How do you deckle edges of paper?

Create a Post
C

Chuck T

True Grumbler
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
Posts
50
Loc
Jackson, Michigan
Hi all, I recently aquired a new piece of original artwork done on very good quality art paper. The overall size is 20 x 24 but the actual image is only 10 x 12. We are thinking about reducing it down to about 12 x 14, thus leaving 2 inches of white border around the image and float mounting it. It would look best if the edges were deckled. Is there any way we can deckle the edges ourselves? Thanks for any suggestions. Chuck T, Jackson Michigan
 
Hi Chuck,

Not a lot of framers are going to be comfortable cutting down a piece of original art. I don't think even Rebecca, our wizard conservator, can restore it to its original condition after that's done.

Having said that, if you and your customer and the artist and the supreme court have all agreed to do this, you can tear the paper along a straight-edge, a saw blade, a table edge or some other support. Which will work best will depend on the paper, so it'll require some experimentation. Some papers will tear best with a line of distilled water along the tear line.

If the process goes South (sorry, Charles) is the piece replaceable?
 
Hi Chuck,
The answer is yes...the question is: Have you considered the affect reducing the margins will have on the value of the work?

You are going to get all kinds of answers to that I would imagine. Altering the original in any way does affect value, and both you and the client should be in agreement on that before proceeding.

The proceeedure for deckling the edges involves a crisp edge to tear the paper against (usually a freshly cut piece of glass).
There are several theories.
One is to place the glass on the edge of a flat bench, drape the amount of margin to be removed over the edge of the glass, and using a slip-sheet under one hand to secure the paper from movement, tear the paper downward against the glass.
Another is to place the glass over the paper and tear upward.
A third has the glass under the paper and using your thumb nail in a scissor action against the glass, nibble off the desired amount of paper.
 
A quick lesson in paper making:

You have a vat of paper pulp suspended in water.

You also have a piece of fine mesh stapled to a wooden frame. This is the deckle.

Scoop some of the paper pulp onto the mesh, tap it a few tims to align the paper fibers, and allow the excess water to drain away.

The goopy mess on the mesh is going to have uneven edges. That's the deckle edge.

It's very difficult to simulate once the paper has dried. You would have to get the paper wet enough that the fibers separate rather than tear (i.e very wet) and then pull the two pieces apart.

Even then, you are going to get an edge that looks more feathered than deckled.

Are you sure you want to do this?

Kit
 
Thanks all for your quick responses. The particular piece is one that I acquired personally from the artist who recently visited our gallery. We have wanted one for our own home for a long time. He has been experimenting with a "new" technique. He told me the reason he left so much border around the image is to give the customer enough options to frame them as they wish, having no preferential criteria for framing/mounting. Having framed many of his originals and others, I would never entertain the thought of modifying an original piece, but under these circumstances and with the artist suggestions and approval, we chose to float it and try to deckle or feather the edges for the best presentation. Thanks once again for all the help and insight! Chuck T., Jackson Michigan
 
Ron, I took Paper Tearing 101 (Printmaking) in college. Of course then there was only one approved method of properly tearing the paper, but for the life of me, I can't remember which one. I blame it on the darkroom chemicals.
 
(Oh, man, am I going to regret this), I fully agree with Kit's assessment. I have never seen a fake deckled edge on any type of paper that didn't look exactly like what it was, fake.

Unless, you are satisfied with a straight sort of ill-cut looking edge on a sheet of paper, generally speaking, the only way to achieve a really authentic looking deckled edge is to form it during the making of the paper.

A true deckled edge is much more than a ragged looking straight edge on a piece of paper. It has an irregular edge of a non-repeating profile and is quite unique in its appearance and thickness. The edge fibers stick out much more than any attempt at "making" a deckled edge would allow. The overall appearance is so much different than anything you could ever do with a straight edge, piece of glass, "deckle" machine (is there any such animal??), or any other method used to try to make a "ragged" edge on the print paper.

Since I have sided with one of my good friends against 2 other good friends, I have to say that Wally and Ron are each and collectively correct in mentioning that you will, in all liklihood, ruin any collector or resale value that your art print has or will ever have in the future by trimming the margins.

Many print collectors will not even consider buying a secondary art market print is it has been mounted by any means. They are purests and don't want anything but the authentic print in its original print envelope with absolutely no marks of handling on it of any kind. I doubt very seriously that, should that image ever become a collector item, that yours would be worth anything at all with the margins trimmed.

