I was looking forward to today, because we would make large colored papers! For my final artwork at the Mino Washi Museum, I want to paint on colored Mino paper, preferably one I make myself. The idea is to make a painting in which the colors of the paint relate to the colors of the colored paper.

I was a little nervous, because the size of the large paper just matches the size of the panels of the Makura byoubu. I need the width of the Makura byoubu to be the same as the width of a tatami-mat. There are three standard sizes used for tatami-mats, but they differ only a few centimeters.

Each artist was able to make two large sized papers. It took a lot of time to make just one paper. We were dependent on one another: throwing the pulp at the same time into the frame, getting rid of excess water, putting it on the heating element etc. It was very nice to do and I was satisfied with the outcome.

Today and the day after I would continue using the technique of putting cut-out papers between two sheets of paper. I had cut many rectangles and was able to make 16 compositions within the timeframe. We were all hyped, because the chance of making Japanese paper is low. The last two photos are the same paper but one held before a lightsource. With the upcoming Mino Akari Art Festival in mind I was thinking about how to use these papers.

During this workshop you learn how to make a standard sheet of paper and two other kinds of paper. The proces of making a standard sheet is basis for making the others.

With ready-cut out papers you can "decorate" your paper. You do this by placing the cut-out papers on top of the first sheet of paper and cover it with a second sheet of paper.
The second kind of paper is a structured paper. On top of the sheet of paper you put a metal grid. From more than 150 cm up high you spray water on the paper. Naturally the paper becomes more thin within the grid.