Tuesday, November 8, 2011

THE ART OF PAPERMAKING ....

When I first started to make paper back in 1996
I wanted to make something very solid and rough to paint on.
I tried with different materials ...
 but ended up using old newspapers and fishing-net !!!
I will now show you some photos from the proces


Instead of using newspapers I found out to use maculatet paper

It came clear to me when I was helping my friend Helen,
 who import things from Bali for her shop "MAMA LUNA" 
 I saw these maculatet paper in all colours
 used to protect the fragile things ...
and of cource I liked ... the thought of "recycling the recycling" ...
and to know the paper
 "had taken the journey from the other side of the world"
 and most of all the touch of  Bali ....



For at least 24 hours I let the paper absorb the water
and I add some wallpaper-glue and mix it all !!!


So I arrange my fishingnet
in the patterns I want
and start to put the papermache on top ....



I let some spaces open to make holes and
 let the net stick out on the edge...


And then it´s all about ....
to make the paper dry out
so in days with sunny and dry weather
our garden is filled up with papers  spread all over !!!
While the paper is drying out,
it needs to be turned over a lot of times.
Specially the big pieces can be quite complicated
 to handlebecause the paper mache
still is soft and easily  fall in pieces.



After this starts a new proces
choosing colours and decorating !!!


Some paper s I only use black and white


because it´s a good contrast to
 the small bits
of different colours in the paper !!







     

The next paper is one
I made for my nephew and his wife
I got speciel wishes about the size


and a little piece of fabric
to find the colours to match their sofa !!


So I made different suggestions of colours ..


  ... and emailed it to them
so they could make their choice
                                             

Having decided the palet of colours
I was ready to begin ...


It was the biggest piece I had made
and I loved the way the fishing-net  was "dancing" ...


And I was happy with the roustic expression of
the frayed edge with the fishing-net sticking out
 and the holes in the middle ...



I often use a circle


                                                           as a part of the decoration
because the circle makes you focus ...


                                                 
                                                        and it is the symbol of the infinity !!





Another nephew and his wife
visited me in my workshop
they liked two diffent papers I already made

one because of the colours
and another with a "dancing figure"

                                                  
                                     
                                                       and they wanted a special size
                                                             that fit in on their wall


                                                  
                                         
                                              so I used the blue, turquoise and green colours
                                             ...  the circle and "the dancing figure" ...

                                                    
                                           
                                                       

                                                So I made the paper in many different sizes


from large


to tiny ...


                                                                 In warm colours    ...
 
                                                                              
                                                                   and more cold colours


and mixed colours ....



and got a lot of diffent expression !!!

I often think of it
 like I am archaeologist
 who had found
 some "bits and pieces"
just in the last minute
just before it perish and disappear ...
and with my brush I move the dust


and find the colours !!!






No comments:

Post a Comment