Nonstick vegetable spray
Mold release spray
Glycerin
Paste wax
Petroleum jelly (can be diluted with mineral spirits)
Whichever agent you use, observe safety practices as described on the labels. Use the least amount of release agent possible. No puddles should be visible. A light wipe with an absorbent material will eliminate excess.
The vintage cookie mold shown on the previous page was used to produce this paper casting.
The vintage cookie mold shown on the previous page was used to produce this paper casting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Even after I apply release agent, I’m still having a sticking problem. What’s wrong?
A: Sometimes, small fibers are caught in a detail of the mold. They try to bond with the next round of pulp in the mold and cause sticking or “pocking” on the surface of the cast. To avoid this problem, use a stiff brush to clean the mold and reapply the release agent. Serious sticking in ceramic molds requires boiling the mold in hot water for 10 minutes. Experience has shown this works every time.
Q: Can I use a microwave to dry a paper cast?
A: Not all molds can withstand microwave heat. Ram-pressed ceramic molds are generally fired at a high enough temperature to prevent breakage. Even so, there’s a chance a small air pocket in the clay will fill with water and expand during microwaving, causing the mold to crack or explode. Check manufacturer guidelines regarding microwave safety. If in doubt whether the mold will hold up, avoid microwave drying.
1. Put the microwave on a medium setting.
2. Microwave the ceramic mold and cast for 1 minute.
3. Give the mold a quarter turn.
4. Microwave for 30 seconds.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until dry. Many casts will dry in 2 minutes. If the cast is still damp, peel it from mold and finish with air drying.
Caution: The mold will be hot from microwaving, so take care when handling. Also, prolonged microwaving can cause scorching.
How to Make a Paper Cast
The basic steps for paper casting are very simple. Try this warm-up exercise to whet your appetite.
Instructions
Step 1. Tear off enough cotton linter casting squares, other cotton linters, or six thicknesses of wastepaper (enough to cover the selected mold).
Step 2. Put the linters or wastepaper in the blender with 3 cups of water. Blend on low for several seconds, then on high for 45 seconds.
Step 3. Pour the blender’s contents (pulp) into the tea strainer. Let the water drain into the measuring cup.
Step 4. Plop the pulp directly from the strainer onto the mold. Jiggle the pulp gently with your hand, shaking the fibers into the mold’s details. Maintain uniform thickness as much as possible.
Step 5. Hold the cast over the measuring cup or a sink and press firmly with your hand to settle the pulp and squeeze out the water. When the casting is no longer dripping wet, set it on a flat surface and continue pressing with a sponge to remove more water.
Materials
Cotton linter or selected wastepaper
Kitchen blender
Water
4-cup measuring glass
Tea strainer or wire mesh
Casting mold
Sponge
Toweling, terrycloth, or paper towels
Step 6. Finish up by pressing with a terrycloth or paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
Drying a Cast
For final drying, there are four options:
1. Peel the cast carefully from the mold and let it air dry.
2. Place the cast on the mold in front of a fan or heating vent to speed drying.
3. If the mold you’re using can withstand heat, leave the cast on the mold and place it in a 275°F oven. Check it after 10 minutes; drying time depends on cast thickness. Usually, the casting will start to lift from the mold when dry.
4. If the mold is microwave-safe (check the manufacturer’s guidelines), follow the steps in the box on page 129.
Application Methods
Putting pulp on a small mold is quite easy. On bigger molds, bowls, carvings, or other objects, applying pulp can be a bit more of an undertaking. Below is a range of ways to apply pulp; just remember that it’s best to apply a release agent to the mold before applying pulp.
Pulp Pull-Away
An easy way to get pulp onto a flat mold is to pour pulp from a blender into a strainer and let the water drain into a pail or bowl. When the pulp is thick enough to handle (see Handling Pulp, next page), pull chunks of pulp from the strainer and layer them evenly across the surface of the mold. Pat pieces together to form a uniform layer before removing any water.
Laying pulp pieces onto a mold.
Pulp Transfer
A more efficient way to move larger amounts of pulp to a flat mold is sometimes needed. Pour the wet pulp into a strainer and shake it back and forth, making the water drain rapidly and forming the pulp into an oval ball. This can be plopped directly onto the surface of a mold. Repeat until the mold is covered. Pat all sections together to form a uniform layer before removing any water.
Transferring pulp onto a mold directly from a strainer.
Pulp Patties
Making a cast on the surface of bowls or trays may require yet another process for transferring pulp. Pulp patties are one way to arrange pulp on large, uneven, round, or curved surfaces. Merging patties of diverse colorful pulps is another benefit.
Flattening a pulp patty.
Pour the pulp from the blender into the strainer, letting water drain into a pail or bowl. Now, dump the pulp on any flat surface. With your hands, flatten the pulp into a patty of reasonably uniform thickness; patting it with a firm bristled brush is helpful. Remove water with a sponge, and if necessary, with a terrycloth towel, until the pulp patty can be handled. Finally, place the patty on the mold. Repeat, overlapping colors and wetting patty edges until the container is covered.
