What are Japanese Hinges?
Japanese Hinges are our go-to mounting choice. Why? During the year I spent studying for my CPF exam, I learned a great deal about the properties of paper, and found this method to be far superior to others for many reasons.
Hinge Mounting has the function of securing the artwork either to the backing board or to the mat board without permanently altering the artwork. Hinges should be removable with either water or a small amount of alcohol. A hinge should be made of a stable material with sufficient strength to hold the artwork in place, yet it should tear free if the picture is dropped. The reasoning behind this is that it is better for the hinge to tear than for the artwork to tear. The most common materials used for hinges are Japanese rice papers, archival pressure-sensitive tapes, and linen tape.
Japanese papers made from the traditional fibers have been known for their pH neutrality, strength, lightness in weight, and excellent aging characteristics. Today, however, most Japanese papers are no longer made from only the bast fiber of kozo, mitsumata, or mulberry. Sulfite pulp is commonly used as a filler in many of the traditional papers and, in some instances, the paper is all sulfite pulp. It is therefore important to establish the content of the Japanese paper when selecting it to use as a hinge for fine artwork. At The Village Framer, we use only mulberry paper.
 |
| Japanese paper swatches |
One reason the Japanese papers are selected for making hinges is that when they are hand torn they give a frayed edge. When attached to the back of art-work, this kind of edge tends to show less on the front side. The adhesion of the artwork to the hinge is accomplished with the use of a water-based adhesive. We cook our own wheat starch paste. Careful control of the amount of paste is important or the moisture may deform the paper, which will show up as little bumps on the front side of the artwork.
For questions about Japanese Hinges or other mounting options, please contact us any time.
See you at the shop!
-Melissa
Hinge Mounting has the function of securing the artwork either to the backing board or to the mat board without permanently altering the artwork. Hinges should be removable with either water or a small amount of alcohol. A hinge should be made of a stable material with sufficient strength to hold the artwork in place, yet it should tear free if the picture is dropped. The reasoning behind this is that it is better for the hinge to tear than for the artwork to tear. The most common materials used for hinges are Japanese rice papers, archival pressure-sensitive tapes, and linen tape.
No comments:
Post a Comment