Reconstruction Processes
Table of Contents
Date and Time: Monday November 20, 2017 6pm
Location: Astoria
Subject: Soaking paper
I have been given five different kinds of paper by Naomi. In the table below, I have recorded how the paper texture was and how each of the paper reacted to a drop of water. Here, by reaction, I refer to how quickly it absorbs the water and how fast it spreads.
| Types of paper |
Texture |
Water absorption abilities |
| Newspaper Print |
It was neither rough nor smooth on touching. |
Water is immediately absorbed and it spreads |
| Unsized paper |
The texture is rough (unsized), it is much thicker than the newspaper print. The paper itself was also not straight. It was curved. |
Water spread immediately. |
| Gelatin-sized paper |
It is thicker than both newspaper print and unsized paper. It is rough and unlike regular paper, it was not malleable in terms of its shape. |
Water didn't go through, stayed on the top and only gradually went in. |
| Sketch paper |
It is very smooth and thin but not as thin as newspaper print. |
Water also took some time to absorn. |
| Cartridge paper |
It is both smooth and thick. |
Water also entered very slowly. |
| Paper pictures |
Paper on using one drop of water |
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Based on this brief comparison, paper that absorbed water best was newspaper print and unsized paper. I then soaked each of the paper in different tuppleware. I used tap water. I wasn't sure if there was supposed to be a measurement of water. Since the description says that the paper needs to be soaked, so I used enough water to soak the paper. Instead of crushing the paper, I cut it into small strips.
Newsprint scraps
Unsized scraps
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time:
Wednesday November 22, 2017 10:30am to 1:30pm
Location: Chandler 260Subject: Grinding paper
- Today, I took all the soaked paper to lab. I chose the newspaper print and the unsized paper. I took the biggest marble mortar and pestle. I began by crushing the newsprint. The entry didn't mention a specific consistency of the crushed paper. However, Jo Kirby's translation of Filippo Baldinucci's 1681 recipe mentions grinding it till it becomes "sort of paste."
- Since the scraps of paper still maintained its shape, I was not sure whether I would be able to grind it into a paste form.
- I grinded for 15-20 minutes by using small batches of soaked paper.
- It was much easier than I expected. The paper, on repeated grinding, became pulp like in its texture. It became a clump that stuck together. It also had a smell of pulp.
- I followed the same procedure for the unsized paper. The unsized paper looked different because on grinding and beating it, it became straight rather than clumping together.
| Newspaper |
Unsized paper |
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At this point, there were two different steps I followed. First is for the Baldinucci one and the second one is the author-practitioner's instructions. The reason for using the Baldinucci instruction is that it has more step by step instruction and clearer instruction.
First note here is following the Baldinucci instruction. The additional steps mentioned here that are lacking in the author-practitioner's entry are
a) Baldinucci recipe asks to put oil or melted wax on the mould to prevent the paper sticking to the mold.
b) It also asks using sponge to absorb excess water and then to let it dry.
This is the part of entry that I reconstructed.
- Depending on what your mould has been made from, paint a layer of melted wax on its surface (or you could try greasing or oiling it well, rather like a cake tin). If you don’t do this your paper mixture will stick. Press the paper mixture into the mould, then use a sponge to absorb excess water. Leave to dry.
Instead of melted wax, I used linseed oil. Using an oil brush, I painted the inside of the mold. I chose a wooden mold.
Once the mold was set, I used a regular cleaning sponge.
I repeated the same procedure with unsized pulp as well.
For the author-practitioner entry,
following is the verbatim copy:
"since you will have moulded it in the cavity, put a linen over it, & from the back, rub the back of the paper with a tooth, as if you wanted to burnish it, and it will mould very neatly. Then glue the cloth on the back with strong glue."
1. First, I didn't use oil so when I put the mixture, the wood became wet. This shows that the wood absorbed some of the water. My guess is that the author-practitioner might have used a metal mold or some other material that will not let the water seep. Although the image shows other dark coloring on the first two wood which is oil covered, that is the oil whereas the last one is water.
2. I used Blick Belgian linen as pictured below. Instead of a tooth, I used a burnishing tool. Then, I used the tool to press down on the mixture. Interestingly, this procedure acted like the sponge because my linen became wet from soaking the excess water.
3. For the glue, I decided to create rabbit skin glue. With Sophie's help, I used a Spring 2016 measurement and instruction of making rabbit skin glue. It is by Njeri Ndungu and it is dated on February 15, 2016.
Here is the link.
http://making-and-knowing.wikischolars.columbia.edu/Njeri+Ndungu+-+Field+Notes+SP16+-+Canvas+Prep
Once the glue was ready, I took another cut of linen, put some glue on it and stuck it on the mold.
