases to the studio wall and complete the work that way, then stretch it later.
I guess canvas and w'colour paper are quite different, but, just a thought Smile

sunday · Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 3995 Location: Victoria

She just used heavy duty tape. She used to get some great drips happening with her work, continuing down the wall and onto the floor, so you'll need to think about how you're going to protect your work area.