How to Make Paper

Intro: How to Make Paper

Make beautiful paper with easily found items and recycled paper!

STEP 1: Watch the Video Tutorial Here!

STEP 2: You'll Need

Blender

2 flat frames (Ikea frames work well)

2 rubber bands

Newspaper or any recycled paper

Americana Acrylics (to color your pulp)

Plastic screen (1 yard should be plenty)

Large bin

Staple gun

STEP 3: Make Your Screen

Remove the glass and cardboard from your frames, you only need the frame

Cut two pieces of screen the exact size of your frame

Staple one piece of screen to the flat side of one frame making sure it's taut

Sandwich the stapled screen in between both frames with a rubber band

*Flat sides together

STEP 4: Make the Pulp

Rip up about 2 sheets of newspaper or several sheets of copy paper

Fill your blender 3/4 full with water

Add Americana Acrylic Paint to the water

Blend until the paper becomes pulp

*It will look cloudy

STEP 5: Scoop and Sponge

Pour the contents into a bin and add more water if you want

With the plain frame on top, scoop the pulp from the bin catching it on top of the stapled screen

Carefully remove the top frame and place the extra piece of screen on top of the pulp

Using a sponge, remove as much water as you can from the pulp

Carefully peel the flat, wet pulp from the screen and place it between two sheets of newspaper

STEP 6: Dry

Place a pressing cloth on the newspaper and iron the flat pulp until it's dry and becomes a sheet of beautiful paper

*You can also let your pieces dry naturally overnight

Comments

[TEugeniaC]

About how much paper do you use?

[Gizah]

Can I use the same blender I use for processing food? The acrylic should come off easily with a bit of alcohol, right?

[Mark Montano]

If you're using the blender for food, I would just mix the pulp by itself and then add the paint once you put it in the bin. Just stir it up real good and you'll be fine.

[Gizah]

Thanks for the response! I forgot to add: awesome ible. Also, I've been peeking through some other similar instructables and how-tos and in one of them they say you can use tea as a natural colorant, and I guess coffee should work too.

[Muhaiminah Faiz]

Excellent ible! Love the rustic look on the papers!

[Mark Montano]

Thanks for the comment Muhaiminah. Really glad you like the project.

[ms match]

the last 4 or 5x I made paper I used all dryer lint and sometimes half lint half newspaper, I make mine outside as it's a messy process. I use an old double bowl sink as it can stop up drains very quickly. I also add bits of herbs, glitter, metallic string etc to the screen......I love to make papers

[Suzanne in Orting]

If it's hot enough to dry quickly, you can add wildflower seeds. You make a card and the recipient plants it. Card and flowers in one.

[Mark Montano]

Wow, dryer lint! Such a great idea. You've inspired me!

[Suzanne in Orting]

I just saw a British Antiques Roadshow and a 19th century paper manufacturer shaped the wire mesh to make these amazing watermark pictures as a form of advertisement. Any place the wire was a little higher made the paper slightly thinner so that there was images, even with shading. Wish I had more details to give.

I've thought of trying to stitch through the mesh with thin, pliable wire to get designs, but I've wondered if it would catch the fibers. Maybe I'll try anyway.

Thanks for the inspiration!

[robbadooz]

Thank you so much for writing an article on home-made paper. The instructions are easy and simple enough for me to get involved in such a project.

[agis68]

really thank you....i have about 120 kg of old newspapers just from my old reporting job....plenty of paper!!!! ( i ve done in the past paper molding with old newspaper but this is fantastic and simple too)

[swaxman]

Would machine shredded document office paper work? I'd still have to blend it ?

[Mark Montano]

Actually I find any paper works for this process. Someone even told me to add some dryer lint. Why not?!

[swaxman]

I'm in melbourne dingo , and have a blender. Feel free to contact Hpg plumbing on Facebook.

[Mark Montano]

I have a lovely cousin in Melbourne! I hope to visit one day soon.

[lunarmagpie]

Really nice -- clear instructions, beautiful results!

[Mark Montano]

Thanks LunarMagpie!

[Jude_Ezra]

Does it have to be Americana brand acrylics, or can it be any brand similar to Americana (I use Apple Barrel most of the time due to availability).

[Mark Montano]

Hi Mara,
I use Americana because the pigment is just beautiful and very intense. I think it's the best paint for the money to be honest. That said, you can use other paints to color your pulp. Try adding glitter glue, too!