Large Scale Paper Making

Away from Twitter now...I'm enjoying it too much! Can you believe two weeks have gone already, time for a day off? I think not!  Spent the day working in a Government funded paper research centre. It had the atmosphere of a sixties factory about it, (if you've seen Mon Oncle, it was like the hose production plant).  The people who worked there were a delight, really calm, careful and attentive. They were very patient with us bumbling, yet excitable, artists.  The leader of the facility, Mr Sato, was a geneal chap.  He mixed paper pulp for us all day long, in batches of white, violet, blue, brown and black.  

The main difference between this and the other paper making techniques that we have learned about, is that the pulp mixture is literally thrown over the mesh.  As you can see below, the process might look chaotic, but it produces astonishing effects, particularly when your use two contrasting colours at the same time.  I think the pictures say more than I could at this point, there are one or two more pics on Twitter too, @roamingdunn.

The Paper Research Facility

Mr Sato and the Technicians Demo the paper making technique

 

We all pat down blotting paper to soak up the moisture

Mr Sato skillfully brushes down the paper to dry

The paper is easily removed once dry

Alternative colour variations (White and Black)

(Black and 'Violet')