Paint rollers are not just for walls, but also for prepping your canvas with watercolor ground. Ditch the brush for it would give you streaks and uneven surfaces.
Watercolor does not work only on archival paper, but also on hard boards such as masonite (gypsum board) which one can buy from the hardware. I have primed some with 2 coats of flat white enamel, and worked A-ok Other times, I added watercolor ground (brands such as Golden, Daniel Smith, QoR) on top of gesso and sanded in between coats for a smoother finish. The finished boards work like the trusted Aquabord.
The many advantages of shifting from paper are durability, option to frame without glass, I no longer need to stretch paper (although it has its charm), and lifting pigments to preserve highlights is a breeze during the painting process. I can also cut the boards to any size I want . It takes a lil bit of getting used to, but it sure is oddly satisfying (from the back and forth strokes with rollers to the actual painting itself). I learned this from the talented artist, Ali Cavanaugh (full credit ) and have been painting on boards for quite some time now. I love it best for portraits.
Do I still use paper for watercolor? Of course, I do. I am just excited to have more options. Here are some of my watercolor paintings on these DIY boards. You might want to try it
Dear friends, let me know if you want more tips in the future. I would also want to hear yours
Other times, I added watercolor ground (brands such as Golden, Daniel Smith, QoR) on top of gesso and sanded in between coats for a smoother finish. The finished boards work like the trusted Aquabord.
), and lifting pigments to preserve highlights is a breeze during the painting process. I can also cut the boards to any size I want . It takes a lil bit of getting used to, but it sure is oddly satisfying (from the back and forth strokes with rollers to the actual painting itself). I learned this from the talented artist, Ali Cavanaugh (full credit 
) and have been painting on boards for quite some time now. I love it best for portraits.
