I thought I would have a February project for all y'all, but class is just keeping me so busy. The great thing about art classes is at least I can share a new techinique--papermaking!
If you're like me, you hate anything going to waste and you love being thrifty. Papermaking is the ultimate combo of recycling
and thrift, plus it's easy to do if you don't mind a little mess. It doesn't require any special equipment to get started, and you can even buy starter kits from a company like
Arnold Grummer with everything you need. There are whole books and lots of videos on papermaking--the possibilities are truly endless--so I'll just give a high-level overview here.
Here are some of the items you'll need:
- A mold
- Scrap paper, newspaper or cardstock
- An old blender specifically designated for papermaking
- Small cup or measuring cup
- Sponges
- Two tubs with a flat bottom
- Absorbent paper for couching
- Screens
- Wastewater bucket
- An old shirt or apron
- Nitrile or rubber gloves
- Plastic tarp or old tablecloth to cover your workspace
Cautions and Warnings
- Pulping paper in a blender may release dyes that may stain. Wear an old shirt or apron and cover your workspace.
- If you use a purchased dye, be sure to read all instructions before opening the package.
- Don't throw wastewater down your sink. Paper fibres can settle in your pipes and create a clog. Collect wastewater in a pail and dump outside.
- Some types of specialty paper won't pulp--foils and any plastic-coated paper--for example.
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Here are some of the steps I take to make paper:
1. Gather your scraps! I used Night of Navy, but you can try mixing colours too, although black and grey scraps tend to turn everything black or grey. If you experiment doesn't work out, you can always save it as a sample or re-pulp it.
2. Rip it up! This part is kinda fun--and you can do it while watching TV! You don't have to go this small however.
3. Blend and pour into your mold. This is where things can get a little wet--but you'll have the makings of a piece of paper after swirling the pulp and water around. As you become familiar with the proces, you'll discover how much water to add to the blender.
4. Screen and dry. In the photo below, I've screened out the water and am ready to couch the new paper between two absorbant sheets to speed up the drying process. When the sheet is dry, it will appear lighter than the original cardstock--but you can still stamp, sponge and cut it like it was a factory-made piece.
I hope you enjoyed this brief insight into papermaking. If you try it, you'll soon fall in love with the world of possibilities, such as layering sheets, adding embellishments like glitter or flowers to the pulp and maybe even sculpting with it. Whatever you do, it will be unique because you made it!
