Chigiri-e

Chigiri-e is the traditional Japanese art of torn paper collage. Using various rice papers and colored dyes,  you can create beautiful compositions with a three-dimensional or textural appeal with this art form. If you haven't tried chigiri-e yet, you are missing something.  Thanks to League member, Ann Myers, for sending us this tip. 

Supplies: 
- Various weights of rice paper or tissue or mulberry papers: the dyes run and blend best on rice paper.
- Craft glue or acrylic medium, thinned out with water (it must dry clear)
- A flat ½ inch synthetic brush
- Liquid Watercolor, such as Dr. Martins, or colored dyes
- A base to apply the papers to.  Mat board and heavy watercolor paper work well.

Step 1: dying the papers. Wet the sheets and either fold or crumple them in loose balls and set them in a flat box or plastic container. Drop the colors onto the paper.  Put colors next to each other that appear next to each other on the color wheel. If you drop red next to green, you will get a brown. I drop red, magenta, and purple next to each other. In another area I drop blue, green and yellow. As the colors spread on the wet paper they blend into many shades. You can spray more water on the papers to help the colors to run.

Step 2: Drying. Let the papers dry completely. When they are dry and smoothed out, they appear as batik or tie dye with occasional dark ridges. Folding the papers before dying them gives a different look.

Step 3: Sketching your design: Using a heavy watercolor paper or mat board as a base, lightly pencil in your design. I prefer mat board as it stays pretty flat. Your design can be an abstract, floral or landscape.

Step 4: Applying the papers. For this step you can use one of two methods:

Direct method Tear pieces of paper roughly into the shapes that you want, apply glue or medium to the base and adhere the pieces directly to the base, pushing and forming them into the desired shapes. Do not work with too much water, and apply the glue or medium sparingly. Work the background first. Try to keep the background from being too busy or bright so it wil not attract attention from your subject. More muted shades work nicely. You should work around the areas which will remain white or very light in color. Keep applying your dyed papers in pieces until your entire picture is complete. Brush acrylic medium over the top of the finished picture to seal it.

Indirect method Form your flower petals or subject first on a plastic sheet. Let them dry, remove them from the plastic and glue them in place on the base. To make flower stems or tree branches and trunks, twist the paper into the shapes and sizes you want before applying them to the picture.