Paper - Beata Thackeray

This guide shows how to make and decorate paper, combining the knowledge of paper-makers with the creativity of contemporary designers. Step-by-step photographs show basic paper-making methods, for example with recycled materials, as well as more advanced techniques which incorporate petals and plant fibres to add texture and colour. For further inspiration, directories provide a visual sourcebook of different papers, together with details of their characteristics and essential ingredients: banana leaf, bamboo, water hyacinth, Japanese rice paper. Twenty techniques for applying decoration follow, from pleating and folding, marbling and block printing, to papier mache and collage. Throughout the book are examples of modern paper designs - from handmade bookbindings and personal stationery to gilded papier mache bowls and cutwork light shades.