Washi Papermaking at Cornish College of the Arts - PREPARATION OF FIBERS AND VAT

After soaking overnight, we boiled Japanese KOZO with soda ash to soften the fibers.

We prepared several pounds in separate batches.

Brad Taylor is explaining the cleaning process.

After boiling and cleaning, the fibers need to be beaten to continue separating the fine strands. 

This Sukibune Vat was donated to Cornish College of the Arts over 20 years ago as a gift from Washi Papermakers in Mino City, Japan

The beaten Kozo has been added to the vat filled with water.

Rob Lutz prepared Formation Aid to add to the vat which is essential when using long fibers.

After careful evaluation of the consistancy of all elements......(looking for the right sound and feel) the vat is ready to pull sheets of Washi paper.

Washi Papermaking at Cornish College of the Arts - SAMPLES

Our Washi demonstration at Cornish went great. Here are samples that I've been collecting or making for years. 

Japanese stencil paper roll

Washi Papermaking 2-Part Demonstration

I have been working with so many great people at Cornish College of the Arts. Two of which are artists Rob Lutz and Brad Taylor. We discovered our common interest in making paper by hand and were inspired to prepare a wonderful Washi Papermaking demonstration at Cornish next month. We have been carefully boiling, cleaning and beating Kozo (mulberry) fibers to make Washi by hand in a traditional Japanese Sukibune vat. We will pull sheets using a Su-keta frame and I will introduce some pulp painting methods (that I learned years ago from the master hand papermaker, Richard Hungerford) using super finely prepared pulp that has been colored with pigments.