I found a description of stretching watercolor paper in Mary Whyte's book Watercolor for the Serious Beginner. She explained that watercolor paper over a small size - up to 5 x 7"
or 8 x 10" will ripple even if it is mounted on a block if you do not stretch it. and I have found that this is true. She demonstrated how she does this on watercolor foam board with wet paper (under a kitchen faucet will do, both sides) hold it up untill extra water runs off. When it turns from shiny to matt the paper ha absorbed the water and stretched. Then place it down on foam board and staple it down from the middle of the sides out working back and forth, gently smoothing out any ripples. Then wait ~ 24 hours to paint on it. and it works great! You can do a large wash without the paper rising up in areas causing back washes.
So, I went to my local art stores and they did not have watercolor foam in stock. My husband happened to be with me and he has had a lot of building experience. He said that he thought I could get something at Home Depot or Lowes that would work and be a fraction of the cost. So, we went to Home Depot, purchased a sheet of Corning Foam 24 x 96", took it home, cut it into 6 16 x 24" pieces, stapled some wet 14 x 20"sheets of Fabriano Artistico cold press watercolor paper removed from my block, let it dry 24 hours and it works beautifully. This is the watercolor I did of the pot of fragrant herbs and edible flowers. it is on a sheet of stretched 14 x 20" watercolor paper.
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