Faux Rice Paper

I learned a new technique to make faux rice paper. It’s pretty cool. This is my first ever attempt to make it!! It can be used as a journal cover or as collage fodder that you incorporate into a different art piece.

It’s made with a mixture of Elmer’s glue and water (half and half) along with napkins or tissue paper. It changes the texture of the paper to make it more like rice paper.

You need to work on a surface that is water resistant and in which glue will not stick to. I worked on a trash bag, which worked perfectly.

First, mix your glue water by pouring an equal amount of glue to water. I added some coffee to give it a vintage look, but that is not necessary.

You can use whole pieces or torn pieces of tissue paper or napkin-white, colored, or with print. If you use a napkin or napkin pieces, please peel apart the layers and use only one layer of the napkin. You could even use scraps that you have painted on or have used your geli-plate with. White napkin or tissue paper will dry somewhat transparent.

You need to coat the entire surface you will be working on with the glue water solution, slightly larger than the size of the faux rice paper you plan to make. It will bead up a little. That is OK. Then, either lay the whole piece of tissue paper or napkin down and glue over it entirely or if you are working with torn or cut pieces, overlap them slightly and coat the entire surface with the glue water solution. There should be glue water under and over the entire thing.

When you finish, you can add paint or acrylic ink to decorate it even further. You can use thicker paint or thinner paint depending on the look that you want. Just be careful with thicker paint that you dont rip the delicate papers. I used both thick and thin paint as well as acrylic inks and added some water spray to sections of it. I would push the sides of the faux rice paper in just a tad to make it easier to peel off when dry. Mine peeled off fairly easily, but it took 2-3 days to dry completely, so be patient!!!

Video is below!