Calligraphy and Handmade Paper

The sun is setting on summer.

I already heard it. A woman told the partner she had dragged along on her Target run, “Summer is almost over.” Annnnddd, I didn’t miss the fall decorations displayed in the bargain section either.

That was about TWO weeks ago.

Summer has always been my favorite time of year. From the weather to the opportunity to pursue personal interests, it’s the best. If you have been following along, you know, I’ve been doing mostly bottle painting this summer…a new way to learn my florals. But, I had to set aside my summer bottle painting homework again for a few to start planning for the first trimester. The students will be back before you know it.

Every year, I teach my students an art form they don’t know. Last year, it was monoprinting with gelli plates. This year, it will be paper making from recyclable materials like the scrap papers we use, bits of paper bags, and the boxes of donated egg cartons and colored printer paper we have in the classroom.

Paper making

Paper making is a fun process that verges on magic. Most times, it involves dipping a device that holds a screen into a large container of water that contains shredded pulp. As the screen is lifted out of the water, the pulp that is caught on the screen settles onto its surface, creating a sheet of paper.

Well there’s slightly more to it than that…and in some versions, the pulp is poured into a box containing the screen. But, the general idea is collecting wet pulp on a screen. Click this link for a short video to learn the process of making paper at home.

I learned the basics of paper making in college. It was loads of fun until I graduated, moved back home and had nowhere to store all of my many supplies for that, printmaking, painting….you get the idea. This past week was the first time I had made paper in twenty years.

Guess what? It’s still fun!

And it’s even better when the subject I teach creeps into my calligraphy habit.

Calligraphy and handmade paper go together like peas and carrots. Besides, I love handmade paper!

Unfortunately, it doesn’t always love my nib. 😕

The bleed is real.

Thankfully, the calligraphy community is generous. 🥰

Tips For Using Pointed Pen on Handmade Paper

There are few tips I have learned to make pointed pen writing on handmade paper a smoother experience:

Be mindful to use a light touch, especially on the upstrokes.
Add a few drops of gum arabic to your ink before writing to reduce or eliminate bleed, if needed.
Spray your paper with hairspray and allow to dry before writing to reduce or eliminate bleed, if needed.
Try using a nib that isn’t known for having a sharp tip….like the Nikko G.

For more detailed tips on this you can visit the following sites:

I used gum arabic in my ink and some hairspray on my sheet before I could get a clean line for this particular paper. I also used a Nikko G nib.

Stopping Ink Bleed with Paper

There is a process called ‘sizing’ used in paper making to prevent ink bleed as well.

I have used external sizing methods on handmade paper before for painting. But, I’ve never tried sizing for writing. Calligraphy was not on the radar at the time. 😬 For this time around, I consulted Google and found that adding a gelatin or a wheat starch paste mixture to the vat before forming my sheets (internal sizing) would help. So, I’ll order some and see how that goes.

In the meantime, making paper again feels great!

Using it has been fun too. 🥰

Now, I don’t intend to always make my paper when I want to make stationery. Trust. We are all walking contradictions, and while on one hand, I’m perfectly happy playing mad scientist once in a while…On the other hand, I’m also 99% low maintenance and more than willing to pay handsomely for convenience.