papéis para impressão de xilogravuras - do blog da Maria Arango

Papers, the dreaded final chapter

More papers for your delight below.

Other books about paper that are worth building extra shelves for...not that it's something I would ever do!

Jules Heller Papermaking: How to Make Handmade Paper for Printmaking, Drawing, Painting, Relief and Cast Forms, Book Arts, and Mixed Media 

Bo Rudin Making Paper: A Look into the History of an Ancient Craft 

Herbert Holik Handbook of Paper and Board 

Leonard M Rosenband Papermaking in Eighteenth-Century France: Management, Labor, and Revolution at the Montgolfier Mill, 1761-1805 


Papers:

Magnani Incisioni

Snow white, thick and absorbent, this is very much like Arches 88 except somehow it behaves better. It is especially suited for wood engravings or for embossing (surprise, since those two print-acts require such different characteristics).  For a white paper, this is definitely the king. It is very smooth and accepts buckets of ink, layer after layer. It is  a strong paper that tears smoothly.

Magnani Pescia Blue/Cream/White

This paper is thick and soft and of an unusual light blue color. Pescia also comes in a beautiful cream and pure white. The surface is very smooth with no grain. Tears or cuts remarkably well. Basically "acts" like Arches 88 but better quality all around.  It works well wet or dry, shrinks evenly (so it registers well), and takes much abuse so it is equally suitable for hand or press printing.  It embosses well because of the thickness and will take many layers of ink. It also accepts engravings and other printmaking methods, truly a king of papers.  Pine Creek Escapade is printed on Pescia.

Masa

This is a great practice paper but also very very very! suitable for wood engravings. It is a Japanese paper, so it is thin and strong. comes heavily sized on one side, smooth like typing paper--no, smoother. The other side clearly shows the typical long fibers of Japanese papers (a great and affordable teaching tool).  Other than that, it is snow white, thin and affordable. I buy it by the roll and keep it for proofing but also for engravings to get all that wonderful detail.

Mexican Bark

This hand-made paper is expensive and difficult to work with. Another one of those challenges! Unsized, tough, thick; made by beating bark "to a pulp" then forming sheets. It feels like thin layers of bark and absolutely will not accept ink unless dampened thoroughly. This doesn't mean it has to be soaked, just let the dampness travel well overnight. Printing requires a gel additive or the paper will stay on the block.  It comes in ivory, chestnut, buckskin, and marble (a mixture of chestnut/buckskin and ivory). It is specially suited for simple images and will emboss nicely.   It will also tear nicely, not always where you want. It is impossible to cut or tear in straight lines, but wetting with a paint brush causes the paper to separate beautifully.  A nice challenge for specially planned images.

Mulberry Natural

This is a thin, unsized, decorative paper that is tough to use in prints. The best use I can think of is for one-color prints, since the speckled greenish background of the paper adds plenty to the image.  It behaves much like Japanese papers, that is, it loves ink and is strong, although not as strong and malleable as okawara or hosho. If you have a  specific image in mind like the Joshua Forest pictured, then it is a great paper and no other will do. I keep using it to print desert images.

Murillo Printmaking

This is a thick, cardboard-feeling, chunky and tough paper. It absorbs the ink well, but has to be soaked to print because in its dry state it is HARD!  It comes in the pictured Chestnut and many other bright and buff colors. The cream Murillo is especially attractive. It has a distinct wavy pattern which will show in the finished print. After soaking and drying it is likely that it will buckle much like watercolor paper, so it has to be dried under weights between blotters.  Murillo Chestnut was used for Hija Del Sol.

Niggeden

A meaty, German mould-made paper with very distinct waves running through the fibers. It is hard to the touch and medium weight, has to be dampened for printing. The waves will show through the finished print, so if you don't like that, don't use it.  It absorbs the ink readily, although dry printing does not yield good results. The warmth of the tan paper is difficult to find in others, except Arches tan and Kitakata. Renaissance was printed on Niggeden.