Framerguy

P.S. OK, guys, I HAD to go with Kit on this one. She knew where the deckle came from and I made some once in the Boy Sprouts and ........... well, ......... anyway, she can't grow a full beard or walk around in public bald like us guys can! So, we're still budds, eh?? Still compadres?

C'mon, guys, there's absolutely no truth to that rumor that Markg1 started about me wearing gold lame PJ's!!

Oh, I almost forgot, Hey Chuckie T, welcome to the Grumble!!! :D
 
deckle edge
The feather edge or edges of a sheet of paper formed where the stock flows against the deckle, or, in handmade papers, by the stock flowing between the frame and the deckle of the mold. A simulated deckle edge may also be formed by means of a jet of water or air. Handmade paper usually has four deckle edges and machinemade paper, two; however, a machinemade paper can be manufactured with four simulated deckle edges. An "imitation" deckle edge is one produced on a dry sheet of paper by such means as tearing, cutting with a special type of knife that gives a deckle edge effect, sand blasting, sawing, etc.
Early printers looked upon the deckle edge as a defect, and almost invariably trimmed most of it off before binding; however, collectors wanted to see traces of the "deckle" as proof that the book had not been trimmed excessively, or CROPPED (1 , 2 ), as deep trimming was a notorious practice particularly in the 17th century (and even to this day). In the latter part of the 19th century, it became the fashion to admire the deckle edge for its own sake, and to leave books printed on handmade paper untrimmed. This left the book with ragged edges that collected dust, were unsightly (to some), and difficult to turn. In modern books, deckle edges are largely an affectation, and entirely so if the book is printed on machine-made paper. (17 , 82 , 94 , 102 )

http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/don/dt/dt0981.html
 
Simple answer, I have done a deckled effect on photos etc., even burned a few. None of great value. Hold the object facing you and tear the paper away from you. However large or small irregular or not to suit your desire. Since you have a lot of edge, you can practice.
 
I won't write about deckles, as that's already been done.

When one is working with the artist, I think it's ok to change the edges.

I recently trimmed the edges of an edition, at the written request of the artist. I practiced first, removing a narrower band of paper than would ultimately be desired.

Here is the technique I used, based on watercutting Japanese paper.

-using a straight edge, score a line along the paper where you want to tear it. I use a bamboo "hera", but the tip of a bamboo skewer works too.

-straight edge still in place, brush water along the score line.

-straight edge still in place, repeatedly score the now damp score line, until the paper is compact and "bruised" - kind of translucent.

-straight edge still in place (and held down heavily) pull the paper strip away. If it is "ready", it will pull away nicely and easily.

Rebecca
 
Thank all of you for your help and suggestions. I knew I could count on you.... makes me proud to be in the professional framing industry! Chuck T
 
I know I'm going to get beat up for this, but I've deckled the edge of some of my small watercolors using a Dremel tool with the sanding disc (lightly and carefully).While sanding the edge of the paper, it seems to be snowing in the room. With a little practice you can,t tell the dirrerence from the real thing. ( There I said it and I,m glad).
 
Tom, We have no argument. Paper is usually made in set sizes and they are often not proportionate to the needs of the artist. Tearing the paper in a way to best imitate the deckle edge has been common in printmaking since the art form began. You must admit it is much more appealing than a cut edge, eh?

Rebecca, thanks for the lesson.
 
You can actually get a more realistic "deckled" edge by tearing the paper off from the back. You could probably hold the art to a light source, make marks the distance out you want the edge (again, on the back, thus the reason to hold it to the light source), and then tear the paper against a straightedge. I have done this on a couple of my own pastels done on watercolor paper, and the result is pretty good. By tearing it from the backside, rather than the face, you eliminate the straight line you get when tearing against a straightedge.

Also, there are actually rulers on the market that are "serrated" for lack of a better word, with random curves and edges that are supposed to simulate the look of a deckled edge. Whereas the technique I suggested above used no water at all, it is best to use some water when using this "deckled edge" ruler, so that the fibers pull rather than tear straight.

Good luck.
 
I have a steel ruler with a Deckle edge cutting blade on one side called "Art Deckle" made by Design A Card Model #1002.

I bought it at our local art supply store. When you tear the paper along this ruler edge it gives you a perfect deckle edge.

Tearing paper is difficult mostly because paper has a grain to it and won't always tear evenly but this product actually works on almost any kind of paper.
 
It has been suggested to me that a good thing to use to tear the paper agaist ,in the abscence of any made to order device ,is a small toothed saw blade. It was further suggested that you move the paper about so as not to give too uniform an edge ,since real deckleing isn't at all uniform and is more randomly finished.
BUDDY
 
Create a Post
Back
Top