Craft expert Jean Kievlan shows how easy it is to make paper at home and explains two basic methods: cast paper and flat paper. Because you can add almost anything to the basic mix, the possibilities are endless -- and it's a great way to recycle bits and pieces of paper. Select paper that has a high cotton content. Materials:
Blender (one that you won't use for food processing--try yard sales for a used one)
Water
Cotton-pulp paper
Paper stabilizer
Paper sizing
Sponge
Clear plastic mold
Papermaking screen
Large plastic tub
Muslin
Newspapers
Acrylic paint
Powdered blush or eyeshadow
Pressed flowers, glitter, pine needles, orange peel, etc.
Tea, coffee, onion skins, etc.
Cast Paper - Tear pieces of cotton-pulp paper and place them in a blender with water and a pinch of paper stabilizer. Blend for about 1 minute. The pulp should have a mushy consistency. If it doesn't, blend a little longer.
- Press a handful of pulp into a clear plastic mold. The clear mold will enable you to see whether the mold is filled and to check for air bubbles. Gently add more pulp to the spots that need filling, pressing out any air bubbles with your fingers (figure A).
- Press a sponge onto the pulp to begin extracting the water. Wring out the sponge, and repeat until the excess moisture is removed (figure B).
- Allow the paper to dry in the mold. The drying time will vary according to the temperature and humidity level. Let the paper dry at least overnight.
- Turn the mold over to release the dry paper casting.
- Paint with acrylic paint, if desired.
Flat Pulled Paper - Cut newspaper sheets into fourths. Stack the sheets neatly at least 1" thick, and place a piece of clean muslin on top. This is a drying pad to be used later in the process.
- Use the same method as for cast paper to create pulp in the blender. Using a mixture of 90 percent water and 10 percent pulp, fill a large plastic container or tub. Add paper sizing to the water, according to package directions. Stir the mixture with your hands for 5 to 10 minutes. To create colored paper, add torn pieces of colored paper to the blender while the pulp is being mixed.
- Stir the water just before you begin this step. The particles should be floating in the water, not settled on the bottom, when you pull. Dip the screen into the tub from the back; in one motion, bring it down so it is completely under water, then gently lift it out of the water in a scooping motion (figure C).
- Remove the top frame of the screen, allowing the bulk of the excess water to fall back into the tub. Be careful not to tip the screen too much or the pulp will fall off.
- Carefully turn the screen over, pulp side down, onto the drying pad described in Step 1.
- With the screen now on top, blot a sponge across it to absorb excess moisture. Wring out the sponge and continue this process until the pulp becomes dry enough to release itself from the screen. Allow the sheet of new paper to release on its own so that it doesn't tear or break. Let it dry thoroughly.
Customizing Your Paper Create custom papers by adding common things from around your house and garden. - You can add almost anything to the pulp mixture, including orange peel, flower seeds or liquids in various colors. This gingerbread-man swag was made using a plastic mold for the figures. The dark color was achieved by adding coffee to the water ( figure D).
- Try boiling the skins from yellow onions until they become soft, then adding them to the pulp-and-water solution. Experiment with black walnuts, beet juice, strawberries or other colorful plants or vegetables.
- Some other possible additions include pine needles, glitter, feathers and pressed flowers (figure E). Or try the Sunday comics to add a fun touch (figure F). Experiment, and the various colors and textures will create one-of-a-kind treasures.
RESOURCES :
For papermaking books and additional projects using paper
Jean Kievlan
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