Paper Making: 27th February

This morning our art history session was about writing your cv, which for me was largely academic, as I am unlikely to be applying for any more jobs, and my chances of needing a 'creative' cv e.g. for an exhibition are fairly slim.  But it was fun to see a couple of video cvs, and have pointers to various on-line sites with advice on what to do, or why not to do, in promoting one's career.  Jo passed on a link about cvs made using lego, including a rather good one by a former civil servant.

The rest of the day was studio time on our final projects.  I had a tutorial session with Matt, who seemed reasonably interested in my ideas for deconstructing and reconstituting old work-related papers and reports, into something new.

I also had my first attempt at making paper.  This was not too easy in the sculpture room because I didn't have the right equipment, in particular there were only two small but differently sized screens, no deckles, and no large flat basin big enough to submerge the frames in.  I tore up the newspaper (which made my wrist/hand sore very quickly - the old repetitive strain injury war-wound is never far away) and then soaked it in a basin before putting it into the kitchen mixer, and whizzing it into  a pulp.   I realised that it should have a lot more soaking time - the hour of the lunch break wasn't anywhere near enough.

Because there was no big basin in which to dilute the pulp and scoop the frame through, I had to improvise.   I tried spooning the liquid paper pulp onto the mesh of the frames,  in 4 or 5 spoonfuls for each frame,  and hoping I could spread it out fairly evenly.  I then simply turned the frame over and dropped the 'paper' onto a damp J-cloth.  I made a small pile of these before the pulp was used up.  Unfortunately I didn't take any more pictures, not least for fear of getting my camera very wet.

I left the sheets to dry on a radiator in the sculpture room overnight, and on Tuesday when I found them, they were dry and a bit crinkly, but straightened out quite quickly once I got them home and under a few books for a while.  The grey colour is the result of using newspaper, but I knew this would happen.

I plan to have another go at home during the week, using photocopy or printer paper, which will be better quality and less grey, although there will still be unite  bait of print on the surface.