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100% Elephant Dung Paper

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Help_Save_Asian_Elephants

Elephant Art, Elephant Dung Paper, Saa Paper, hand-made, and special products from Thailand.

Hints and Tips:

1.  If you don't see the art that you want because of color, artist or composition go to the Elephant Art page and, at the bottom, order a Commissioned Art.  The price is about the same, it will come with your colors and you specify the artist.

2.  If you are looking for a gift for a friend, get an EDP Gift Certificate if you can't decide what to buy.

3.  Have to have a certain color on an item?  Be sure to tell us in the remarks during check out.  We will send the correct color along if we have it.

4.  Framing Art:   We have found that attaching your elephant art to stretcher bars or your hand built wooden stretcher is best done with either a good spray glue, or a white glue or wood glue.  If your art will be put into a frame you can use staples with glue.  The art looks very nice wrapped on a 3/4 inch frame with no outside frame.  Lay the art on a clean surface and then use a little glue along one edge.  Use glue only along the outside edge, it will dry fast.  Then pull the art tight and glue the opposite side the same way.  Let dry for a few minutes.  Then repeat for the top and bottom edge.  Be sure to pull the paper gently while gluing.  (Don't over-do it and rip it.)  I usually trim the excess paper along the back edge with a razor knife and then cut with scissors into the corners and fold one edge over hiding one staple near the corner.  Let dry.  If your paper/art has too much slack in it after framing  (not stretched well) I have found two things that work well.  Since EDP paper is basically thousands of bits of separate pieces of paper it is susceptible to manipulation.  You can actually tighten your art framing work by applying a steam iron (lightly & carefully) to the back of the art.  Another technique I have used with great success is to spray a fine mist of water to the back of the art after framing.   I use a spray bottle that is bought at a local hardware, but you can probably use a Windex type bottle if it is cleaned out and still produces a fine mist of water.  Go easy and light.  Don't over-do it.  After applying a fine mist set your art aside to dry or even put in the sun, but in a protected area.  If tightening has not occurred try moistening once more.  Print these directions and give to your expert framer, they will have equipment to make your framed art perfect.

Another technique:   Some may want to mount the elephant art on a stretcher or blank canvas/stretcher.  These paintings do not have to go under glass.   You can seal this art with 3-4 coats of Krylon GLOSS UV-Resistant Acrylic Coating.  I don’t like the finish of the MATTE coating (plus, it dulls it).  I use light coats and let each dry at least 30 minutes before applying the next coat.  It seals it up nice.  Also, you can use something like 3M Super 77 spray glue to glue the art to a suitable surface like a blank stretched canvas or even cork board or the like.  (Be careful.)

5.  No guarantees of success are implied with these directions although they have been used repeatedly with good success.  Good care is a must while following directions.

6.  Here is some helpful information that comes from a professional artist about using EDP for watercolor painting: 

          Tips for preparing EDP for application of watercolors;

               1) spray with a layer of spray starch. Let it set.

                2) place brown paper towels over it

                3) on warm-medium steam setting, gently iron it. Let it dry.

                4) repeat several times to create layers

7.  Use Miracle Tape to seal envelopes:  You can always use Miracle Tape (available from Viva Las Vegastamps!) to seal your hand made or EDP envelopes!  If you're giving away the envelopes, you can even leave the paper backing on the Miracle Tape so the recipient can peel off the backing when they're ready to use the envelope.

8.  Making your own envelopes out of EDP or other home made paper is becoming increasingly popular with folks. The simplest way is to just make a cardboard or plastic template (open an envelope the size you want and trace around it), then overlay the template on the envelope paper, trace around it and cut out your envelope.   (Try our beige paper or a colorful paper pack for making your envelopes.)  You can assemble your envelope with Miracle Tape or glue. Purists may want to make their own envelope glue (like above or below) for the flaps.

9.  Making Envelope Glue

            Ingredients:
            6 tablespoons white vinegar
            4 1 oz. packets unflavored gelatin
            1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or any flavor that you like).  Bring vinegar to a boil in a small pan. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add extract and stir until mixed.  Brush a thin layer onto back of an envelope flap.  Let dry.  Moisten to apply.  Store excess glue in a sealed container and melt again for future use by putting in a pan of warm water.

10.  Homemade Elephant Glue

                Ingredients:  1 tsp Elmer's Glue, 1/2 tsp. vinegar, 2 drops mint flavoring.  Apply to surface and let dry.  Lick to activate.

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