The number of amazingly cool things you can do with Yupo never ceases to amaze me! I am so glad the Yupo Corporation finally decided to sell their magnificent product to the masses - it was a major pain trying to secure even a small amount of this glorious un-paper just a few years ago. It remains the same amazing surface, but the world is free to experiment with it. And experiment we have!
Yupo is considered a synthetic "paper" - but no trees are used in it. It seems to have a limitless shelf life - at least I haven't realized what it is yet. I was lucky enough to get a piece of this about eight (?) years ago - and I only used small pieces of it that I had cup apart. The remaining parts of the sheet, while small, are still as good as they were the day it arrived. It is also amazing to print on - the way ink appears to leap off the page is gorgeous! I know it is also used for product packaging, labels, etc - but I can't speak much to those purposes. I'm more familiar with using it as one of my all time favorite art substrates! Yupo is incredibly smooth, is available in opaque (bright white) and translucent versions, and is heavenly glossy. (I love them both!) You can't tear it, can wipe it off, can get it in different sizes and various thicknesses, and is waterproof. You can also recycle it. (Are you starting to understand why this is definitely worthy of five stars??)
Makes die cutting delicious - the shapes will cut out so easily, and unlike regular paper it won't tear when you pull out the littlest details. It takes paint unlike anything else - using watercolors is a whole new experience. It's as easy to remove an entire area of watercolor, as it is to expand a portion that you like. Accepts acrylics like a dream - acrylics are more "permanent" than watercolors. By that I mean acrylics seem to be more stable on Yupo, although I have noticed that some colors/acrylics appear to be more flat when they dry. I don't know if this is due to the paint or the color - I need to experiment further with my acrylics and Yupo. And alcohol inks? YUUUMMM! These are some of my favorites to use on Yupo - the results can't be replicated with any other surface (that I have found). I also like using ink - Ph Martin's Hydrus is fantastic! I also enjoy using Sharpies and then spraying/misting with alcohol. Graphite is accepted and makes shading very easy. For being so glossy, Yupo is surprisingly forgiving, but also grabs onto pencil marks like a champ. Oh - and it doesn't curl or warp!
Easy to cut and bend or crease. I want to say it's Oragami-ish, but I don't mean it's Origami paper. This is better! It's wonderful to paint the Yupo, then cut it out (after tracing a pattern lightly onto it)...what kind of pattern, you ask? A pattern for something that FLOATS, of course! Yes, Yupo floats! Lamps/lanterns, 3D sculptures, home decor, paper dolls/clothes, books, paper sculptures, decoupage, paint pens, metallics...the list is as endless as the creativity of the people who use it. And remember CitraSolve? (It was somewhat popular in mixed media art circles several years ago.) It makes magically funky marks on Yupo!
My favorite technique using Yupo? I found it in Darlene McElroy's book, Image Transfer Workshop: Mixed Media Techniques for Successful Transfers. (I highly recommend this book. http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1600611605?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages01) Anyway, Ms McElroy calls it "Yupo Skin". Basically, you use watercolors, acrylics, and/or oil pastels to create a background image. Once thoroughly dry, spray with workable fixative. Once the fixative dries, spray it with another coat. Use a palette knife to apply a thick coat of gloss gel...you know how a thick coat of gel is white, obscuring the image beneath? Yeah, that's what you want. Once the thick coat is dry (completely clear), peel your new "skin" from the Yupo. No, Yupo isn't actually used in the final image - but the "skins" you can make are just fascinating! You can adhere the "skin" to anything, or you can wrap the "skin" around something, or roll/fold it. (You can attach it by using gel.)
I really want to try this technique with other media - especially alcohol inks, but there is a long list! I'm not sure if it's my very favorite because it was the first time I ever heard of Yupo and worked with it, or if it's just one really cool technique...but the results are incredibly interesting and versatile. I love, love, love it!
So if you are looking for a new supply to create with, give Yupo a try. There are endless things you can do with it - and infinite techniques that go along with what you can make. (Use any of the gajillions of painting techniques on the Yupo, then make your own pattern to cut out the pieces to make a pendant lamp...then make another pendant lamp using a totally different painting technique.) There are tons of tutorials out there just waiting for you to read or watch...and best of all, there is always room for you to publish your own!
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Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2015
Size: 5x7 inVerified Purchase
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Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2015
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Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2018
See customer image for an example of an A2 birthday card that I created using Yupo paper and alcohol ink to paint the background. (The sea critters were colored and cut from 80 lb. card stock).
Size: 5x7 inVerified Purchase
Perfect size for my greeting card backgrounds
By ealovitt on July 15, 2018
I took an art class in alcohol inks, and Yupo paper was highly recommended, although some smooth-surfaced photographic paper can also be used. The size of this Legion Yupo Polypropylene Pad works for me, because 90% of the greeting cards that I design are either A2 (5.5" x 4.25") or A7 (5" x 7").By ealovitt on July 15, 2018
See customer image for an example of an A2 birthday card that I created using Yupo paper and alcohol ink to paint the background. (The sea critters were colored and cut from 80 lb. card stock).
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Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2015
Size: 5x7 inVerified Purchase