Okawara

This is a thin, lightly sized on one side, beautiful paper that is a dream to print on. It works equally well dry or dampened, it is lightweight, warm in color. It prints equally well on the sized side and the unsized side, giving beautiful results either way (oil inks). Tears well, feels soft and strong.   If you are planning a big run, get all your paper in one order because the rolls (36"x72") can vary quite a bit in color. Also, there are different qualities, some hand-made and some machine made which are cheaper but lack the "gorgeousness."

Rives de Lin

This very expensive paper is so full of personality that I can't help using it, even though it's really meant for drawing. When I try to explain to someone how beautiful paper can be, I merely show them  a sheet of this stuff.  Rives de Lin is snow white and toothy, but don't let that stop you as it absorbs ink as well as any of the Magnani papers. The images are softer because the 'shallows' of the paper will remain white. It is a heavy Western type paper that I love using for soft effects.  It will accept layer upon layer of ink and the final effect can look like a watercolor. Tears beautifully and in fact the tears are closer to a real deckle than when tearing any other paper.  It is, however, expensive but well worth it and comes in rolls for the adventurous.

Rising Stonehenge

A very affordable all printmaking purposes paper. Advantages are numerous: comes in a variety of soft colors and black, it is a Western heavy paper ideally suited for both woodcuts and wood engravings, embosses well, prints great wet or dry.  It is lightly sized internally, so it is a bit harder (non-spongy) than the Magnani papers. It tears great and with a nice imitation deckle edge. Comes in all sizes. Behaves in every occasion and comes in a wide range of creams, tans and off whites. I know we printmakers are supposed to use more expensive papers, but this is a definite winner with me and I can't see a downside.  Also comes in rolls.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Papers for Printmaking Part 2

Following are some of the papers I have tried and how they behaved for me. 
Generally I look for how papers behave for woodcut prints, but I have grown to love many papers that I use for sketching, watercolors and even painting.

Two more suppliers of awesome papers:
for a huge array of Japanese papers http://japanesepaperplace.com
and to enjoy the feel of handmade papers, learn a boatload and support smaller manufacturer
http://www.twinrocker.com 

And more book recommendations, of course, here are three GREAT BOOKS on papermaking, from a historical and craftsmanship perspective.
 

Dard Hunter's  Papermaking: The History and Technique of an Ancient Craft is the book to get for printmakers that want to delve into the history of paper. Really fascinating stuff!

A bit pricey but a Timothy Barrett's great book on Japanese Papermaking with great illustrations and photographs Japanese Papermaking: Traditions, Tools, Techniques 

And an out of print book, I confess one of my favorites, about the Craft of Japanese papermaking by Kiyofusa Narita with woodblock illustrations Japanese Paper-making

Maria's sampler of printmaking papers:

Arches 88

This paper is one of the best I have found for all types of printmaking. It is thick and soft and snow white. The surface is very smooth with no grain. Tears or cuts remarkably well.  It works well wet or dry, shrinks evenly (so it registers well), and takes much abuse so it is equally suitable for hand or press printing. Definitely use it for black and white oil based prints to achieve a most dramatic effect. It embosses well because of the thickness, but behaves otherwise much like the strong but thin Japanese papers  like Hosho.  It works equally well for woodcuts and wood engravings.

Arches Black

Delicious to print on. Not sized, that's why it likes the ink so well. Black paper presents a special challenge because you have to think your print in reverse/reverse. Whatever you cut out will be black.   Arches Black is thick and soft. The surface is a bit more grained on one side, I usually use the back of the paper. It tears and cuts very well. Scuffs easy so be careful when handling.  Gives a very crisp impression but you have to remember to use very opaque colors or you will end up with a much darker image than you intended.

Arches Tan

Much like Arches Black. Same behavior, same feel. It gives prints a wonderful "warm" look and acts like a mid-tone.  For some reason, the tan likes the ink the best of all the Arches family. By "liking" the ink I mean that the impressions are crisp, the ink lays evenly and layers well.   Print damp or dry.  It is a bit too "spongy" for wood engravings, but can be made to work well.

Bangla-Desh Handmade

This wonderful thick and spongy paper I bought at a place called "1,000 Villages" in a small town in Kansas. It is unsized and will stick to the block unless an additive like Daniel Smith Miracle Gel is used. Too wet and it will desintegrate back into pulp. When dry it is cardboard hard.  It tears well, cuts better, embosses deliciously and absorbs as much ink as you want to roll out. Gives clear and "stamp" like impressions. Every sheet is different.  See the notes on Printing On Hand-Made paper for recommended procedures.

