An Introduction To Pulp Painting

By George Johnson


Before you begin painting you need to prepare everything that you will need. Pulp painting requires a lot of preparation. Once this is done properly good results are guaranteed.

It is the art of using the colored pulp as a medium and applying it on a surface. The pulp can be derived from different qualities of materials such as reeds, grass, cotton or even bamboo.

It is important to select the fiber that will work for you. Each fiber has a different type of texture. You can get different results on the same painting depending on the fiber you used. The next step is to create the pulp by mixing the fiber with water to provide a fine texture.

Bamboo is the most preferred pulp ingredient. It is usually available in most areas, absorbs well and is very easy to control. Once you mix the fiber well, you will then need to color it.

Each fiber tends to absorb color differently just as with textiles. The same red pigment will look different in the different fibers just as it would in different textiles. The varying texture and surface texture of each fiber also tend to produce a different color result.

A lot of attention is needed when mixing the pulp with the colors. Especially with the different tones of the same color. You can easily lose the color you want to have if you do not mix it properly. You should also avoid putting different types of colored pulps together.

The purpose of this painting technique is to create a certain illusion using different colors. You can add as many colors as you want. A close view of the painting shows the different fibers and their colors. When the same painting is viewed at a distance, it gives a different perception.

Before you start painting, it is important to have an idea of how you want the painting to be. You can start by drawing a sketch that will guide you. This is particularly helpful since you will be painting from the front moving to the back.

You, therefore, have to practice this special technique. It is unlike other regular painting and will require some practice to get it right moving from the front to the back.

You start with painting the foreground and move towards painting the background. The idea behind this is to avoid messing the different layers of pulp you will have created earlier. This allows you to have some control over the outcome of the final painting result.

As you continue painting, ensure the pulp remains wet. To give an appearance of depth, several tones of one color are used. Each layer needs to be applied carefully to avoid messing the previous layer.

The background may need to be strengthened after you are done with the painting. You can use a board which can be stuck in the background and use silicon to stick it. The drying process can also be quickened by using a vacuum pump which sucks the water from the painting.

Depending on the painting size, it may take time to dry. Some paintings can even take weeks. After it has dried, you can remove the board in the background to have a paper thin painting as your final result.




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