Handling Pulp
Casting often involves handling pulp, laying sections or strips on a mold, and pressing them together into a larger form or shape. The challenge is to remove sufficient water so pulp can be handled, but not so much that adjacent sections or strips won’t bond with each other. Make it a goal to remove no more water than is necessary. Rewet adjacent pulp pieces and sheet edges after application to the mold. Press with a sponge. By doing this, you will restrengthen the bond between individual pieces or sections of pulp.
Easy Bowl
Find a kitchen bowl with a pleasing shape and apply a release agent. Mix a few different colors in plastic cups and press the pulp into place as you like. The water may pool a bit in this method, but carefully blot with a paper towel and allow to air dry as needed.
Fingers are a good way to work different pulps together into a single cohesive mass.
Materials
Cotton linter or selected wastepaper
Kitchen blender
Water
4-cup measuring glass
Tea strainer or wire mesh
Casting mold
Sponge
Toweling, terrycloth, or paper towels
Making Pulp Strips for Casting
Applying strips of pulp made from recycled paper is another way to arrange pulp on flat molds or everyday objects. Use several colors, if you wish.
Materials
18″ square fine mesh hardware cloth
Bucket, tub, or tray
18″ square window screen
Two wood 1″ × 2 ″ × 12 ″ boards
Pulp (amount depends on how many strips are being made)
Plastic pitcher or turkey baster or squeeze bottle
Sponge, terrycloth, or paper towels
Instructions
Step 1. Put the hardware screen over the bucket or tray, then place the window screen over the hardware cloth.
Step 2. Place two boards beside each other on the screen, as far apart as you want
the strip or sheet to be wide. Note: you can also make wedge shapes, handy for making paper casts of bowls.
Step 3. Pour or squeeze pulp slowly onto the screen between the boards, to whatever depth desired.
Step 4. Wait for the pulp to drain and then remove the boards.
Step 5. Use a sponge, terrycloth, or paper toweling to remove water from the strips or sheets to a point where they can be handled and applied to a surface or mold.
Pulp Sheets and Strips Made with a Deckle
A pour hand mold can be useful for paper casting. A uniform layer of recycled fiber or cotton linter pulp is easily achieved, and that saves a lot of time and effort. Follow the usual steps for papermaking, but increase the amount of recycled fiber to get a thicker pulp layer for casting.
Strips can be torn or pulled from a sheet with the help of a ruler (c) and layered on a mold. They can be laid across the mold, each slightly overlapping the preceding one, until the mold is covered. A second layer can be added at right angles to the first. Strips are an excellent way to build up a paper casting’s thickness.
Holding It All Together
When you cast using strips, a weak spot exists where one strip meets another. Fiber batches do not bond strongly where they touch. Here are some ways to address the problem:
Overlap each layer slightly.
Wet the joints and tease the edges together with a pin or soft brush, or pat with the bristles of a toothbrush.
Hit a joint from either side with a stream of water from a spray bottle. This must be handled deftly and with a delicate touch, or you might damage the casting.
Framing in Style
There was one perfect frame on clearance for family wedding pictures when three were needed. A solution? Cast paper frames! For uniform cast thickness and best results, make a sheet of cotton linter pulp.
Materials
Papermaking supplies (see page 25)
36 cotton linter squares
Paper additive (calcium carbonate)
Kitchen butter knife
Textured metal frame
Matte sealer (optional)
Double-stick glue dots or mounting pads
Photo(s) to mount
Instructions
1. Blend the cotton linter squares with ½ teaspoon of paper additive and 4 cups of water. Pour into a 5½″ × 8½″ hand mold. For 8½″ × 11″ deckles, twice as much cotton linter is needed. Repeat blending before forming a sheet.
2. Agitate pulp with fingers to separate fibers. Raise hand mold quickly. Cotton linter clumps (flocks) normally and looks lumpy on the screen. If bare screen can be seen, refloat or reblend and try again.
3. Remove sheet from hand mold. Sponge once over surface to remove water.
4. Use kitchen butter knife to separate sheet into sections sized to lay over sides and top of frame. Pick up sections and place on frame. To bond sections together, overlap where ends meet or pat extra pulp over seams.
5. Use fingers to press cotton linter in frame details. Remove water with sponge, while continuing to work pulp into details.
6. Press and remove as much water as possible. Texture from and details of the design will appear through the back of the cotton linter sheet. A final press with a kitchen towel is a good idea.
7. Tear pulp away from frame edges and center. Set aside to dry.
8. Repeat steps 1 through 7 for additional frames.
9. Optional: Spray a matte sealer over plain or spray-painted casts to offer protection from dust and handling.
Frame Support
Attach frames to matted photographs with glue dots or mounting pads, which work well to attach irregular cast paper to smooth project surfaces. Add dimension by mounting a cast paper frame over a made-to-size cardboard mat covered with recycled or complementary print paper.
