"Stupid tape!!!"

Dearest Alex,

I'm sure you know that I use the green painter's tape to tape down my paper before I work with watercolour. Well, the stupid tape got unstuck when I was not there to see it, and now my page is all wrinkled!!! I spent a week painting three drawings (because they all belong to the same illustration) at the same time. Now, one of them is wrinkled and I have no idea what to do...

I've watered the page, and have pressed it with a heavy book (the way I press flowers, or leaves if I wish to preserve them), hoping that it may flatten the paper. However, several things may result from this desperate attempt:

1. This crazy idea may work.

2. The paper may flatten, but the paint will be peeled off.

3. I will have to re-trace all three drawings in ink (2 days of work) and begin again.

Option 2 is preferable to option 3. Maybe I can somehow repaint the missing layer of paint and get it to the same consistency as the other two paintings. However, that will also result in wasted time, and if it doesn't work, I will have to fall back on option 3.

I love this paper I am using, but I don't know how to tape the paper so the tape does not peel off when the drawing is wet, but it peels easily when the drawing is dry. Any suggestions?

We artists need a scientist to solve this little problem for us. So, if whoever is reading this is a scientist looking for the next big invention: Get cracking!

Will report my results (hopefully soon).

At the brink of frustrated tears,

M