General information about paper

Paper was invented in China, officially ca 105AD. Its calm dissemination from the East all over the world contributed decisively to the advent of the written word in many different cultures.

Paper arrived in Europe after first spreading through Central and South Asia, thence to Mesopotamia and to the Arab world

from where in entered Spain in the 12th century, by means of commerce.

Paper mills developed rapidly in Europe,a mere two centuries before the discovery of typography in the West. The traditional manufacture of handmade paper in the West is based on the making of paper pulp from leftover textile materials which released under running water, their vegetable fibers. The thin sheet of paper was subsequently made with the use of a sieve in a wooden frame.

In our workshop, we’ll undertake a brief presentation of the history of paper in Asia and Europe, as the medium of inscription. We will also encourage workshop participants to manufacture their own paper using the traditional sieves in wooden frames. To that end, we will make available paper pulp of different colors and consistencies.

Other natural materials such as leaves and flowers will also be made available to enhance the use of the imagination

and the resulting handmade paper.