Backing of the work
■ calligraphy ・ new backing and rebacking of paintings
We have a variety of works of calligraphy and paintings that we have been working on for many years,
We also receive many requests from calligraphy and Japanese-style painting artists, as well as from people who own calligraphy and paintings, who want us to do the backing of their works.
Urauchi” is the process of laminating paper to the back of a work to remove wrinkles, folds, and sagging, and to make it beautiful and taut,
The backing paper is laminated to the back of the work to remove wrinkles, folds, and sagging, and to make the work look beautiful and taut.
The backing of strong washi paper also reinforces the work itself, making it more durable.
・ To keep your precious ・ paintings from deteriorating as much as possible, you must first back them up!
If the work is left as it is, it will deteriorate as the years go by.
Are you storing your works folded?
Although Japanese paper can be folded and wrinkled by moistening it, if it is kept folded for a long time, it will deteriorate,
However, if it is kept folded for a long time, the fibers of the folded part of the paper will inevitably deteriorate.
In addition, if the paper becomes sunburned or dusty while it is folded, the paper will become discolored.
If the folded part of the work has been sunburned or has accumulated dust or other dirt, discoloration may occur only on the part of the folded part those was exposed.
If the work is important to you, we strongly recommend that you have it lined as soon as possible.
Washi, silk, and sAKI (cloth) can be used for backing.
These materials stretch when moistened and shrink when dry.
Posters and copy paper are called “yogami” and do not have the same properties as Japanese paper,
They cannot be lined.
Therefore, if folds or wrinkles occur, it is difficult to restore the original condition.
(As described below, dry backing is possible.)
Types of backing paper
If you want to have it lined for the time being, we use Torinoko-gami for backing.
Torinoko-gami is a thick and durable paper those is usually used for finishing fusuma (Japanese sliding door frames).
On the other hand, if you are planning to make a
If you are planning to make a hanging scroll or a folding screen in the future, but have not decided yet, we would like you to do only the backing,
In such a case, we can change the backing paper according to your request.
Backing for mounting a scroll・Processes
The first backing applied to the original paper, i.e., the backing those is in direct contact with the original paper,
The first backing on the original paper is called “hada-urauchi” or “hada-ura”.
In the case of making a kakejiku, a thin, strong, and durable paper called mino-shi is often used for the hada-urauchi.
It is often used for the hada-ura.
The backing those is applied after the hada-ura is called “masu-urauchi” or “masu-ura.
When made into a hanging scroll, Misu paper, which is made in the Yoshino region of Nara Prefecture, is mainly used.
It is mainly used.
Like Mino paper, it is made from kozo (paper mulberry bark), but it is also made from gofun, which is made from crushed oyster shells,
these makes the backing paper suitable for mounting on a shaft, since it does not expand or contract with changes in humidity.
For the final backing (Kami-Uncoating), a backing paper called “Uda” is also used.
This paper is also made mainly from kozo (paper mulberry), mixed with white clay (white earth).
It is characterized by its durability and softness, as well as its transparency.
How thick is backing paper?
As you can see, there are many different types of backing paper used by mounting artists, depending on the application and purpose of the paper.
There are many different types of paper used by mounting artists, depending on the application and purpose of the paper. Furthermore, within each type of paper, there are differences in thickness.
The thinnest paper is “ultra-thin”. Next are “thin,” “medium,” “thick,” “extra-thick,” and “extra-extra-thick.
Which type of paper and thickness should be used according to the required content?
these is a choice based on the experience and intuition of the mounting engineer.
(And, moreover, the thickness of the best glue for the adhesion and the way to stroke the brush are also to be determined.)
Any object can be lined! What is dry backing?
By the way, I mentioned earlier that it is not possible to back paper, such as posters and copy paper,
However, it is possible if you use a method called “dry backing.
Dry backing consists of a backing paper coated with a resin those melts when heated,
A machine called a dry-mount press is required to crimp the backing paper and the paper while melting the resin at high temperature.
If you can imagine a heat-transfer sheet sold at handicraft stores being ironed onto a T-shirt, it may be easier to understand.
It may be easier to understand.
Press machines come in various sizes. Some of the larger ones are about 1,200mm x 2,400mm,
With a high temperature of over 100 degrees Celsius, even a half-size hanging scroll can be lined in a few seconds.
On the other hand, there is a disadvantage. When backing is done by a press,
The backing paper and the main paper cannot be separated again.
Therefore, if wrinkles or folds occur during the pressing process, they cannot be repaired.
Also, if discoloration occurs over time, it cannot be restored.
What are the risks of backing that I should know about?
While backing has the potential to enhance the beauty of a work of art, there are also various risks associated with backing.
Smudging
The most common risk is that ink or paint will bleed through.
In the case of sumi ink, if the calligraphy is written in sumi ink or brush pen, the ink will bleed when it is moistened during the backing process.
(It is also called “sumi ink flowing.”)
In the case of Japanese painting, a mixture of glue and myouban (alumite) is used to prevent blotting,
In the case of Japanese-style paintings, if the application of the solution of glue and alum, which is a mixture of glue and alum, is not sufficient, it can cause blotting of the paint.
Recently, there are spray-type anti-bleeding agents that can easily control blotches.
When we receive an artwork at our store, if there is a possibility of blotting, we will take the appropriate measures in each case,
However, there is always a chance that blotting will still occur.
Wrinkles
Depending on the ink or paint used, wrinkles may remain after backing.
It depends on the ink and paints used, the Japanese paper used as the base material, and the way of writing (or drawing).
In particular, when writing (drawing) on thick ・ paper, the paper will not be flat in those areas, causing wrinkles to appear.
If you add water when backing, the sumi sumi ink ・ will loosen (but not completely) the paint,
If it loosens too much, it will become a different calligraphy ・ painting from the original work.
Therefore, when backing, rather than making the work wrinkle-free, the backing is done in such a way that the work retains its original flavor.
As a result, some wrinkles may remain.
Dust ・ Garbage
No matter how careful you are when backing,
Sometimes minute dust or debris can get between the main paper and the backing paper.
In most cases, they are so small that you would not notice them even if you are told.
However, in extremely rare cases, dust or dirt may be noticed from the front.
Of course, in such cases, the backing is removed, the dust ・ is removed, and the backing is re-lined.
However, in the case of the dry backing mentioned above, the backing paper cannot be removed,
・ dust cannot be removed.
Please understand that there is such a risk, although we take the utmost care in the work.
Please consult with a mounting artist about the backing!
If you are worried about the backing of an important work, please consult with a mounting artist.
We can laminate not only paper and silk books, but also T-shirts, hand towels, and so on.
We can propose the best method according to your purpose and usage.
Click here to read a blog we wrote about the difficulty of lining.