return to ML Hart Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join the dialogue about all aspects of art.

Sign up for  ArtLetter
and become e-informed about ML Hart's shows, projects & publications,  appearances and more.

Simply type your e-mail address in the box above and click on "subscribe."

 

 

 

 

TOP OF PAGE

 

 

 

 

 

NAVIGATION
go to Web Gallery pages
go to Jazz On Stage
go to Theatre / Dance pages
go to Opera pages
go to Papermaking pages
go to About the Artist
go to Speaking pages
go to Writings
go to Art Letter pages
go to Words & Music Shop
go to Art Links
go to Awards pages
CONNECTING
e-mail ML Hart
send an e-mail

 

original content and images/graphics © copyright 1995 ML Hart except where noted
all photographs this page © copyright 1995 Michael Hart

no part of this page, site, or any components may be borrowed, downloaded, acquired, or otherwise used by any person(s) without the express written consent of ML Hart

what is copyright all about?
title banner - The Papermaking Process


The first step in making paper is to beat the fiber to a pulp - quite literally. The plant fiber is prepared by tearing or cutting into smaller pieces and then cooked to break down the rigid cell structure; a caustic agent, such as soda ash, must be added to neutralize lignin - the substance that turns newspapers brown and brittle.

The pulp is then mixed with water, working hydrogen molecules into the fiber structure; the beating process forges new chemical bonds with the cellulose fibers. Longer beating time creates stronger bonds - and along with the type of fiber, that will determine the physical characteristics of the finished paper: characteristics such as translucency, printability, shrinkage factor in drying, and overall strength.

 
tearing cotton linter
tearing cotton linter		 more tearing
more tearing		 peeling layers of abaca
peeling layers of abaca

Sheets of paper are formed on a frame called a mould. This is usually made of wood in the size of the finished sheet and covered with a mesh of fine screen or wire. The wet pulp is contained on the mould by a deckle, a frame without the screening.

 
agitating pulp in the vat
agitating pulp in the vat		 mould and deckle
the mould and deckle		 the vat shake
the vat shake

To pull a sheet, the papermaker dips the mould and deckle together into a vat of pulp suspended in water, scoops up a layer of pulp on the surface of the mould, and shakes it back and forth and side to side. When timed properly with the water draining back through the pulp, this vat shake helps interlock the fibers into a smooth sheet. The ratio of pulp to water is mostly what will determine the thickness of the sheet.

 
draining the water off
draining the water off		 lifting the deckle
lifting the deckle		 the formed sheet
the formed sheet

The formed sheet is then couched (from the French verb coucher, to put to bed) or transferred from the mould onto a drying surface. Traditionally, the sheet is couched onto an absorbent layer of felt, stacking up several layers of paper sheets and felts, called a post.

If a post is created, the bulk of the water must be pressed out so that the sheets can be strong enough to be lifted to a drying screen. For restraint drying, the sheet is couched onto a vertical surface (such as glass or masonite), the excess water sponged out through the mould, and the sheet left to dry. This will give a smoother finished surface to the paper.

 
felts for layering
felts for layering		 couching
couching		 building the post
building the post

The sheets of paper will lighten in color as they dry (which can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on thickness, fiber, and weather) and they may develop ripples and curls; these irregularities can be used to great effect in assembled artworks.

 

 

FIBERS
Paper is made from many kinds of plant fibers - cotton is the most common, with various kinds of leaves and barks used in combination with cotton, or with a good binding fiber, such as the Philipine abaca. Long stringy fibers are a bit more difficult to work with, but make stronger paper - plant stuff such as lawn clippings aren't likely to be strong enough to hold a sheet in the finished form.

For painting and manipulation after the sheets are made, I prefer cotton, or a blend of cotton with abaca or Spanish flax. Flax on its own, especially with an extended beating time, has a high shrinkage content, which creates wonderfully unpredictable shapes as the paper dries.

For paper that is textured and interesting to look at or touch on its own, my preference is to use local plants - bird of paradise stems and leaves make wonderful paper, as does pampas grass. Kozo, the inner bark from Japanese or Thai mulberry trees, is an astonishing fiber, strong and beautiful.
raw fiber for papermaking ...
Pampas grass Sisal
Cotton Kozo
pampas grass sisal

cotton
[bleached, unbleached, dyed black]		 kozo


In Japan, the making of paper (not just the result) is an art in itself, and Master papermakers are revered members of society. A Zen approach is taken, with the papermaker's spirit becoming one with the pulp, and then becoming a part of each sheet of paper.

In typical Western fashion, we focus more on the compression of time so as not to 'waste' it, and often discard the most valuable parts of this Japanese tradition. There is something immensely calming and satisfying about making paper - preparing the materials, going through the routine, and especially the tactile sensation of pulling the sheets from the vat. It's literally about getting 'in touch' with the material that becomes the paper.