Papermaking

For thousands of years, the technique of making paper has remained basically the same. This book defines the various types of paper - laid, wove, mould-made, machine made, papyrus, tapa, 'rice,' parchment - then shows the entire procedure for making paper, step by step. A chapter on equipment describes how to organize a shop - what materials are needed; what types of beaters, moulds, and deckles are available; how to make watermarks; and how to work with dyes and pigments. Instructions are given for building your own molds and deckles, as well as for building a Hollander beater and a hydropulper.

The second part of the book explains how to produce the right type of paper for your needs - printmaking, drawing, watercolor, cast paper - and how to solve the problems that you may encounter while making paper. A chapter on recycled and unusual papers shows how to make paper form your junk mail or from your vegetable garden. A final chapter details the fascinating new methods of casting paper.

A gallery of photographs of works by leading artists shows the wide range of experimental approaches in papermaking. Throughout the book, the author details the methods and materials used by noted papermakers.