things dom likes

girlfaces part one & two

4000 - 3000 BCE

Antoine Cordet

YO I made some paper today and documented it to hopefully guide some of you folks into making paper for the first time.

(it’s so easy !)

Some extra notes about the ‘Things you’ll need’ list: 

You can buy a paper-making mesh and frame at many arts/hobby stores. The one I am using in these images isn’t a favourite tbh. I had owned a previous one that was much sturdier ~ instead of a loose mesh and a back plastic thing, my previous one had two wooden frames (one with mesh attached and one to place on top). I suggest getting one of those if you can. 

You are also better off using a shitty blender - not the same one you use for food - in case you end up getting too experimental (side note, don’t try to blend cotton balls. It messes the mechanism up!) 

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STEPS:

*Rip up pieces of paper to place in the blender. The more the better ! Try mixing different colours, papers with text, blank paper, wrapping paper ~ experiment and have fun :o) 

*Pour some water in until all of the paper bits are covered. 

*Blend it! I find that sometimes it is best to blend in short spurts. Blend until it turns to mush. 

*Pour the mixture in the tub (which should have been filled with water before you begin) 

*Mix it up with your hands (it feels nice!!)

*Now is the time to put extra bits that you may not have wanted to blend up. Things like : flower petals, sequins, paper confetti, ripped up cotton balls, sparkles etc. 

*Next, put your mesh together (meaning frame on top, mesh underneath it and plastic on the bottom) Hold it together tightly! 

*Place it in the water and gently move it around. Get a small wave pool going ~ try and get as much or as little onto the frame as you like. Making paper as thin as a tissue is possible but it’s pretty difficult to get it to spread evenly! You can also make it very very thick - REMEMBER it will thin out in the next step.

(if you find that you are having trouble filling the entire mesh with pulp it probably means that you haven’t blended up enough paper or you could be moving the frame too fast) 

*Once you have a good distribution, pull it up and hold it over the tub and let some water drip out ~~~~ Take off the top wooden frame. 

*Get to your smooth/clean surface (I personally use a sheet of plexiglass) and gently but quickly flip the mesh/plastic tray over. Take the plastic piece off. 

*Now take your shamwow thing ($1 at canadian tire!) or sponge equivalent and press it on the mesh (your paper pulp is beneath the mesh still) and take out as much water as possible! 

*Take off the mesh screen. Let dry ~ This can take hours. When I am finished filling the plexiglass sheet with multiple papers, I prop up the plexi and place a fan in front of it. 

*When the sheets are no longer wet or cold to the touch, and are easily peeled off your surface, you are done!

There you have it !!! Now you have made paper. OvO

Frida Kahlo’s “Wounded Deer”

Done by Sean Arnold at Alchemy Tattoo in Silverlake, CA