Thursday 17 April 2008

Paper and more paper




This blog covers the last two classes. I should be at class tonight but I went to London with friends from my painting class to see the exhibition at the Royal Academy - From Russia - and did not get back until 8 o'clock. But well worth going. The collection of paintings was superb...especially the Cezanne and Kandinsky. They look so different in real life compared with reproductions in books. The Kandinsky, in particular, was stunning. I did not realise what a large painting it was, about 7ft by 10ft. It really knocks your socks off. I would recommend anyone to go to the exhibition but today is the last day so I'm afraid you have missed. I have included a picture of the Kandinsky here so you can see what you've missed.
Anyway, back to C and G. The last two weeks we have been making paper. Last week we made silk paper using just water and relying on the gummy substance called seracin left in the silk. Usually when making silk you need to use a cellulose glue or similar to get the fibres to stay together. The silk is teased out as thin or as thick as you like, then sprayed with water and placed between two sheets of baking parchment and ironed until dry. Simple as that. The silk can be coloured before or after ironing and embellishment such as other fibres can be included. I have shown a piece of paper with threads included and another piece that has been coloured with acrylic ink.
The previous week we made paper...using mashed up paper pulp from various sources such as old envelopes. As with the silk paper, this paper can be coloured and/or inclusions added.

We are not far off the end of the course..about 5 weeks to go. I can thoroughly recommend this course whether you paint, work in textiles or both.

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