The Complete Book of Papermaking

The ubiquity of paper has, in part, detracted from the appreciation of this medium as an art form. Thanks to a Barcelona university professor, this 1,900-year-old Chinese invention takes on a new dimension, with detailed information on and illustrations of historical forms, paper's characteristics and properties, materials and tools, fibers, and eight ready-to-emulate projects. The amount of intricacy is impressive; for example, Asuncion delves into paper's chemical composition, examining the different kinds of pulps, from wood to rag, and their treatment and uses. Although one chapter is devoted to step-by-step instructions on fabricating one sheet of paper (as well as color and collage techniques), it is still difficult to copy the directions successfully without spending an inordinate amount of time reviewing papermaking processes, especially if instructions are somewhat complicated (e.g., writing paper and envelopes made from jeans). A glossary is appended. Barbara Jacobs
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