Mount Icons on wood anyone?

[Timos]

Does anyone know how to mount paper icons on wood??

 I've asked my local crafts store but the had no clue. My understanding is that you first glue the icon on a piece of wood, then you cover it with some sort of wax paper, which you iron on to the picture, when then sticks to the wood...

I have some paper icons and I'd really love to be able to hang them up without having to buy expensive ("fake") ones from www.skete.com etc, or frame them which looks somewhat cheesy IMHO.

Thanks, Tim

[strebekah]

Hi Tim,

What we have done is this: buy decoupage medium from the craft store. My husband painted the wood first, then added the decoupage medium, put the paper icon on top and used a brayer to make sure there were no air bubbles. This is the most important thing! Then more decoupage medium on top of that to seal it.

He has had success using this method.

HTH,

[Salpy]

This was discussed a while back.  I hope I am pasting this correctly:

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php?topic=6434.0

I've done it, but I'm not very good.  I get little bubbles in the varnish.  I probably apply it too thick.

[Timos]

Thanks Strebekah and Salpy. But what exactly is decoupage medium and brayer? I'm guessing decoupage is like a glue or sealer...If I add the decoupage over the paper icon, won't it smudge the icon's color (as it is sometimes printed from my pc). I have other paper icons which are already "glossed" over from church. Thnx,
                                                                                                           Tim

[irene]

I've had what seemed to be completely smooth surfaces, develop bubbles, and puff out.  So, sounds like the step with brayer is the key.   Do you find it in art and crafts stores?   I think there are several types, but I could be mistaken.  If there are different types for different projects, what kind of brayer is best in this situation?

Thank you,
Irene

[donkeyhotay]

I wonder if spraying the paper icons with some clear enamel would prevent the ink from running?  You'll have to experiment. 

I'd like to know where you are getting clear icons which are large enough to be printed and mounted.

[Timos]

donkeyhotay, I got these superb Athonite icons of the Theotokos (among other themes) by buying inexpensive Orthodox icon calendars. They are the best for getting large, clear, icons without emptying your pocketbook. The ones I am working on right now are from St. Anthony's 2004 Icon Calendar. It showed all the miraculous Greek, Russian, and even one Polish (if I'm not mistaken) Icons of the Panagia.

[Timos]

Also, check out the christusrex.org galleris of Christian art. It features some prettyu large, old russian style icons.

[Thomas]

Many times the icon print is done with water soluble inks or inks that respond to the solvents of the varnish---it is important to know what type of print you are using. Icons off a compute or done with an inkjet are better it they are laminated versus varnished as the inks often run----try your inks solubility on just a standard picture; (not a religious icon) first---if it runs so will your icon, if it doesn't you have hit on the secret for your success.My homemade print icons have been most successful using bulletin Covers and calendars that were professionally printed. Remember that an Icon Calendar at a bookstore looses great value after the calendar year---often I can pick them up for little or nothing.¦nbsp; Don't forget those excess parish calendars left over from last year there is ususally at least one good print on each cover.

When I do a homemade mounting of an Icon print , like Rebbecca I use a brayer and then place a very heavy set of books on top¦of the Icon for a day or so to assure it bonds well.Once it has dried several days, I then spray it with a Polyurethane varnish clear or satin to seal the icon. I then take it to the priest to bless after which it is appropriate to venerate the Icon.

Maby of the expensive mounted icons use a sticky backed laminating machine which laminates the paper icon to protect it.¦ They then peel off the stick back and using a bray brollit into place with no air bubbles; even then they lose about 5-12% to imperfections they will not sale or allow to be blessed---they will peel off the laminated icon and place a proper one on the prepared board.

[strebekah]

We have used decoupage medium to mount things printed off the internet. It is made for paper crafts.

It usually comes in plastic jars at a craft store. There should be a section for decoupage crafts...or look by the glues.

The brayer is a small acrylic roller. I found ours by the rubber stamping crafts.

Rebecca

[jayjay]

A little off the subjext, but not too much I hope. I have an old old Russian icon, and the gold leaf is flaking off. Anyone know how I can seal it before I lose it all???

[Thomas]

You can actually add new gold leaf, this is what is done in the old country. Write to a monastery in the Russian tradition about releafing your icon, they may be willing to do it for you.

Thomas

[Timos]

you can also buy gold leaf from a local craft store liek Michael's if you want to do it yourself. If that does not work, try a monastery here before you contact a monastery all the way in Russia!

[Thomas]

If you have  an old icon, it is likely they used 20-24 karot gold leaf known as "true leaf" instead the the composition (Brass) gold leaf that Michaels and many of the craft stores offer. Please verify the leaf is true leaf (meaning Gold).  Non True Leaf will tarnish.  You can  do a word search in google for Gold leaf and get some very good true leaf sites that will ship over night.  The last packet of 20 leaves (sheets) I got ran $32.00 and was delivered overnite to my home.

In Christ,
Thomas

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