 

BFK Light

This is a very affordable and versatile paper. It comes in white and buff, which are very similar in color. This paper is lightweight and accepts both woodcuts and wood engravings (although somewhat fuzzy on the wood engravings). As all Rives papers, it seems to be thirsty for ink and works well damp or dry. Tears very easily and handles well. An extremely gentle and forgiving paper to work with and warmly toned. 
I am told some folk even use this very successfully for moku-hanga, Japanese water-based, prints.

Canson Me Teintes (Red)

This is a paper made for pastel and drawing work. What I like about it is that it comes in a wide variety of bright colors. The "pastel" side is toothy. The reverse is smooth and ideal for printmaking.  Canson is thinner than the Arches family, it prints well dry or wet but I recommend dry. It likes the ink despite being made for drawing. Second and third layers of ink will shine unless Set Swell Compound is used on earlier layers. Tears and cuts well but it is fragile when dampened.

Daphne

Daphne hand-made papers from Nepal come in three weights.   Lightweight is feathery, transparent and suitable only for special projects. My Life of a Tree Series was printed on Daphne. It's a bear to work with, tears easily but not where you want it to.  Medium weight is suitable for woodcuts. It is sized but not too heavily. Being very strong, it doesn't tear easily, but using a brush and water makes it pull apart easily.  Heavy weight is a wonderful paper resembling parchment and can look like leather. It looks a lot like the background of this page. It works better dampened but becomes fragile. It is heavily sized but not consistently from batch to batch. Sometimes fibery inclusions can dent a cherry block so it's not for the faint of heart.

Graphic Chemical Heavyweight

For being so affordable, this paper surprised me in its ability to take ink well, layer well, tear well, dampen well...there is very little that this paper can't do. A sturdy Western paper with a light cream and slight toothy finish, it embosses well when dampened.   It is ink thirsty, so it will take several layers of ink without complaining. A bit rough for engravings, but also surprising in that function.  Did I mention affordable?

Hanhemulle

This is really a pastel paper, a bit softer than Canson and also available in a wide array of colors. It is lightweight and accepts ink very well, one side being toothier than the other.   The main advantage is the color range. Dampening makes this paper very fragile as it was meant for dry media. Tears well, use it dry.  Inks seal the unsized paper quickly, so the top layers will shine.

Ingres/Fabriano

Another questionable choice by yours truly, but it works so well!  This is really a drawing paper, thin and meant for dry media. Lo and behold, it takes the ink so well and comes in such warm unusual colors like "tobacco", "maple", "crimson", and "chocolate," among others.  Fibers are shorter than on traditional printmaking papers so they are fragile if dampened but work great dry.  This is also a nice affordable choice for the explorer in you.

Kaisuri

This paper is randomly scattered with inserted material. It is a difficult paper to work with. It is thin and unsized and will tear under the pressure of a baren unless backed with a strong backing sheet.  Will not work wet, tears poorly and cuts fairly with a very sharp blade.  The inserted materials are random and large pieces, sometimes they have already torn the paper fibers. Printing around these intrusions will leave a lighter mark all around them.  Why did I use it? It is exciting and lends an individuality to every print. It also lends a distinct quality to an otherwise simpler image if used well.

Kitakata (Kitikata)

This paper is light, translucent, strong and absorbent like many Japanese papers. It truly loves the oil based ink and my fellow Hanga-printmakers tell me it works very well with water based inks.  The warmth and underlying texture of this paper is hard to beat for adding a nice warm tone to a print. Only complaint is that it comes in small (16"x20") sheets and it is expensive.  It works equally well for woodcuts and wood engravings. In fact it might become one of my favorite wood engraving papers.

