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Workshop on Paste Paper.

On March 18th, 2000, members of the Niagara Calligraphy Guild met at Scottlea Presbyterian Church for an all-day workshop. Guild members shared their skills in several demonstrations, all based on using paste to prepare paper with special colour effects as a prelude to calligraphy. Alice Muller and Christine Towndrow showed us how to prepare the working area. In order to work freely with paste, it is best to prepare a large area, covering a whole tabletop with a split plastic garbage bag. We used a large piece of Mayfair cover stock paper.

Two kinds of paste were tested. One was Rosscraft Art Paste, and the other was Polypaste-Plus. Ross paste is primarily for paper mache, and Polypaste-Plus is used for wallpaper, among other things, and is available at paint stores. It seems that the ingredient in both is methyl- cellulose, and so we might expect that the paste, when dry, becomes one in substance with the paper itself, since paper is cellulose. Those who have worked with these pastes say that once they are dry, they do not become viscous again if wet. Several batches of paste were prepared. There were instructions for preparing paste for paper mache, but for our purposes we wanted a thinner mix, a little lighter than corn-syrup in consistency. Each of us had two cups of paste, one clear, the other mixed with a water-solluble paint, whether ink, acrylics or watercolours.

We thoroughly covered the paper with clear paste right to the edge. While it was still wet, we applied paste mixed with various colours of paint. We worked the paint with found objects, such as combs and cookie-cutters to achieve various textures. This by itself created many interesting designs, but we went a step further. While the first sheet of paper was still covered with wet paste and paint, we could press other sheets of paper on top in order to lift prints. The original piece of paper could still be interesting in its own right after being used as a source for other prints. When dry, the resulting paper took ink very well, although members reported that linen paper did not work well, probably because in this process it lost its original sizing.

Cookie-cutter patterns

The next demonstration also involved paste and colour. Christine Towndrow used white glue mixed with water, and either wrapping paper or the kind of brown paper used for grocery bags. She crushed a piece of paper into a ball and dipped it into the mix long enough to thoroughly wet it, though not long enough to make it soggy and fall apart. Then she spread the paper flat on a plastic sheet and worked on it with water-based media, Winsor Newton inks and gold guache. This crinkled kraft paper would be great as wrapping paper.

Valerie Vanhartingsveldt then demonstated various wet-on-wet watercolour techniques. This is the application of water-based paints to a wet paper surface. She achieved surprising effects by spreading epsom salts on wet colour, which would create a frosty effect and bleach out colour in interesting patterns. Another effect was obtained by applying a crinkled plastic film (such as Saran wrap) to the wet paint and applying pressure. While the Saran wrap was in place, she used a hairdryer to accelerate the drying. This is best done from the back, to prevent the plastic wrap from being blown off. The effect was like rays of light reflected under water in different directions by waves on the surface.

Wet on Wet

Val then demonstrated paper dyeing. She prepared small vats of foodcolour diluted with water. The paper was a light absorbent paper, such as that used to cover the table in a doctor's examination room. The paper was folded many times over, and here there is room for creativity, whether folding squares or triangles, or vaious combinations in order. The paper is dipped successively in different dyes. Val advised us to dip in the lightest colour (yellow) first. When the paper was dipped in water before dipping in dye, it resulted in lighter pastel shades.

Food Dye

Mike Whittington then demonstrated paper marbling using paste. First, he filled a tray with clean water and added to this Polypaste-Plus, the proportion is about one and a half teaspoons to a half-gallon of water. He then prepared several batches of water-based paint, in this case, acrylics; a small squirt of paint mixed a little water so that the resulting mixture is like 'half and half' cream. He also took a small cup of clean water and added to that a couple of drops of dish washing liquid. He then took a couple of drops of this and added it to the acrylic mixture.. When all this was done he tested the mixtures by carefully placing one drop of the acrylic mixture on top of the water/paste mixture. It should spread out on the surface. If not add a little more of the diluted dish washing water to the acrylic paint mixture, or add a little more Polypaste-Plus to the water in the tray. When a film of paint would remain and spread on the surface of the water, this was a sign that enough paste mixture had been added. Then he dropped paint carefully onto the water and raked the surface with various objects to create swirling patterns. At any point, a piece of paper could be gently laid on the surface of the water. It would pick up the film of paint. Then he washed the glue solution off the paper under running water for a few seconds. The paint film would still adhere to the paper.

Marbled Paper using Acrylic Paint as described above

Mike also demonstrated an interesting effect. He took the cup of water with a tiny drop of dish detergent. When he placed a drop onto the surface it would spread and push the marbled paint outward, creating a clear window. The resulting marbled paper would have a clear area which could be used to advantage for calligraphy. When making many sheets of marbled paper, it is sometimes necessary to clean up the paint on the surface. He folded a strip of newspaper and gently skimmed the surface to clear it of paint.

In the last demonstration, Christine Towndrow showed the effects of metallic acrylic paints and metallic dust on black paper. The technique was basically the same as in the first demonstration. She sprinkled bronze powder on a sheet that was still wet with paste. Metallic acrylics could be worked into the wet surface in various ways, and the paper could be folded over onto itself to press the paint into new patterns. The paint could also be worked with combs, feathers, a bundle of cut elastic bands and other found objects. Other sheets of paper could be applied to create interesting effects. Metallic acrylic paints are available in a surprising array of hues.

Hugh MacDonald