No one wants to use crumpled, rolled, or wrinkled paper for an art project. So, if you’re faced with the same problem, how would you bring back the paper’s original condition so that you can proceed with the task? You know so well that flattening it with your hand is not enough. The good thing is that there are certain steps you can take on how to flatten wrinkled paper. If you’re ready, let’s begin with the following.
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How to flatten wrinkled paper?
One of the most common solutions that many of us do is putting the paper under a pile of books. However, it doesn’t solve the problem, and there will still be wrinkles left on the paper. it is just frustrating and stressful, especially if you’ve just accidentally crumpled a ready artwork. Don’t worry because you can easily restore the paper’s condition in no time. Check out the following to get started.
Iron It
Did your kid accidentally turn your art into a paper airplane? Did you throw away the drawing accidentally, now it’s crumpled, and you want to restore it? Check out the following on how to iron it, one of the best ways to flatten the wrinkled paper.
Place and flatten your paper under a dry towel. However, check that it has smoothen out properly to avoid adding more wrinkles to your paper. Turn the iron on and set it to a low heat. When done, you can start pressing the iron – and in a circular motion. Keep doing it for about one minute, and then recheck the condition of the paper.
Are there still wrinkles remaining? Press harder. You can also turn the heat up for a bit.
How to remove wrinkles on watercolor paper
This paper is commonly thick, and any crease or folds can be visible. It is also the reason that watercolor can easily seep through the spaces. Although you might be thinking that placing your paper under books will work, it will not be enough. You’ll still notice wrinkles on the paper.
To remove the crumpled appearance, here is what you can do. But first, prepare some materials – water spray bottle, 2 white paper sheets or cardboard, flat boards/books (larger than your paper), drying area (table or flat surface).
To start, clean the drying area and ensure that there are no clutters in it. Then, put your first cardboard on the flat surface, and put the watercolor paper with your drawing. Its painted side facing the cardboard. Do this to prevent any of the drawing transferring on the surface as well as to ensure that the paper stays in place. Alternatively, use white paper in place of cardboard.
Spray over your paper, but ensure to cover the entire area before lightly spraying over it. For the spray, see to it that it’s a fine mist. Otherwise, you might dampen the entire paper if you would use a projected mist spray.
When done dampening the paper, you can get your second cardboard and put it over your drawing.
Now, get your books/weights, and get them on top of your white sheet/cardboard. Allow your paper to dry overnight. If you don’t have much time, you can let it dry for a couple of hours, but check if it dries completely after.
How to flatten warped paper
If you’ve used ordinary paper for your artwork, you might have noticed how easily it can be damaged or ripped when mishandled. The same goes when dealing with receipts printed on ordinary paper. So, if you’re faced with the problem of ordinary paper having wrinkles or is warped, you can try the following tips we’re sharing in the following.
Press the paper
For this method, you can use a fine mist spray bottle, weights/heavy books, and smooth-surface paper towels. To do it, put the paper on a dry and clean surface. Spray the paper lightly. Do not dampen the paper because you might rip it. But if your paper has colored ink, you must flip it before spraying lightly on its back portion.
When done, you must slip the paper inside the paper towels so that water can be absorbed. However, do not use paper towels with rough texture or patterns, which can transfer to your paper.
Get your heavy books and use them to press the paper flat on the surface. Let the paper dry for a couple of hours. From time to time, check if the paper towels are so damp, and replace it with a dry paper towel.
Removing wrinkles on rolled paper
One of the best ways on how to restore rolled paper is not only by trying to uncurl it but in some more effective methods, which can be more effective to roll the paper out completely. You can use the following method to flatten it.
To do this, you need a steady, dry, and flat surface like a table, water, wire rack, a smaller container (*that fits inside the larger container), paper towels, and books/weights.
Get ready with your large container, and then pour water into it. Fill only ¼ of it. Then, put your smaller container inside the larger one. However, check that the rolled paper fits well inside your smaller container. On top of your wire rack/small container, put your rolled paper. See to it that your wire rack is slightly elevated.
Are you using a small container? Check that it’s deep to ensure that your paper won’t get wet. When done, cover your paper with plastic wrap.
You can now cover your larger container with a lid. That’s it! Just leave the container overnight. The next morning, open your large container, and then be able to remove the plastic wrap off your small container.
Do you feel that the paper has become soft? Put it back into the small paper, but no need to replace the plastic wrap. This will let the air inside.
Use tissue paper or paper towels, and then put them on the table or flat surface. Once done, you can take the rolled paper before unrolling or uncurling it on top of your paper towel or tissue. Put the boards or heavy books on top of the paper, especially on the corners or edges. Allow the process to work overnight.
Conclusion
Certainly, you can bring back the pristine condition of a wrinkled, rolled, or crumpled paper. Just follow the tips we’ve shared above and accomplish this task easier. Did you like this article? Share it on social media today!