I then left my mold in the fumehood to help it dry.
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time:
November 27, 2017 12:00pm
Chandler 2601. When I checked the molds, there are several things I noticed. first thing I noticed was the change in size. As the water dried, the paper-maiche had shrunk and there was space on the edges of the mold. Second, it held the design well. Third, the molds were very light which could explain its possible use as designs on walls.
2. It took me a while to take out the mold with linen on top. With this, I haven't oiled the wooden mold so i was not sure whether it was due the lack of oil. However, on using a tool to take it out, I realized some of the glue on the top of mold had stuck to the mold.
3. In fact, the color of the mold without oil was whiter than the one with oil. I am not sure how much of a difference this makes since it would most likely be painted over.
Based on my results from last week, I decided to change some other variables.
I noticed that there was some unsized paper and rough edges. Is this because I am supposed to soak it longer or am I supposed to crush it longer? It could be a combination of both the factors.
I followed the similar process but used a cake tin mold instead. I initially decided to simply use the author-practitioner's recipe but when I put the linen to use a burnishing tool to press down the linen, the linen became wet. So I used a sponge to absorb excess water and I noticed that the sponge was not only absorbing excess water but also making to make the shape of the mold. Since the tin was shaped vertically, when I pressed the sponge, my mold was also moving slightly. I decided to wait until the papier mache dries to put the linen.
Meanwhile, I soaked the paper that Naomi gave me. This is a 17th century newspaper print. It is smooth, thin and shiny. I will be strictly following the author-practitioner's instructions. Since it requires soaking and crushing it several times and changing the water everyday (for purity? to remove the starch?), I took it home.
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time: Monday November 28, 2017 10:10am
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: checking on paper
I went to check if the papier mache has dried. It is still moist. I am coming to check tomorrow.
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time: Monday November 29, 2017 12:30pm
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: gluing the linen on the papier mache
On checking the papier-mache, I noticed that it has shrunk in space.
Then I started heating the glue.
Since the author-practitioner doesn't specify whether the glue was supposed to go on the linen or the dried papier-mache, I decided to put the glue with a brush on the dried papier mache. The shape of it was uneven and putting the glue directly would allow me to reach the crevices of the mold. However, as I started putting the glue, the paper started soaking the glue and the linen wouldn't stick on it. Thus, I had to paint the glue on the linen and then put it on top of the papier mache and let it dry.
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time: Monday November 29-30
Location: Astoria
Subject: Author-practitioner's entry
In this round, I followed the author-practitioner's entry more closely. One of the difference between Baldinucci and the A-P is that A-P asks for several rounds of crushing and soaking of the paper. Once the paper is soaked, he also asks for change of water. The reasoning behind this was to prevent the water from smelling bad. So after I got home, I crushed the paper and then soaked it overnight. The next morning, when I checked, the pulp looked same as the earlier rounds. I squeezed the pulp to change the water. The water remnants also carried parts of pulp that were not crushed properly. Therefore, the A-P's procedure of cleaning the water also makes the pulp shapes more uniform.
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time: December 1-2, 2017
Location: Astoria
Subject: Continuing with soaking and changing water
I repeated the cleaning and soaking thrice. So making of pulp happened over a period of three days. By the third day, I noticed that both the pulp and the water was very different from the first round. The pulp was much more uniform and stuck together. The water that was exchanged also did not carry the impurities and was clear. Initially, when I read the entry, I thought that lack of information on tools (such as mortar and pestle) as well as desired consistency (how the pulp is supposed to look like) would impede the reconstruction process. However, in following his entry word by word, I noticed that descriptions that were missing in written word revealed itself during the reconstruction process.
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time: December 4, 2017
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: Molding
I brought the pulp to our lab and then used the non-stick bundt pan as a mold. Similar to earlier rounds, I took some of the pulp and pressed it. I left it to dry.
Name: Tenzin Dongchung
Date and Time: December 6-8, 2017
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: Applying glue and linen
Lastly, I reheated the glue I made earlier, applied it to the linen and then stuck the linen to the pulp.
When I checked, the design or the imprint was present. However, some bottom parts of the pulp had cracked. Perhaps, it became too dry. The linen on the back was still slightly moist. It is apparent from the outlines on the linen.
The final object was light due to its material.
ASPECTS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN MAKING FIELD NOTES
- note time
- note (changing) conditions in the room
- note temperature of ingredients to be processed (e.g. cold from fridge, room temperature etc.)
- document materials, equipment, and processes in writing and with photographs
- notes on ingredients and equipment (where did you get them? issues of authenticity)
- note precisely the scales and temperatures you used (please indicate how you interpreted imprecise recipe instruction)
- see also our informal template for recipe reconstructions