Instructions for Wet Mounting Paintings
Diana Bullock
Wet mounting provides stability for fragile paper and also enhances the colour of the ink or watercolour. It is essential for oriental paintings on rice paper to be wet mounted so that the true brush work is revealed.
Equipment
- Painting for mounting. For black ink paintings, it must be dry for 24 hours before mounting; for colour paintings, 48 hours is recommended.
- Rice paper or 90lb water colour paper (acid free). It should be 2 inches larger on all borders than your painting.
- Sheet of parchment paper, butcher's paper or heavy plastic.
- Wide, soft brush for pasting.
- Container large enough for past brush.
- Spray bottle.
- Dry cloth.
- Packing tape.
- Mounting surface such as arborite, masonite, plywood (finished on both sides) or heavy plexiglass.
Paste
- Rice glue (green tube from Curry's art supplies).
- Water.
- Dilute about 1 to 2 tablespoons of glue for a medium-size painting with cold water and mix to a thin soup consistency. It may thicken of 20 to 30 minutes so add water as needed.
I store my paste covered in the refrigerator for about 1 to 2 weeks.
Wet Mounting Process
- Have a clean, dry surface to work on. Place painting face down on the surface. If wet mounting a coloured painting, place an old piece of rice paper on the coloured work. Lightly spray with water. Remove all excess water from the painting and surrounding area.
- Apply the paste to the painting working from the inside out to the edges with even pressure and paste. Make certain there are no wrinkles. Wipe excess glue from the surrounding area.
- If using water colour paper as backing, lightly spray both sides with water and place on the painting. If using rice paper as backing, place on the painting cover with parchment paper and then rub. Rub from the inside out to the edges.
- Gently lift from the corner to make sure that the painting is sticking, and then place it on the mounting board. Rub gently with parchment paper over the painting and make certain to cover the whole painting.
- Stick the edges of the painting with packing tape all the way around the borders.
- Let dry for 24 hours. Keep your eye on it to make sure it is drying evenly.
- Cut away excess paper around the painting.