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Papermaking Techniques Book: Over 50 Techniques for Making and Embellishing Handmade Paper
Papermaking Techniques Book provides the clear, step-by-step instruction necessary to help crafters of any experience level create unique and elegant handmade paper. Talented papercrafter Kath Russon guides beginners in discovering the pleasures of handmade papers--from textural papers in all shades to scented papers containing flowers, leaves seeds and grasses; watermarked papers; embossed papers, and shaped papers. She details over 50 step-by-step techniques from start to finish, including selecting the right equipment, choosing and preparing fibers, sheet forming, sheet sizing, and how to employ a wide range of embellishments to create lovely papers of every description. Finished handmade papers from professional papermakers are pictured to provide inspiration and show the practical application of each technique, while full projects appropriate to each chapter allow readers to put the skills they have learned into context.
- GenresCraftsNonfiction
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 7, 2018
I got a papermaking kit for Christmas, and took this book out of the library in anticipation of using it. A well-illustrated guide with a lot of information. I think it will be helpful as inspiration as well as in specifics, and ordered a copy so I could consult it once I begin the process of trying to make paper myself.
January 17, 2019
Goes beyond basic papermaking into some nice projects to embellish and stretch your creativity with papermaking.
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February 4, 2023A great technique book on paper making. Blessedly few projects, but lots of gorgeous pictures. Concisely organized to be a frequently-consulted reference book.
September 10, 2016
I don't make paper often myself, but this seems to be the papermaking book to end all, seeing the number of techniques not only to make it, but also to adorn and experiment with the finished product, truly pushing the technique into art.
Owning a papermaking kit is useful, but the book gives detailed, step-by-step instructions to make a mold and deckle from easily procurable materials or objects (such as picture frames). This is followed by the papermaking section, the longest in the book, beginning by making pulp from three sources: recycled paper (from home scraps), part-processed fibers (from a specialized papermaker) and plant fibers (from nature). Sheet forming, couching, pressing/drying are described, again step-by-step, using different methods, making it easy to adapt to available equipment or the fancy of your imagination.
More advanced techniques are then tackled: making laminated paper (thicker and stronger), embedded or embossed papers, watermarks, casting (from clay, plaster or readymade molds) and still-life relief.
The next section is about using color with your homemade paper: by dyeing the pulp (again in a variety of easily-arranged ways, like using frozen berries!) or painting it. The final section deal with dry paper, in other words paper-based decorative techniques – stencil, batik, monoprint, marbling, embossing and many more.
All along, the book is strewn with highly creative or even conceptual pieces of paper art relevant to the technique being explained. It's amazing how such simple basics can be built up to obtain such stunning results, that are not to be used in another project but final pieces in themselves! Because the author takes us through the entire gamut of making paper, from the very basics (paper to make art) to the material's ultimate achievement (paper being art), I feel I'll never need another book on papermaking. Of course, if I did this in depth, I might feel differently about it, but for someone who only needs to make paper occasionally, it's a prime choice of a reference: extensive, clear and affordable.
Owning a papermaking kit is useful, but the book gives detailed, step-by-step instructions to make a mold and deckle from easily procurable materials or objects (such as picture frames). This is followed by the papermaking section, the longest in the book, beginning by making pulp from three sources: recycled paper (from home scraps), part-processed fibers (from a specialized papermaker) and plant fibers (from nature). Sheet forming, couching, pressing/drying are described, again step-by-step, using different methods, making it easy to adapt to available equipment or the fancy of your imagination.
More advanced techniques are then tackled: making laminated paper (thicker and stronger), embedded or embossed papers, watermarks, casting (from clay, plaster or readymade molds) and still-life relief.
The next section is about using color with your homemade paper: by dyeing the pulp (again in a variety of easily-arranged ways, like using frozen berries!) or painting it. The final section deal with dry paper, in other words paper-based decorative techniques – stencil, batik, monoprint, marbling, embossing and many more.
All along, the book is strewn with highly creative or even conceptual pieces of paper art relevant to the technique being explained. It's amazing how such simple basics can be built up to obtain such stunning results, that are not to be used in another project but final pieces in themselves! Because the author takes us through the entire gamut of making paper, from the very basics (paper to make art) to the material's ultimate achievement (paper being art), I feel I'll never need another book on papermaking. Of course, if I did this in depth, I might feel differently about it, but for someone who only needs to make paper occasionally, it's a prime choice of a reference: extensive, clear and affordable.
March 21, 2011
great instructions on tons of techniques that are truly different. Best paper making book I've seen. To make it "amazing" I would change the format of the instructions to make it a bit more readable.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews