Rethink Color, Composition and Corners with YUPO Round

With YUPO Round artists can reshape, rethink, recompose and reimagine everything and create anew. It’s a revolution that cannot be cornered. YUPO opened a door of creativity with YUPO Round, taking that slick, beloved tree-free medium and literally reshaping it.

Learn more about how artist, Courtney Patterson, uses YUPO Rounds for her artwork.

What do you find appealing about the Round shape?
I love the shape of a Yupo Round. Circles are a soft shape and the roundness aspect often adds warmth and interest to a work of art. Circles are also omnipresent in the natural world and I try to include a sense of nature in every piece. The natural world is where I find most of my inspiration.

Does the shape affect the way you work on YUPO?
It absolutely does! I base the direction of the artwork on both the size and the shape of the paper. I really enjoy adding an accent tone to most of my work with alcohol ink (usually a metallic - silver, brass, rose gold, or gold). Depending on the shape and size of the paper, I will either increase or decrease the amount of accent tone I use.

How do you display a finished piece on YUPO Rounds? Do you mount the piece? Do you seal and protect your finished piece?

After the ink has dried on the YUPO Rounds, I use a finisher to set the piece. My varnish of choice is Lascaux 2070 Acrylic Fixative Spray. Often, the alcohol ink will dry with a high gloss and pigment finish, so for me, it is crucial that the varnish is non-yellowing and clear. I always want the natural pigments of the ink to stay intact and for the piece be as vibrant as possible. I let the artwork sit for a few hours before starting the mounting process, I like to mount the YUPO Rounds on cotton board. I then get the board and the spray adhesive beside me, along with some liquid glue. Once I have everything ready to go, I get started by flipping the YUPO Round over and spraying the back of the paper with the adhesive.

I then flip the paper so that it's upwards and adhere it to the center of the cotton board. I carefully press down with my hands and ensure every part of the paper has adhered correctly. In the rare case that it hasn’t, I keep liquid glue (Lineco Neutral pH Adhesive) beside me so more adhesive can be added to the corners of the round if needed. Once the piece has been finished and adhered, I have a rough idea of how it will look framed. Framing is a whole other process, I think it’s important to find a style and tone that best compliments the piece. There are thousands out there, so it’s always enjoyable hunting down the right one. Sometimes a simple moulding suits the artwork best and other times a frame with a little more character compliments the art just right.

 What your favorite media to use on YUPO?
My favorite media to use on Yupo paper is definitely alcohol ink. For the primary colors I use on YUPO Rounds, I enjoy using COPIC ink refills in the 12ml bottles. I drop them onto the YUPO Rounds and use a heat gun to drive the flow and direction of the piece. COPIC carries a variety of beautiful colors and shades. For the metallic accent tones, I usually use Jacquard Piñata Alcohol Ink.

Any struggles you come across with YUPO / any advice for other artists?

There are not too many struggles when it comes to YUPO. Alcohol ink tends to dry quite quickly on non-porous surfaces, so sometimes going back and fixing what we might see as mistakes can be quite a challenge. Although, I often think what we initially see as mistakes can be the most unique or beautiful part of a piece, it can be best to avoid redoing anything and just see where it takes you! It is a good way of pushing you to be okay with being imperfect when it comes to creating. My advice is even if you do not like how it’s turning out at the beginning or midway through, just keep going and you might surprise yourself!

YUPO Medium Round is available in 74lb/197gsm, in both 8" and 12" diameter.

Printmaker, Kathy Anderson, Uses Somerset for Linocuts and Etchings

Kathryn Anderson is a printmaking artist living and creating in Washington State in the US. She derives much inspiration from the beautiful Pacific Northwest region. Her work reflects her love for the natural world and her connections to the animals who inhabit it.Birds, forests, myth, and magic are often recurring themes in her work.

How did you come across Somerset?

{KA} There is a wonderful community of artists on Instagram! I have come to know the work of so many talented printmakers all over the world. I have found that printmakers are very kind and willing to share their knowledge about how they create their beautiful work and are quite patient about responding to my questions.

Among the artists whose work I truly admire, and I’ve often found that Somerset paper was a recurring theme of their successful work. Once I tried Somerset papers with my linocut prints and etchings I was hooked!

What qualities does Somerset have that works with your techniques?

{KA} Somerset papers are consistently perfect. The quality is exceptional, and the range of colors and textures allows me to use Somerset paper with both linocut prints and etchings. I can confidently know that my editions will be archival, consistent, and clean.

