Instructions for Wall Chine Collé Using Starched- based Glue Compiled by Sean Caulfield, University of Alberta 1) Materials/Supplies a) Papers for the paste- up: Generally thin washi (rice paper) papers such a kozo, mulberry or gampi works best for this process. Rag papers can be used, however, they are much more difficult to take down because water needs to soak through the front of the paper in order to remove the work from the wall. b) A tube of Yamato rice paste (actually made with tapioca). In theory any starch based, water soluble glue should work; however, I know from experience that the Yamato brand is very effective for this purpose. In the U.S. it can be ordered from McLain s Printmaking Supplies. (Look under nori paste) c) Spray bottle d) Several towels e) Rags f) A piece of clear acetate or dry brush mylar that is cut to be slightly bigger than the largest print you are planning to paste- up. g) Level and pencil h) Two wide brushes (hake brushes work best) i) Squeegee that is approximately 5 to 10 inches long. j) A friend to help! (It is really a two person job, but it is possible to do alone if the print is no too large)
2) Getting Started a) Place some marks on the wall with a pencil in order to have a guide for pasting- up your print. It is helpful to use a level at this point to ensure the final print installed correctly. b) Mix the Yamato paste at a ratio of about 60% water to 40% glue. It is surprising how little glue you need to adhere the print to the wall, and also it is important to remember that the thinner you make the glue the easier it will be to take off the wall later. With this in mind, you might experiment by increasing the amount of water in the mixture (70% water), particularly if the print will only be up for a short period of time. On the other hand, if you are doing a more permanent installation, or adhering to a rough surface such as cement, you can increase the amount of glue in the mixture to ensure the print does not lift with changing humidity conditions. (For example, I have done installations at public galleries that have been up for several years, and for these I used a larger percentage of glue in the mixture.)
3) Applying the Glue a) Place the print face down on the center of the acetate. Begin to wet paper with the spray bottle starting in the middle of the print. Use one of the hake brushes (one brush for water only) to work out wrinkles as you move to the edges of the print. Once the print has been wet and is lying flat on the acetate take one of the towels and blot the print dry. The paper should be wet but not too wet before you apply the glue as too much water can impact the effectiveness of the paste. b) Apply the glue using the other hake brush (one brush for glue only) along the edges of the print. Apply glue in an area only about 2 or 4 inches in from the edge of the print. It is important to note that you do not have to apply glue over the entire surface of the print as this will make it much more difficult to remove later. However, if you are doing a more permanent installation you can apply the glue across the entire surface of the paper starting in the middle of the print and working out to the edges. c) Clean the edges of the acetate by spraying a little water on a rag and wiping the excess glue off.
4) Pasting the Print to the Wall a) While the glue is still wet pick up the acetate sheet by the edges and carry it to the wall. (The print will stay fixed to the acetate because it is wet.) b) At this point have your assistant hold either the top or the bottom of the acetate slightly away from the wall (depending on where you placed your pencil marks). The take the other end of the acetate and place it against the wall. Press the print against the wall, and slowly press the rest of the print down. (Moving up or down depending where your assistant is holding the acetate.) c) Once the entire print is in contact, take your squeegee and apply pressure through the acetate against the wall. Work from the middle of the print out. d) Now it is time to slowly pull the acetate away from the print. If all goes well the print should stay on the wall and release from the acetate. If the print sticks to the acetate instead of the wall, try working from another edge instead. e) If you have placed the print incorrectly you can remove at this point without too much trouble as long as the work is still wet. If it dries then you must follow the removal instructions below. f) The finally step is to take a dry towel and blot the print against the wall (particularly around the edges where the glue is.) Do not worry if there are some small wrinkles or minor bubbles in center of the print that does not have glue. These will stretch out once the print dries.
Taking the Prints Down a) If the print was put up in sections, start removing the work by selecting one square and applying a generous amount of water to the surface using a spray bottle or soft brush. Some sections of the print will have edges that are overlapped by another print, so it is best to start with the outermost layer. In most cases this should be the bottom sections of the print. b) Continue to spray (wet) the surface of the print until all the paper changes to a darker tone. It is a good idea to have a sponge or a towel handy at this point to collect any extra water that might be dripping down from the wall. c) After a section of the print has had enough water applied to it WAIT about 10 to 15 minutes to allow the starch glue to release. It can help to spray some additional water at this time to be sure the surface stays wet. As you are waiting you can also begin to spray the next section of the print. d) Start to remove the print from the wall by carefully lifting an edge, and then peel the paper away from the wall. If paper fibers start to separate, and some of the paper is left on the wall, it is best to wait a bit longer and add more water. However, if you have waited long enough, the glue should release easily and the print can be pulled from the wall without too much difficulty. (If a few fibers stay on the wall the can be cleaned later with a sponge.) e) Once you have removed one section of the print place it FACE down on a clean section of the floor (or on a clean piece of blotting paper or newsprint), and let it dry. The paper should take about 30 to 60 minutes to dry and then the glue will no longer be active and the paper can be rolled.