VAF 253: Printmaking I Instructor: Micah Zavacky Spring 2019 Email:
[email protected] PAPER TYPES FOR PRINTMAKING Choosing the right paper for an edition can be difficult, as many beautiful options exist in the world. In this handout, I am going to differentiate two main types of paper used for printmaking, and offer recommendations based on my printing experience. Generally, paper is distinguished by its country of origin, and can be classified as “Eastern” or “Western”. Eastern (Asia) Paper made from plant fibers, specifically in Japan (washi). “Rice paper”, “Japanese rice paper”, and “Japanese paper” are commonly used to refer to paper made in the East, despite a paper’s true country of origin. It is not correct to refer to all rice papers as Japanese, as not all rice papers are made in Japan. Rice paper is made from the rice paper plant. However, “rice paper” is often used as a catch-all term for Eastern papers, although many of these papers are not made from the rice paper plant. Paper made in Japan has a specific name, washi, which translates to, “Japanese paper”. > “Wa” meaning Japanese, and “shi” meaning paper. Traditionally, washi is made from the fibers of three plants: > gampi, mitzumata, and kozo (mulberry) (391) 1. Washi is made by hand in many Japanese villages, using one of the three plant fibers, above. At times, wood pulp is also added to provide additional absorbency and cushion. In contrast to Western paper, washi is made from plant fibers inside the bark of gampi, mitzumata, or kozo. Names of papers often refer to the towns or villages where the paper is made, and vary due to: > Percentage of plant fiber, where it’s from, did they grow it themselves, did they add pulp, did they add anything else? Western (European) Paper created in Europe or North America, specifically in France and Germany.