Somerset Satin is sized perfectly for linocut, and the Somerset velvet and textured papers can be dampened to work beautifully for etchings while yielding sharp fine details.

What is your favorite type of Somerset and why?

{KA} I use Somerset Satin paper exclusively for creating linocut prints. I’ve tried lots of other papers and Somerset Satin is far and away my favorite. The delicious smoothness of the surface is the perfect receptor for the ink and yields wonderfully sharp, clean prints. I love the weight of the paper too; it is strong and stable.

I teach linocut classes and I provide Somerset Satin paper for my students. There are a lot of variables that affect the print quality, but by starting them off with the best paper, their first experience with linocut printing is a positive one with great outcomes!

What is your process like?

Linocut

ETCHING

Watch Kathy’s Aquatint Process.

2022 Holiday Gift Guide for Artists!

  1. Legion Tees: These unisex tees feel like they’ve been in your closet before you even take them out of the package. Designed with super-soft, ring-spun cotton, each shirt is a short-sleeved crew neck that delivers unrelenting comfort to your artsy torso.

  2. Sample Books: Artists need to touch and feel every step of their process and that begins with their supplies. These collections have been handpicked from over 4,000 papers for the express purpose of getting these select few into the hands of creators everywhere. Literally. We encourage each one to experiment, test and create on a small scale today so they can make big plans for their art tomorrow. Our sample collections curated by application and color.

  3. Mini Pads: The PERFECT stocking stuffer for your artist or creative. These adorable 2.5” x 3.75” are available in all 15 Legion Artist Pads including brands Stonehenge, Stonehenge Aqua, YUPO & Lenox. A great size for traveling and tiny art!

  4. DIY Ornaments: Everyone loves a handmade gift. Watch this tutorial to create your own ornaments using YUPO. You’ll also get to showcase your art on a friends tree!

  5. Mini Pad Sets: Have an artist that already has a brand or medium they love? Give your watercolor artist our Stonehenge Aqua set, give your colored pencil artist our Stonehenge set and your alcohol ink artist our YUPO set.

  6. Artist Pad Set: The Legion Artist Pad Collection consists of a set of thirteen 9x12 drawing and watercolor pads, including the renowned Stonehenge, Lenox, Yupo, Stonehenge Aqua and the NEW Stonehenge Oil papers, it offers every artist a glorious range of untouched, unrivaled and, perhaps, unexplored surfaces. Hand-wrapped and available for a very holiday-friendly price of less than $100 (separately over $200).

Turn Your Art Into Prints

Tell us about yourself and your art!

My name is Elizabeth Karlson, I am an artist from Northern Illinois. I create calming, ethereal abstract artworks using primarily alcohol ink.

What materials do you use for your artwork & prints?

I create most of my paintings on synthetic paper, like Yupo! My favorite paper to use for prints is Moab Entrada Rag Bright White.

Why do you print your artwork?

I print my work because it provides a cost effective option for those that have a limited budget. It also allows me to print copies of my work and share them to people all around the world.

What is your process for printing your art?

  1. I start by scanning my artwork on my Epson v39 scanner at a high resolution, like 2400dpi. This allows me to take small images and be able to print them at a large scale.

  2. I open the scan TIF file in photoshop and edit out pieces of microscopic dust, hairs and fuzz. It usually takes me at least an hour to edit the image, sometimes much more than that depending on the image.

  3. Once I have my image finished, I open a new document in my desired print size, then paste my image onto that document and crop it to the correct size. I print on Moab Entrada Rag Bright White using my Epson Surecolor P900. I can print images up to 17” in studio.

  4. If a customer wants a print larger than this I use a company called Finerworks. With Finerworks, I can order prints in very large sizes, the print quality is great and you can select your favorite paper or material to print on.

Advice for artists that wants to start printing.

My advice to artists that want to start printing their work- always get a good image of your artwork. I recommend getting a scanner, this way you can have high resolution images and make an image portfolio. For larger works you can take a picture using a digital camera and a tripod so the image is sharp.

You don’t need to invest in a fancy printer at the start, you can find great companies online or local print shops and take your file to be printed there. (Here ‘s a list of photo labs printing on Moab Paper.)

Having a good image makes all the difference, you can use it for prints/ reproductions, licensing deals and a variety of other things.

Get a flash drive, hard drive, or upgrade your cloud space so you can store all your images there for easy access. You never know when a customer or potential client wants to work with you and you’ll be prepared with a high resolution image portfolio.

Stonehenge Oil: Learn from the Artists

Stonehenge Oil is light, durable 100% cotton that welcomes layers and layers of brushwork while retaining every detail.

