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CLASSIC REGENCY STYLE WATERCOLOUR AND DRAWING PAPERS

A complete new collection of watercolour and drawing papers has been introduced, for which the mill returned to the use of the traditional fibres of flax and hemp as key components in addition to the more common cotton content. Complemented by vigorous beating and blending of the fibres, natural loft drying and tub gelatine sizing, a range of tough and durable sheets is now available, which cannot be matched by industrial mould made papers.

The TURNER’s BLUE, DAVID COX and JOSHUA CRISTALL’s WHITE are developments from our existing internally sized watercolour and drawing papers. A broad range of weights, sizes and finishes, is designed to meet the need of most painting and drawing techniques.

Loft drying allows the fibres of each sheet to contract naturally and to combine in open air, to adopt the felt mark character of the eventual surface finish. The sheets are not therefore generally flat and some shrinkage takes place sometimes rendering the sheet slightly smaller than the nominal dimensions of the mould.

Gelatine size is the second key component. Each sheet absorbs the gelatine in a hot bath of the liquid. It is then allowed to dry slowly over a few days. The gelatine coating which has been absorbed by the paper, hardens gently and continues to improve as it ages over a few months. This process will ensure smooth brush work and pen and ink. Other techniques such as scratching out and wash lift off, are attainable with confidence.

For firther details of availability of the papers and trial packs, which are available direct from the mill, go to What’s New.

PRINTING PAPERS FOR ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
BUXTON & TALBOT

Originally developed in 1993 for Dr Mike Ware the specialist in a wide range of alternative photographic papers, BUXTON paper which was initially designed for platinotype, has recently been technically improved.

The objective of the Buxton papers is to provide as chemically inert a medium as possible and hence is produced from 100% high grade long fibred cotton with only a neutral aquapel size as additive to ensure a good degree of impermeability. Being a handmade paper the single sheets are pressed several times both in wet and dry state to ensure minimum porosity and to create a dependable surface which coats easily with the different emulsions.

Initially Buxton was produced only in 160gm² weight but is now available in 240gm² The latter will facilitate the printing of larger images.

The Talbot in 240gm², gelatine sized sheet has been developed for those people who work with other processes such as chrysotype and gum bichromate. This paper uses the same material as the Buxton but is sized using edible grade hide gelatine.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE A series of medium glazed papers from 50 to 120gm² was developed at the request of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France to enable the treatment of early texts and other documents of middle eastern origin.

IVORY PRESS The mill supplied a bespoke text paper, matching cover board and our flax cover paper to the Ivory Press for the Richard Long limited edition book entitled WALKING and SLEEPING.

ROYAL MAIL At the request of Webb & Webb Design, the mill produced the presentation mounts for the launch of the Royal Mail’s Christmas 2003 stamps which were designed to incorporate images of ice sculptures by Andy Goldsmith. The mount comprised a 300 gm² dark blue wove paper with a small bright white sheet couched into the middle, creating a snowy appearance as a background for the stamps. The mounts were signed by the artist.

EDITART A special edition of estampe Ivory paper was produced for Editart of Geneva, for heloigraphic and aquatint prints of works by Zao Wou-Ki and produced by Atelier Tazé. These are to form a limited boxed collection to accompany a letterpress edition of Yves Bonnefoy’s poem Le Desordre.

LEONARDO de VINCI The Louvre Museum requested a light beige, hemp rich paper with a high luminosity to be used as mounts for the Louvre’s own collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings. The tone and texture were required to offset the low light levels now necessary when exhibiting such precious works. The drawings were exhibited at the Louvre and at the Metropolitan Museum, New York as part of the 500th anniversary celebrations of the painting of the Mona Lisa.

MARTIN LUTHER A substantial order for our conservation bookpapers was supplied by Anton Glaser to be used to produce many of the manuscript texts used in the recent historical film about Martin Luther.

INTERNSHIPS

We were for the first time able to offer the opportunity to some interested young people to learn about our craft and its principle applications in today‘s world.

Rich Flinchbaugh, an art graduate from New York joined us for 2 months in June. His enthusiasm for papermaking was a great asset and is now proving useful to him in the development of his printmaking activities.

Following an approach from the Ecole Condé in Lyon, two French students, Berthille and Adéline currently studying conservation and restoration, undertook a two week training course to familiarise themselves with papermaking techniques appropriate to their studies.

The mill plans to extend this activity during the next twelve months both nationally and internationally.  To find out more please contacts us for details.

GROUP VISITS

The Double Crown Club from London paid a visit to the mill during September. The idea for the trip began nearly three years’ ago and finally materialised. The long weekend included a tour of the mill, plus visits to Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Canon with its underground quarries in St Emilion, Château Malromé (Toulouse Lautrec’s family home) and finally a morning spent in Bordeaux at a Chocolaterie.