The Artisan Pastellier's Skin Glue

Artisan Pastellier Skin Glue

Rabbit-Skin Glue by L'Artisan Pastellier

The Artisan Pastellier’s rabbit skin glue is an organic glue of animal origin (not suitable for vegans). It is made from collagen, which gives it great flexibility, strength, reversibility, and adhesion. This glue is purified; as a natural material, it is susceptible to bacterial contamination. For this reason, it is recommended that you prepare only the amount of glue needed each time, as the glue does not keep well over time.

Uses:

Glue: For gluing canvas, paper, cardboard, etc.

Primer and gesso: For preparing canvases before painting

Faux marble made of stucco : When you mix the plaster with skin glue from L’Artisan Pastellier, it sets more slowly, allowing you to work with it, mix plasters of different colors to create the veining of marble, and shape it. Once dry , the result is a hardened surface that allows for the'appearance of marble.

Making marbled paper: It is used to thicken the water and create a smooth surface on which to place drops of ink.

Dosages:

The mixing ratio (by weight) should be adjusted to suit your substrates or the intended application; it is advisable to conduct tests to determine the appropriate mixing ratios.

Canvases 35 to 45 g per liter (or 3 to 5 g per 100 g of water)

Rigid substrates, cardboard : 60 to 90 g per liter (or 6 to 9 g per 100 g of water)

Stuck: 8 g per liter

Thickener/freezer for marbled paper: 8 g per liter

Preparation of Primers and Gesso Bases

Once dry, the skin glue from Artisan Pastellier remains supple and flexible, making it an excellent primer.

To reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, use equipment that is thoroughly clean;

For these high concentrations, soak the required amount of L’Artisan Pastellier hide glue overnight; the next day, heat it gently while stirring in a double boiler. Do not bring the double boiler to a boil to avoid compromising the primer’s properties.

Preparing the gesso

Pour the hot gesso onto Meudon white (white ground) while stirring vigorously to create a frothy texture. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the gesso to release its air bubbles before applying it. You can replace the Meudon white with pigments (such as earth pigments) to create a colored ground, or mix the pigment with the Meudon white.

Gesso is applied with a brush to the primed canvas. Once dry, the surface is sanded to create a smooth, even surface ready for painting. This process can be repeated several times, using a finer grit each time, to achieve a smooth surface in the end. This technique was used to prepare wooden panels during the Renaissance.

Preparation for stucco or gel.

The "Juste Nécessaire" animal glue from Artisan Pastellier is dissolved in hot tap water while stirring.