Stonehenge Oil doesn’t just do what a canvas can do. It allows you to do so much more and to do it without the need for primer or gesso (That’s right: Zero prep required).

Learn from artists how they are using Stonehenge Oil and why.

Courtney Myers

Tell us about yourself and your work.

My name is Courtney Myers and I am an oil painter. I would say that up until this year I have specialized in landscape painting, but recently I have been trying to branch out and improve my skills in still life and portraiture. 

What materials do you use with Stonehenge Oil?

When painting on Stonehenge Oil Paper, I used my typical oil paint (Winsor and Newton Artist Oils) along with my usual underpainting method which consists of using a mixture of oil paint and mineral spirits. 

How does Stonehenge Oil compare to previous surfaces you were using?

In the past, I have painted on stretched canvas, and canvas panels. I found that painting on Stonehenge Oil Paper was much smoother than painting on a canvas surface.

Why does Stonehenge Oil work well for you?

Stonehenge Oil Paper was absolutely incredible because of it's smoothness. One additional quality that I discovered was that photographing/filming my work on Stonehenge Oil was so much easier than a canvas because although my painting was still wet, it looked matte. My experience with canvas is that it can be difficult photographing my work because I get a bright glare off of my artwork.

What’s your process like in creating a piece?

When painting on Stonehenge Oil Paper, I used my normal process that I would use on canvas. First I sketched out my composition with graphite pencils and set the sketch with a workable fixative. Next, I used an imprimatura underpainting method to give the paper an even wash of an orange/brown color to paint on top of. Lastly, I painted on top of that with my oil paints. The only thing that I did not do that I typically would do on canvas was varnish my finished artwork. 

Advice for artists using Stonehenge Oil.

My advice for anyone using Stonehenge Oil would be to be aware of how much it absorbs. The paper held up amazingly when I toned it with oil paints and mineral spirits (there was absolutely no warping) but next time I paint on Stonehenge Oil, I'll use a thinner underpainting mixture so my underpainting isn't too dark. 

Tell us about yourself & your art.

I’m an artist and instructor from South Carolina. I’m a portrait artist who explores the relationship and intertwining Nature of light and shadow and the composition as a whole. 

What materials do you use with Stonehenge Oil?

I’ve used Winsor and  Newton water miscible oil paints and charcoal with Stonehenge oil.

How does Stonehenge Oil compare to previous surfaces you were using?

Stonehenge is a great surface to work with compared to other oil surfaces without the prep. 

Why does Stonehenge Oil work well for you?

Stonehenge paper is convenient. It allows me to create custom sizes without using standard sizes and canvases easily. Stonehenge paper can also be stretched over stretcher bars if I still crave the canvas bounce. 

What’s your process like in creating a piece?

I can’t recall there being anything special I do differently with Stonehenge vs. other oil substrates. I begin my process by figuring out the dimensions for the painting that best works for the overall composition. I start sketching with a soft pencil or charcoal to avoid scratching the paper as it is very soft. I seal my drawing with a fixative if I haven’t drawn the composition directly with oil first, then I paint. 

Advice for artists using Stonehenge Oil.

Stonehenge is very soft as it is 100% cotton, so you have to be careful not to use any hard materials to scratch the surface that could be seen in the finished product. 

Stonehenge oil is very absorbent, so it allows for more time to work the oil paint before overworking it into mud or moving to new layers faster. 

Stephen Bauman

Stephen Bauman is a classically trained artist that spent 12 years as an instructor in the drawing and painting program of the The Florence Academy of Art. In addition to that, Stephen was the director of the Anatomy & Ecorche Department for 6 years, first in Sweden and then in the USA. In 2020 he left the academy to focus on his efforts on my art career & online courses.

Why does Stonehenge Oil work well for your art?

Legion's Stonehenge Oil paper is my undisputed go to for alla prima and direct oil painting. It holds the brushstrokes perfectly and allows me to work up even gradients unlike any other surface I've worked on.

Why do you prefer Stonehenge Oil over a primed Canvas?

The primary difference between stonehenge Oil and oil primed linen is absorbance. Oil Primed Linen is slick and more difficult to get a pure opaque color onto at the 1st application. This means painting alla prima (in 1 session) is more challenging. Stonehenge Oil absorbs the oil more and so you can lay down clear color values better.

Do you stretch Stonehenge Oil?

Yes, the process is very similar to stretching any paper. Here’s a tutorial on stretching Stonehenge Oil and painting on Stonehenge Oil.