We're a small shop. Lately we've been getting more work from a local art conservator. I usually use Lineco gummed paper hinges when hinging artwork. They frown on them, so put rice paper hinges on anything they send over. I don't want to go to the trouble of mixing up paste for just one piece as they would only be needed once or twice a week. They said they'd show me how to cook paste and what rice paper to use, which is great, but I don't see the drawbacks of the pre-gummed ones. Enlighten me.
Drawbacks of gummed paper hinges?
- Thread starter Echobelly
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You don't know what's in it plus you cannot feather the edges like wet torn tissue .... and you have no control over weight, color or adhesive density - I'm not sure about rice paper - the best IMO is handmade japanese tissue made from 100% kozo.
There is plenty on the subject if you use the search facility (also frowned on here LOL) but if a conservator is telling you it's not the best (it's not the worst either) then ???
If you keep a stock of different Japanese tissue and pre- tear lengths, you can use it instead of any pre gummed tape - it's just as convenient once you've cooked the paste, which is minutes each day (or whatever). Cost per job is sometimes even less than the pre-gummed stuff.
There is plenty on the subject if you use the search facility (also frowned on here LOL) but if a conservator is telling you it's not the best (it's not the worst either) then ???
If you keep a stock of different Japanese tissue and pre- tear lengths, you can use it instead of any pre gummed tape - it's just as convenient once you've cooked the paste, which is minutes each day (or whatever). Cost per job is sometimes even less than the pre-gummed stuff.
Greg Fremstad
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Read the article on the frametek web pages about hinging. What the museums has taught the framing industry does not answer the problems of customers turning the framed art up side down or sideways as they leave your shop or damage during shipping.
You want to keep the conservators happy, as they might send you high-end clients for whom money is not a concern.
That's how it's worked for me.
That's how it's worked for me.
Exactly! I even told the conservator that unless the artwork he sends will be handled by professional art handlers after framed, all works will not only be hinged at the top, but halfway down each side. This was after watching him put some frames on the back seat of his car sideways.
I always give a little gentle instruction on proper handling after something has been framed. Most people seem to appreciate it.
Accept their offer to show you how to cook paste and how to prepare and use Japanese tissue hinges. You will never use gummed paper tape again! You can organise your work so that you hinge everything one day per week or even every two weeks. Soon you will begin to dream about starch paste because it is so wonderful.
Greg Fremstad
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Two of the best things about wheat starch paste is that the world has over 2000 years of history and that a hinge can be reversed with no damage to the art.
One way to make mixing the starch feel more worthwhile is to charge enough. When I price for mulberry hinging with rice starch, I do a price per hinge, times number of hinges. Then, I separately add a fee for preparing the starch. I figure ten minutes for that, as shop time. There are times when I do multiple jobs from one batch, and if I want, I can always lower that quoted amount at final payment. Pricing for a whole batch with each job makes it worth doing. Will also note that, like you, we're a small shop.
The gummed paper hinging tape is often too strong for the work being hinged.
The gum itself is a vegetable starch that penetrates the paper of the item being hinged much more aggressively than wheat or rice starch.
I mix hinging starch as needed in very small quantities. A half teaspoon of the powdered starch to 2-2.5 teaspoons of distilled water in a small glass bowl and after letting it soak for a few minutes zap it in the microwave in short intervals being sure to stir in between. 5-8 seconds per. Takes a couple minutes.
The gum itself is a vegetable starch that penetrates the paper of the item being hinged much more aggressively than wheat or rice starch.
I mix hinging starch as needed in very small quantities. A half teaspoon of the powdered starch to 2-2.5 teaspoons of distilled water in a small glass bowl and after letting it soak for a few minutes zap it in the microwave in short intervals being sure to stir in between. 5-8 seconds per. Takes a couple minutes.
Micah
True Grumbler
Have you considered using a premade glue, like Nori? Nori is a rice glue and it meets the important criteria: It is acid-free, water-soluble, reversible. It has a sort of gel-like consistency which keeps it from soaking through the paper (when put on in a thin coat) and it is repositionable while wet. It saves you the hassle of cooking wheat starch glue.
Nori is the generic term used for starch based adhesives, in particular rice and wheat starch pastes. Washi is the generic term for Kozo papers (Mulberry bark).
Is there a prepared paste called Nori that doesn't have any additives to keep it from spoiling? Those additives would be what keep it from being pure starch paste.
Do you know that is in the consumer craft industries product "Nori paste"?
The wheat or rice powdered glues that most of use are not adulterated with any other ingredients such as stabilizers and preservatives.
The wheat or rice powdered glues that most of use are not adulterated with any other ingredients such as stabilizers and preservatives.
Micah
True Grumbler
I was referring to Yasutomo's nori paste. It surely has additives for preservation but I understand that they do not raise conservation concerns . . . though I don't know for sure!
Thanks! That's exactly what I wanted to know!
monkey
CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
I find it interesting that a conservator is asking you to hinge their artwork, using conservation methods. I hope you are charging enough for your time. Conservators charge something like $200 - $300/hour.
I referred a customer to a conservator, who I have worked with, to just apply Japanese paper hinges with wheat starch paste for floating. After the hinges were applied the customer brought the artwork back to me for framing where the artwork would be floated. He said the conservator charged him something like $300. I hinge artwork all the time using Japanese paper and starch paste. The reason I sent him to the conservator is because it is extremely difficult to apply starch past hinge to artwork without it showing through the front. I explained this to my customer and gave him the option of going to the conservator I work with. Gummed tapes are a lot more forgiving. The artwork was extremely valuable.
By the way, the conservator did an amazing job with the hinges. I couldn't see where the hinges were places from the front.
I referred a customer to a conservator, who I have worked with, to just apply Japanese paper hinges with wheat starch paste for floating. After the hinges were applied the customer brought the artwork back to me for framing where the artwork would be floated. He said the conservator charged him something like $300. I hinge artwork all the time using Japanese paper and starch paste. The reason I sent him to the conservator is because it is extremely difficult to apply starch past hinge to artwork without it showing through the front. I explained this to my customer and gave him the option of going to the conservator I work with. Gummed tapes are a lot more forgiving. The artwork was extremely valuable.
By the way, the conservator did an amazing job with the hinges. I couldn't see where the hinges were places from the front.
Typically, conservators I work with remove old hinges more than they apply new ones. Removing them w/o damaging (skinning) the paper requires real skill.
I'm to the point now where hinging/tear repair is a snap and just requires patience and time. I had an ink painting on gauzy thin paper last year that required floating.
I was in a little doubt over doing an invisible hinge but I just followed the rule of using a paper similar to that I was hinging to and it went very well.
It's good skill to develop and you really gain confidence from customers in doing so.
I'm to the point now where hinging/tear repair is a snap and just requires patience and time. I had an ink painting on gauzy thin paper last year that required floating.
I was in a little doubt over doing an invisible hinge but I just followed the rule of using a paper similar to that I was hinging to and it went very well.
It's good skill to develop and you really gain confidence from customers in doing so.
Bruce Papier
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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If you're worried about the shelf life of rice paste, see if you can get a sample of Klucel-G. It's soluble in alcohol so it can sit for an extended period of time and not spoil. It also eliminates a lot of the worry of cockling.
Mary Beth van der Horst
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
I was hesitating answering with this because of the professional opinions about Klucel-G being too strong. It seems some but not all conservators like the stuff. Open up a conversation with the conservator you are working with to get their take. If they give a green light to work with it, I've been playing with it alot and you can see all of my notes in a very comprehensive thread... here.