Mounting parchment and vellum can be a meticulous process, but with the right materials and techniques, you can achieve a beautifully finished piece. In this guide, you'll learn how to mount vellum onto a plywood board using starch paste and acid-free lining paper, ensuring longevity and preserving the quality of your work.
Materials:
Vellum (size of board + 40mm margin)
Board (12mm plywood)
Glue (ex. Wheat Paste or Starch)
Lining Paper (acid-free)
1. Line the upper surface of your board with lining paper – usually white or light cream, as it will affect the color of the vellum. Use acid-free paper for longevity.
2. Dampen vellum on both sides with a wet sponge.
3. Leave until water has sunk into vellum.
4. Please the vellum face down on the table.
5. Place the Board face down on top of the Vellum.
6. Cut the corners of the vellum so that, when wrapped, they will fit properly around the Plywood, overlapping on the reverse, but not on the edges.
7. Paste outer 30mm of the vellum, and the outer 30mm of the board. There will be a thin strip of unpasted Vellum near the front edges. This is to ensure that the glue does not creep under the front surface of the vellum.
8. Pull the vellum around the edge of the board, and press down on the reverse board one side at a time.Then, one end at a time, push out air as you progress, re-wet edges of vellum if it seems reluctant to stretch tightly around the edges of the board.
If the Vellum does not stay down, use pins, staples, or tape to hold it.
9. Cover reverse of the board with more glued lining paper, removing pins or tape as you go.
10. Wipe the vellum face with a wet cloth to remove grit and marks.
11. Leave to dry. As skin dries it will become taught around the board.
To download the full pdf version of this instructional, click here!
