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how important (if at all) is it to you to use acid-free and/or lignin-free papers in your mache work? i ponder lately whether its worth the money to buy the usually more costly papers that have both of those qualities. i think with the effort involved everyone would like their work to last, but i see a lot of more 'high end' artists like stephen hansen use regular kraft paper and newsprint, neither of which is acid-free (so i'm pretty sure it's not lignin-free either). does the act of essentially 'encasing' the papers in a paste (many of which are acid-free themselves, like methyl cellulose and pva glues) already greatly extend the life of the paper itself? it seems to me that the longevity of, for example, a sheet of tissue paper by itself and a sheet of tissue paper that is completely coated in one of the aforementioned adhesives would be quite different. it doesn't seem like artists with expensive pieces would be using non-archival paper if it were that big of an issue in mache, but you never know. i also wonder if by removing lignin from the paper that is used in mache, it compromises the strength, as i think lignin is the material that makes the wood strong and firm.
what are your opinions on acid-free and lignin-free papers? or have you heard anything about this subject but in context with mache?
thanks.
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Acid promotes damage. Acidic materials can leach into other materials and cause deterioration. That's why acid-free tissue paper is used to wrap important materials that you don't want to become discolored or disintegrate in storage, like a wedding dress or a photo album.
Encasing an acidic material in an adhesive is often not effective, as the acids in the paper can leach into or through the adhesive, still causing damage.
Yes, many people make craft materials using like newspaper, but it's a material you would want to avoid if you have long-range plans for your project. Wood-based paper is quite high in acids and lignins. Old paper and high-quality new paper are often made from either used fabric fibers or new fibers like cotton or linen.
Many artists don't even use the term 'papier mache' because of the common use of cheap, low-quality acidic paper. They refer to their craft as 'archival-quality fiber art', and assure their prospective customers that the fibers have a neutral pH (7).
If you intend to make archival-quality art, you need to use archival-quality materials. Use the cheaper papers for testing out your design ideas, as they are expendable. But use quality materials to produce a quality product.
Sue
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