Next blog post, more papers!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Papers for Printmaking Part 1

Paper is beautiful and magic. Over the years I have developed an appreciation of paper, not only as an medium for art but as an art itself. Having said that, these notes about paper will not tell you anything about sizing, paper making, fiber composition, weight and traditional size or definitions about paper terms. You can find all that in the first section below, About Paper Sources and Resources. 
What I will discuss in these notes, however, are notes on how the paper feels and behaves under the attack of this artist. I say "attack" because often times we artists tend to abuse materials in many ways. As an experimental printmaker and lover of papers, I am guilty of paper use and abuse. 

How to Get to Know Paper

Here is what I do to get to know my papers: 
Buy paper samplers! For one thing they are so cute, little tiny squares of paper in a neat little book...
For another thing, no matter how much you look at a picture of a paper in a catalog or in the web, you cannot get to know a paper until you...
See the paper. Hold it up to the light, all kinds of light, natural, fluorescent, incandescent; heck take your papers out to the campfire on a still desert night and look at them there. Turn them over and do it again. Notice the fibers, the weave, the patterns of the molds, the hills and valleys, the watermarks, the little chunks of inserted material.

 

Feel the paper. Touch it on both sides, learn what size feels like, feel the difference between papers and the likeness. When papers "behave" the same under your baren or press or charcoal stick, chances are they will feel similarly when touched. Close your eyes when you feel them.

If you can afford it, of course, buy full sheets of paper and actually TRY the paper in your daily business of drawing or printmaking. Learn from the book sources above, all about sizing and uses for papers. Purchase the large (full-sheet) paper samplers, or buy one sheet every week and by the end of the year you will have tried 52 different kinds of paper. Start out by purchasing the papers made for whatever medium you happen to be "arting" in, then move on to...

Experiment! (my favorite word). Learn all the rules first, then break them. Print on pastel paper, draw on watercolor paper, paint on printmaking paper, wet the paper, use it dry, paste it to cloth, prime it with gesso... This is how you get to really know paper, because you will learn how paper "behaves" under different whimsical treatments.

It is this paper "behavior" that I am looking for when I use a paper. I can look up the sizing and recommended uses and light-fastness and weight information in a chart. I can make sure (please make sure) that the paper is actually acid-free and will hold my art dearly for centuries to come. I can listen to recommendations from others, I can look up the most suitable paper for a particular use.

Next blog post I will post about various papers I have tried and how they behaved for me. In the meantime, here are a selected few selected sources and suppliers.

Few Selected Paper Sources and Resources 

Sylvie Turner's The Book of Fine Paper is an incredible resource for papermaking, history of paper, types of paper, and it even comes with a mini-sampler of fine papers from around the world. I highly recommend it if it's the only reference book on paper in your personal library.
The Book of Fine Paper: A Worldwide Guide to Contemporary Papers for Art, Design & Decoration 

If you must have two books, the next that I recommend is the classic Jules Heller book Papermaking:
Papermaking: How to Make Handmade Paper for Printmaking, Drawing, Painting, Relief and Cast Forms, Book Arts, and Mixed Media 

Shereen LaPlantz's Cover to Cover is a great source for bookmaking and I liked the book because of its respectful treatment of paper.

Cover To Cover: Creative Techniques For Making Beautiful Books, Journals & Albums 

Faith Shannon's The Art and Craft of Paper is a beautifully illustrated book on papermaking that will leave you with a great appreciation for the craft.

The Art and Craft of Paper 

Graphic Chemical & Ink Company has a great catalog with a paper chart. They are also one of the least expensive sources for Western papers, especially if you like to buy bulk. In fact their catalog will teach you more about tools than any other I know.           http://graphicchemical.com

Daniel Smith Art Supplies http://danielsmith.com publish a catalog that is worth getting even if you never order anything. Periodically they also publish a paper chart that lists a good quantity of papers with all the specifications (sizing, uses, sizes). Their printed catalog has thoughtful explanations of all their papers, with pictures.

McClain's Printmaking Supplies http://imcclains.com has a beautiful catalog that lists a wide variety of Japanese papers and their uses. If you request their paper sampler you also get a description of their papers in a neatly printed sheet.

Hiromi Paper http://hiromipaper.com has an astounding web site dedicated to Japanese papers, their making, history, much more. Do request their printed catalog even if you print out (like I did) their Adobe Acrobat version.