3:02 PM: today i experimented with a roll of heavier paper i found hiding in a corner a few weeks ago. it had a strong curl from being rolled tightly, so i had to tape it firmly to the wall. it requires a very different approach than the japanese paper, so this first attempt is somewhat heavy handed.
it gave me the feeling that i should try this scroll shape using oil on canvas, which i haven't done in a while. i ofund a partially used roll of claessens brand primed linen, which i may try tomorrow.
3:29 PM: as i looked at it, i found it too disjointed. probably a result of attempting to do with gouache on heavy paper what i had been doing on delicate japanese paper, which requires a lighter touch. so i went over the entire surface with a light wash of acrylic white mixed with flesh color. that's a tricky thing to do over gouache, since the brush will inevitably pick up some of the underlying color and, potentially, create a mess.
it did work, in the sense that the scroll is now more muted, and from afar gives the impression of a tapestry. it was an experiement and, as such, is an interesting artifact of my current process.