OUGD505 - Studio Brief 02 - Recycled Paper Production

In beginning to develop material for a final outcome, it was decided to experiment with making my own recycled paper to be used rather than ordinary paper in order to show how easy it can be to recycle paper, as well as to not produce any more paper wastage in the production of my outcomes (sustainability).

To begin with, a screen had to be put together using an old wooden frame and a sheet of mesh stuck together. Initially, staples were used to fix the mesh to the frame, however this did not work so well and proved to be a little dangerous, therefore waterproof tape was used instead.

Using any paper waste I have collated from previous projects, newspapers and junk mail, this was teared up into smaller pieces and whizzed through a blender with some warm water until it made a pulp.

An extra frame was placed on top of the screen in order to help gain a more rectangular and even shape of the paper, then the pulp was poured on top over a plastic tub so that any water can fall through.

 

The extra frame was then taken off and an additional piece of mesh was layered on top of the pulp. Any excess water was then pressed out using a sponge and some cloth to allow the paper to dry more efficiently and press the paper flatter.

Any excess water was continued to be pressed out of the paper through the mesh as much as possible, then the extra mesh screen was lifted to show the newly produced recycled paper.

The paper was left to dry on some kitchen towels to soak up any extra moisture from the paper. To help dry quicker, these could have also been ironed between two pieces of kitchen towel and speed up the process.

Where different pieces of paper have been used, some interesting patterns can be produced, for instance a speckled pattern where some bits of colour have not been blended as much. Pressing of the mesh screens over the paper also produces a nice, almost subtle texture on the paper which makes it desirable for drawing and printing on to.