Pastepaper Recipe

Pastepaper always feels like a series of happy accidents. I know there are professional pastepaper artists, but I am not one of them. This activity is perfect when you have a bit of time and feel creative. I like to move all of my furniture out of the way and paint all over my laminate floors. This recipe cleans up easily, but lay down plastic if you are at all worried about stains.
Here's what you need:

• Good quality paper (I like drawing paper, 80lb at least)
• Spray bottle
• Paint brushes of varying size
• Sponge, cups, spatula, other tools for adding texture
• Acrylic Paint
• Paste

There are dozens of recipes for pastepaper. One of the easiest uses just cornstarch and water. It isn't science though, so play around with the recipe until you have a consistency that you like.

Paste Recipe

Mix 1 cup cornstarch + 1 cup cold water. Set aside.

Next, boil 7 cups of water. Remove the pan from heat and add cornstarch mixture. Mix with an electric beater for at least a minute to remove lumps. You should have a heavy, smooth paste. Paste only gets better as it cools. It's perfect the next day.

Paste will keep in a cool, air tight container for a few days. When the paste is completely cool, it will be a little stiff. Blend it again and add a little water to smooth things out.

Here are a few examples from my most recent afternoon of pastepapering