Christine J Higgins

Papermaking Process

1. All paper is cellulose, either bast, leaf or grass.

1. All paper is cellulose, either bast, leaf or grass.

2. Fibers must be cooked in a caustic solution and thoroughly rinsed.

2. Fibers must be cooked in a caustic solution and thoroughly rinsed.

3.Gathered artemesia fibers, cut to 1 to 2 inches and cooked with soda ash. small

3.Gathered artemesia fibers, cut to 1 to 2 inches and cooked with soda ash.

4. Beating of fibers in my hollander machine. small

4. Beating of fibers in my hollander machine.

5. Abaca (related to the banana plant is beaten for 10 hours to make a very fine pulp for pulp painting. small

5. Abaca (related to the banana plant is beaten for 10 hours to make a very fine pulp for pulp painting.

6. Fiber ready to be pigmented. small

6. Fiber ready to be pigmented.

7. Pigmented abaca. Retention aid is added to the pigments to make them colorfast. Pigmented fibers do not fade. small

7. Pigmented abaca. Retention aid is added to the pigments to make them colorfast. Pigmented fibers do not fade.

8. Fibers are poured into a vat where a mould and deckle are used to form sheets. small

8. Fibers are poured into a vat where a mould and deckle are used to form sheets. small

9. Released from the screen, they are couched onto layers of felt. small

9. Released from the screen, they are couched onto layers of felt.

10. Couched fiber. - the first of many to be added to the stack. small

10. Couched fiber. - the first of many to be added to the stack.