HOLLOW TRUTHS • My Wheat Pasting Process

My Wheat Pasting Process

Hopefully this post will be a benefit to people who, like myself, have some interest in street art and/or would like to get into wheat pasting. I know it’s a bit long but you can just flick through to relevant bits if you so require.

I’m relatively new at pasting and have basically worked out my own process, I’m sure there are many different ways of going about it, but this is what has worked for me so far.

Read on for the full tutorial…

Design

When it comes to the design stage it’s important to remember that the paste is likely to be seen from a distance, this means the visuals should be clear, eye catching and easy to understand.

Making

Paper plays an important role in wheat pasting, if it’s too thick then it may not stick, too thin and it may show the wall beneath. My two biggest pastes have both been done on cartridge paper, I was initially worried that the paper would simply peel but with enough adhesive it stuck quite firmly. However, I would recommend using something thinner such as copy paper or butchers paper as these are much thinner and much cheaper.

The paste itself is the integral part of the whole process, there are many recipes floating around and so far I have only tried out a couple. I have found using normal wallpaper adhesive to be the easiest way, however I cannot vouch for how long it will last. Most wallpaper paste is biodegradable so it will decay with time, adding a bit of PVA glue can increase it’s life span.

A useful recipe found here:

Prepare 1 cup (2.4 dl) of very hot water. Make a thin mixture of 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of white flour and cold water (just enough to wet all the flour and make it liquid enough to pour). Pour the cold mixture slowly into the hot water while stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. When it thickens, allow to cool. Smear on like any other glue. For slightly better strength, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sugar after the glue is thickened. After using a portion, reheat the remaining in a covered jar or container to sterilize it for storage or keep refrigerated.

I’ve used two different methods for making my posters. First, and probably simplest, is using either printed or photocopied images. These can either be printed at the size you will be pasting them or can be a series of sections which when tiled together make up a larger image. Here’s a useful website for tiling an image.

The second method requires far more time and some additional equipment but, in my opinion, yields the best results. Print/copy your design onto acetate (clear plastic sheets) then project this image onto a large wall using an Over Head Projector (or whatever else you can get your hands on.)

You will then need to arrange your paper around this image, allowing at least a slight overlap with each piece. Once the paper is up, lightly trace round your image with a pencil. With the traced image complete you can begin to paint the piece (I prefer to take the sheets down and paint each one individually.)

I have just been using standard acrylic paints as these are relatively cheap and come in a variety of sizes, if you want something a bit more fade proof you could use pretty much any oil based household paint.

One of the most important things to remember when doing a tiled paste is where they overlap, which is why I recommend numbering each sheet so you know the order to paste them up.

Another method often used in wheat pasting is stencilling, this allows the image to be replicated quite quickly and can be cheaper than lots of prints/photocopies.

Location

Choosing a good location for your piece is paramount if you want it to last and be seen. I personally prefer to paste on abandoned buildings as a) you’re not ‘damaging’ someones property and b) they are less likely to be taken down/ painted over.

Pasting

Now comes the (even more) fun bit. Before you go out on your pasting trip make sure have everything (see the list below), there’s nothing more annoying than getting to your spot and realising you’ve forgotten your posters.

Begin by making sure the wall and floor are clear of mud and puddles and then begin covering the wall in paste with your first brush, ensure there is a full, even covering a tiny bit bigger than your piece.

Cover the back of the first poster/tile in a full, even covering of paste and then place up on the wall, make sure it is in the right position before using your second brush to smooth the poster from the centre outwards.

Repeat this process with all your posters/tiles and then cover the entire piece in a layer of adhesive.

Finished!

Stand back and admire your handiwork.