If you’ve been making your own handmade paper now, you might want to try making rice paper. Rice paper is a beautiful and elegant creation that has been used in writing and art for centuries in China and Japan. Slightly translucent with a unique texture, it will be a lovely addition to your handmade paper collection.
Though rice paper traditionally means paper made from rice plants, today it can be made from just about any plant source, such as bamboo. (more…)
Even if you don’t want to make your own paper, you can still enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of handmade paper. There are many places to purchase it for all of your paper needs.
Some of these stores specialize in paper exclusively; these are the stores where you may be able to find a wide variety of paper, from batik to mulberry to almost any kind you might want or need. (more…)
Now that you’ve had some experience making your own paper, you probably have a small collection of it accumulating. Have you tried making paper in different colors, scents, or even with your own photo yet? How about making paper out of grass–or adding in your own seeds to make it plant-able? We’ve also learned about aging paper chemically to make it look older. (more…)
The Handmade Paper Institute (HPI) of Pune, India was once a glorious testament to the beauty and power of handmade paper. An idea conceived by none other than Mahatma Gandhi, it was meant to serve as a source of both eco-friendly paper as well as employment for the Indian community; and serve it did, exporting 500 varieties of beautiful, elegant handmade papers to at least 75 countries.
But today, the Institute is struggling. (more…)