Painting white

[LeafPiece]

Very good points Edg/rgieseking. I must admit, I only use the expensive stuff for actual paintings. There are some terrible acrylics and some really great acrylics, and everything in between. Like rgieseking suggested, maybe something in between is the way to go if cost is a factor. At the risk of sounding un-purist, you could always touch up worn vertices after folding.

[PauliusOrigami]

http://www.tigerstores.co.uk/tiger_kids ... 119_1.html
http://www.thomasphilipps.lt/pr/kanceli ... dazai/1070
http://www.menomuza.lt/LT/catalog/produ ... ilas-40ml/
http://www.artmanija.lt/akriliniai-dazai-balta-20ml

what could you say about these acrylics? which one could be the best? I found those not far away.
By the way i noticed there are two types of them - ones are thick acrylic, others are thin acrylic paints. which one is better? I am thinking of using sponge blush technique

[Swapnil Das]

I'd say the thin Acrylic is better. Thick acrylic will make paper heavier and thicker.

[PauliusOrigami]

the question is about the coverage of brown color with white paint. I was thinking maybe too thin paint can't cover it well

[PauliusOrigami]

I also found acrylic spray. anyone tried?

[al-black]

Hi gang,

Timely thread, I've been fooling around with painting paper too. Light watercolor paper, canson mi-teintes, and apple barrel, acrylique, and folkart paints -- all good so far.

Does anyone have some tips for the colour bleeding, for lack of a better term, around the edges of the paper? I think its from the paper moving while I paint it, but not entirely sure. Easy enough to fix with a quick trim, but still...

Thanks,

al

[LeafPiece]

Paulius, I haven't used acrylic spray yet but it's something I've been wanting to try. Have you done any experimentation yet? I'd like to hear about it!

Al, If paint is building up around the edges on the opposite side of the paper, there are a few things that could be happening. Painting over the edge of the paper will get paint on your surface, so you could be moving the paper around the surface like you suggested. Another possibility is that if you're laying the paint on rather thick, it could seep through or around the edges. Finally, it could be how you're brushing. Make sure you always brush away from the center of the paper and over the edge. Brushing from the edge inward or even parallel/along the edge will cause paint to build up on the reverse side.

[al-black]

thanks LeafPiece. Yeah, its both the thicker paint, and a bit of movement. I just started painting whole sheets.

Just for giggles, I've tried a couple experiments of just painting some washi I have, and it works pretty well. More foldable, and just a touch stiffer. Have any of you tried mixing in some mc (or gesso) with it the acrylic?

Just curious,
al

btw its a small world. It was trying this on Paulius' elephant!

[FoldSkate]

You could always fold the model with your paper as it is, and then paint the color changed areas white later. That way the paper has the same properties, and it is not "cheating" to paint the model as long as you folded the actual color changes.

[gordigami]

@ FoldSkate :
I have no idea as to the origin of your opinion, that painting afterward is acceptable.
I suppose if one is not that interested in the integrity of an origami model.
Why not just cut out stickers and plastic jewels & mash them onto the purported "model" ?

[al-black]

Just following up with some results on my previous posts. Once coat on each side of the thinish white washi resulted in a pretty leathery paper in terms of feel, though a bit thick for the size model. Seems to be staying together well enough and not splaying.

MC did make the paint/paper stiffer, mixed into the paint did make it stiffer but not radically so. Painting on mc'd paper resulted in the best, but like I said earlier its pretty leathery and thick. (It's like wetfolding...)

All said, its an interesting paper treatment and tool to have in the bag of origami tricks.

al

[bethnor]

@ FoldSkate :
I have no idea as to the origin of your opinion, that painting afterward is acceptable.
I suppose if one is not that interested in the integrity of an origami model.
Why not just cut out stickers and plastic jewels & mash them onto the purported "model" ?

that's a bit harsh.

for one, there are legitimate practical concerns, such as the paint rubbing off on your fingers as well as on folding surfaces, particularly with models with long sequences.

i just finished friedman's grizzly bear. bad news, you HAVE to use glue to join the lower jaw. purism is overrated.

[gordigami]

I believe that there are many really good folders who are comfortable with minimally pervasive alterations to a sheet of paper.
However, personally, I feel that much of the attraction, and challenge, of origami lies in creating an object, or model, by dint of mountain folds, valley folds & curvatures .
I am not qualified to say at what point do the amendments to the paper exceed acceptable threshold .
At some point, the model might more appropriately fit into the category of " papercraft" or " kirigami" .

I think that we all cringe , just a little, when we see an origami cat or dog with the eyes or mouth drawn, or painted in .

[FoldSkate]

I didnt quite understand your response, but I assume you are salty. What's the harm in folding a color change model with monochromatic paper, and then painting in the actual folded color changes? Sipho Mabona did it. Shuki Kato did it. As long as you actually folded the model correctly, so the areas would actually be color changed if you used a 2 color paper, I see no problem.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/32418802@ ... XYC-9cAZWR

[gordigami]

@ FoldSkate :

Yes, indeed, I am " salty " at times, and very likely lean toward " tongue-in-cheek" reflections more than I should.
That being said, I hope that you know that I totally empathize with your dilemma .

You have posed the quagmire clearly. " What's the harm in folding a color change model with monochromatic paper, and then painting in the actual folded color changes? "

This is easily a common question confronting practitioners of origami throughout the ages .
However, I feel that it speaks to the essential integrity of what is origami .

Basically, I believe that you are free to amend a piece of paper in whatever manner that you choose, as long as it is for your personal usage and enjoyment.
However, those changes may well take your model out of the realm of origami .

Your addition ultimately evolves into somewhat of a subtraction .

It's a given, that all this is controversial, with many divergent opinions .

In actual practice, I preserve my mental peace by using duo or 2-sided color paper when the occasion requires it . ( I don't doubt, that even that is controversial ! )
More oftentimes, I prefer folding with elephant hide or tissue foil , accepting the resultant limitations .