Making Sand Paper
For a solid year of my life, I was expressly focused on making paper. But not just any paper. Experimental paper. I’d collect random things I found in thrift stores, or collect natural materials to use as additives in my paper.
A Colorful Custom Book
Making this colorful book for Lauraleigh was a true pleasure! To create this piece, I mixed different colored pulps to create not only a bespoke cover paper but a one-of-a-kind journal.
Chasing Texture on Handmade Paper
Texture is one of the key attributes of a piece of handmade paper. My journey into papermaking is coming to the one-year mark and texture has been one of the main drivers of change in my process. I’ve been chasing it, on the hunt for the perfect smooth texture that makes both writing and art seamless.
Making Handmade Leaf Paper
I made paper, out of leaves! Okay, not 100% out of leaves, but pretty close. Ever since I started making paper last summer, making paper with leaves was something I was interested in experimenting with. And, I finally did it!
Making a Dry Box
Over the last several weeks, I’ve been focusing my energy on making my papermaking set-up more efficient. One of the key things I’ve been wanting to try (and now finally have!) is making a dry box for drying freshly pulled sheets. Dry boxes are sort of the gold standard for drying handmade paper, mainly because they are efficient and produce a quality sheet.
Sizing Handmade Paper with Wheat Starch Paste
This past weekend, I attempted to size my handmade paper with wheat starch paste. Sizing is an important part of the handmade paper process, especially if the goal is to make a quality paper that one can write, draw, or paint on, so it’s something I’ve wanted to master before I delved deeper into making new paper batches. This article is a little bit of a how-to, but also a recap of what I learned and the outcome of this first sizing test.
Jumping Back Into Papermaking
It’s been a hot minute since I made paper. My last paper batch was made on the night of the election, an activity I deemed as necessary to relieve my stress and not obsess over the news.