Book & Paper Group: Match your Infill

Master how to infill losses in paper and leather with Rita Udina

‘Match your infill’ has been run by Barcelona based conservator Rita Udina for many years, and is finally coming to the UK!

This highly practical 3-day workshop teaches participants how to create seamless infills for a variety of materials, surfaces and colours.  Participants will have the chance to practise a wide range of techniques, with materials and samples fully provided. The aim of the course is to provide participants with the skills to infill and in-paint the most challenging losses with confidence and success.

Course content

1) Materials

  • Filling losses and fillers: powdered cellulose, paper pulp, Japanese paper, modifying the appearance and texture of Japanese paper, silicone mould casting to replicate textures.
  • Inpainting media and toning systems: synthetic resins, watercolour/gouache, pencils/pastels, dry pigments, dyes, colorants and other colouring agents.
  • Light and colour phenomena (optional).
  • Modifiers : glossing, matting, polishing agents (optional).

2) Techniques

  • Chromatic Selection and Chromatic abstraction.
  • Rigatino/ tratteggio: Fiorentino vs. Romano
  • Underleveled.
  • Neutral colour field.
  • Mimetic.
  • Digital technology
  • Ethical considerations.

This workshop is being held in collaboration with Tate's Paper and Photograph Conservation team, and will be held at Tate Britain's paper conservation studio.

Most materials will be provided for, but it is recommended that participants bring their own conservation toolkits (mixing spatulas, scalpels and brushes), aprons and small watercolour sets.