Wet-Strength Tissue Printing with Masks and Stencils

 I have more to say, and show, on the topic of wet-strength (artist-grade) tissue papers.  (These papers may be available from other sources, besides the one cited in the link above.  When ordering, simply make sure you've landed on "wet-strength" papers.  Giftwrap tissue won't work when creating papers for use in collage.)

Sally Hirst teaches online classes that have prompted me to bring out these tissues.  I highly recommend her classes!

Upon arrival, these papers appear mostly white, with only a faint translucence, until they're glued to a background. Once they're saturated with any gluing medium, they become more translucent; in some cases, they go all the way to transparency.

Today's post will end with a series of photos, with close-ups, that show this translucency and transparency.  I adhered these printed papers by brushing matte medium liquid across the area to be covered with the paper. Then I pressed each piece of cut-out print into place.  After pressing it flat, I brushed another light layer of medium across the top, making sure to secure all paper edges to the substrate.

Today's prints was made on a gel plate using leftover a batch of leftover glazing mixture (roughly 3 parts matte medium liquid to roughly 1/2 part zinc white liquid acrylic paint and roughly 1/8 part violet.  Golden Paints Permanent Violet Dark liquid acrylic paint is what I've used.)

Since I was using leftover glaze to make these prints, the prints are pale.  (This glaze was left over from another project.  Having made too much of the glaze mixture, I wanted to avoid any going to waste.)

(Above: The uppermost tissue was the result of my first pull and the lower tissue is the result of 3 ghost prints.  Mask used: just-released 6" x 6" CHANDELIER S971.) 

  

(Mask used:  just-released 6" x 6" CHANDELIER S971.)

(Mask used: just-released 6" x 6" CHANDELIER S971.)

Above:  a collage in progress.  The pieces of blue masking tape are holding in place cut-outs from the gel plate-printed papers  shown at the top of this post.

Below:  A close-up of one area --

Above:  The finished collage.  Below:  A close-up of one area:

Caution:  "Wet-strength" is somewhat of an exaggeration.  This high-quality tissue tolerates dampness while accepting prints via a gel plate and/or a sponge brayer loaded with heavy-body acrylic paint.  But it needs to be treated with TLC when being added to a collage.  What works best is to first brush the adhesive (such as acrylic matte medium gel) onto the substrate, then to gently place the tissue down onto the damp adhesive, letting it wrinkle if you like, or smoothing it with your fingertips. And -- once it's down, it's down.   

Thank you for checking out my blog today! To scroll thru the pages of my masks and stencils at StencilGirlProducts.com, please start here.