Read up on cotton linter (see page 125).
Do not exceed 36 squares in the blender.
Recycled pulp will also work for this project, but additives in manufactured paper may cause pulp to stick. Use a release agent (see page 128).
Surface Decoration
A pure white, dimensional cast paper surface is beautiful. But you might enjoy experimenting with decorative surface treatments, using a variety of art materials. It’s important to note the following factors can influence the clarity of detail in a paper-cast image: tints and additives in cotton linter pulp, the use of recycled fiber, fixatives or sealers applied to the cast before decoration, or the decorations themselves.
Stuck on You Attach dry paper casts to another paper surface with any household or craft glue. For best results, use double-stick glue dots or mounting pads, which conform to uneven cast surfaces for better adherence.
Surface Application Ideas
Here is a list of suggested surface decorations to help you get started. First, use a matte or gloss spray sealer to give casts a better surface for decorative finishes.
Chalk or eye shadow. Apply with foam brush, sponge applicators, or synthetic cotton balls. Use a light touch. Use up those old multicolor eye shadow palettes!
Ink pads. Try small, raised ink pads or dual-color pad markers. Lightly brush across raised details of a cast.
Spray paint. Metallic or monochromatic color can be dramatic. Be sure to read warnings on labels and use in a well-ventilated area.
Acrylic paint. It’s not good for tinting linter, but it’s fine for painting on the surface. It won’t feather, even on an untreated paper cast.
Glitter glue. Highlight raised cast details with iridescent or color glitter glues. Also try glitter glue tinted with watercolor, or lightly color the cast with colored pencil and brush diluted glitter glue over the entire cast.
Spray glitter. When a hint of pearlescence or festive sparkle is needed, try using spray glitter. It may be beneficial to use a surface sealant before applying. Again, check all labels and use in a well-ventilated area.
Gilding/gold leaf. Follow directions on adhesive designed specifically for gilding applications.
Fine-powdered pigments. Create a lustrous metallic or pearlescent finish. These powders must be mixed with another art medium before application. Mix with acrylic matte or gloss medium to create a paint; mix with acrylic matte or gloss medium and a little bit of water for use in a mouth atomizer for a spray finish; or apply with a blending tool by dipping the applicator directly into the container.
How to Get Colored Pulps
All the color techniques from the previous chapters of this book can certainly be applied to paper casting. And, as stated before, the easiest, least expensive, and fastest way to get colored pulp is by recycling color wastepaper with water in a blender. But feel free to pursue any path to colored pulp that your time, interest level, and talent indicate; that’s part of the excitement of the craft and art world.
Casting with Color
In addition to surface decoration or using colored pulp, color can be applied within the cast itself. Some molds’ details may provide walls and dividers to help confine colors to selected areas. Different-colored pulps can be put on and in areas with a turkey baster. Push edges into place with a plastic spatula or similar tool. Removing some water will help stabilize it as adjacent pulp colors are placed. After the colors are laid on, layer a wet pulp patty or newly formed sheet of recycled paper or cotton linter over the entire mold. Use a sponge to press and meld the colored pulp decoration to the wet sheet backing. Experience will bring you greater skill with results you never dreamed possible.
Cast Paper Bowls
These elegant bowls are cast with fabric strips that are wrapped around the mold and embedded in the pulp. What a great combination of color and technique!
Materials
Papermaking supplies (see page 25)
Bowl to use as a mold
Enough pulp to cover your mold
Vegetable oil for a release agent (spray or apply with a paper towel)
Thin strips of torn fabric
Instructions
1. Set up
the papermaking screen and support screen over a tray or other container for drainage (see page 79).
2. Apply the vegetable oil to the outside of the bowl and set it aside.
3. Prepare the fabric strips by dipping them into pulpy water, and set them aside.
4. Pour pulp onto the screen in a circular shape large enough to cover the outside of the bowl.
5. Place the greased bowl bottom-side down in the center of pulp. Use the papermaking screen to lift the pulp up and onto the mold. Press through the screen with a sponge to shape the pulp against the mold. The pulp will be doubled up and thicker in places where it overlaps, but not to worry. You can even things out as you continue blotting.
6. Turn the bowl bottom side up. Slowly pull up the screen edges and remove it as you work your way around the bowl. Leave the pulp relatively wet for applying fabric.
7. Wrap the fabric around and around the bowl in a spiral. Use the screen and a sponge to press around the bowl, slowly removing as much water as possible. Be careful not to blot too hard, or the pulp might slip on the oily surface. Patch any holes with pieces of wet pulp, and blot again with a sponge. Allow the casting to air dry; if using a glass or ceramic mold, you can dry it in a 150°F oven for an hour or two.
8. When completely dry, release the paper casting from the mold.
Arnold E. Grummer Page 10