Rice Paste on Washi Process Notes

Here are most of the steps involved in creating these small stencil prints/paintings. (See my post Katazome on Kozo.)

1. Prepare the stencil. This is a fairly long process in itself. Again, I learned it from John Marshall, whose website includes complete instructions. I created two stencils for these experiments. Here they are in finished form.
   
2. Prepare the paper. I used handmade Kozo (mulberry), experimenting with 3 weights — light, medium and semi-heavy. I treated large sheets with Konnyaku starch, to make the paper stronger and more water resistant. I am not sure this was necessary, but I wasn’t confident that the paper would withstand the process without it. Part of this involves crumpling up the paper while it is wet with Konnyaku, which gives the final treated paper a wrinkled visual texture, even after ironing it, which I truly enjoy. I then tore the paper into various sizes, avoiding waste.
3. Before printing the Kozo with rice paste resist, I painted the Kozo with light washes of color. I wanted to preserve some of the beautiful white color of the paper, but also wanted the visual texture/variation of a light wash of color in the background. I experimented with watercolors, gouache, and Jacquard Dyna-flo Silk Paint. Instead of using water to dilute the colors, I used homemade soy milk.
4. I placed these pictures in a single layer on top of newsprint to dry. Then, I ironed the paper from the back, because it crumples up as it dries, and you need a flat surface for pasting.
5. Make rice paste. Soak the stencils in water for about an hour in preparation for pasting. Right before pasting, blot them between layers of newsprint. Prepare a flat surface for pasting. I covered a smooth, flat wooden board with several pieces of plain newsprint. I placed a single piece of Kozo on top of the newsprint. I worked with various sizes of paper, some of which were smaller than my stencil designs. I varied the placement of the stencil from print to print.
6. Place the stencil over the Kozo and apply the rice paste. The paste goes through the open areas of the stencil and is left on the paper. Remove the “print” and lay it flat to dry. Sometimes the paste went beyond the edges of the stencil onto the newsprint below it – I expected this. If necessary, remove and replace the top sheet of newsprint so you have a clean surface for the next print. You don’t want the paste to stick to the back of the next print or to the back of the stencil itself. I printed each sheet with either the grass or the water stencil. The paste is meant to resist the next layer of paint/dye. This was not altogether successful in these experiments, but I think I know what to do to improve this. Check my next post for insights and learning.
7. After all prints were dry, I ironed them on the back again.
8. I applied a 2nd layer of color to each picture, this time covering the entire sheet of kozo. Next time I will use a dryer brush. I also experimented a little with painting on a plexi surface and pressing the paper face-down onto the plexi plate (monoprint). This method has some nice effects and highlights the textured surface of the paper.
9. Let these pictures dry face up, then iron on the back to prepare for 2nd layer of paste.
10. I added another layer of rice paste to most, choosing either the grass or the water stencil. Let these dry and iron on the back again.
11. I painted the final layer of color (again, soymilk is mixed with the paint for each of the 3 paint layers). Let these pictures dry face up. No need to iron until after step 12.
12. I soaked the prints face-down in cold water in my bathtub, 8 prints at a time, for 30 minutes. Then, one by one, I gently removed a print, and placed it face up on the angled end of the bathtub, being careful to lay it flat. Using a soft, inexpensive Chinese paintbrush (you can get these at any art supply store), I gently brushed from the center of the print to the edges to remove any remaining rice paste resist. I gently sprayed the surface with a bit of water from a sprayer also.
13. Blot the prints carefully between newspaper and plain newsprint. Remove them from the paper and dry flat in one layer. When completely dry, I ironed these on the back.