Handmade paper using tissue paper scraps and Mod Podge.
Hello everyone, it’s a stormy day here in NY and perfect for making some home made paper.
There are a few different ways to make your own paper using recycled materials, most of them involve making paper pulp and lengthy drying times. Although this version is not as versatile as conventional paper making techniques, it is a lot quicker and can be done with a few simple ingredients.
Our new paper will also help us to explore the properties of transparency (see-through), translucency (partially see-through) and opaqueness (not at all see-through).
Supplies – plastic baggie ( I prefer the gallon size), white glue or decoupage glue (like Mod Podge), brushes, water, container, paper scraps. Paper scraps can include tissue paper, newspaper, magazines, paper towels, parchment paper (used for baking), gift wrap paper, tracing paper. Any paper that is on the thin side will work. Copy paper, construction paper and the like will probably not give you the same results, although I always encourage experimentation with materials! Knowing what doesn’t work is just as important as knowing what does.
STEPS –
- cut the plastic baggie so you have 2 flat pieces of plastic. You will use one piece for now.
- tear paper into strips and/or smaller pieces.
Glue method –
- add some water to white glue in a container. The mix should look like thin pancake mix. If it’s too thick, it will take too long to dry.
- Use the brush to “paint” glue mixture onto the plastic baggie. I do this in sections instead of covering the whole piece. This way the glue doesn’t dry out quickly.
- lay down a layer of paper scraps on top of glue and “paint” another coat of glue on top of the first layer of paper. Place paper scraps on top of each other in different directions to make them bond to each other better. Think of a fabric weave, how the crossing threads bind the fabric together.
- continue layering paper and coating with glue in between until you have at least 3 layers of paper and glue.
- give the entire surface one last coat of glue mixture and set aside to dry.
Once dry, peel new paper off plastic baggie carefully. The glue method took a few hours to dry and produced a matte (not shiny), textured surface of new paper.
Decoupage Glue Method –
- follow the same steps as above, but do not dilute the decoupage glue.
- this method dries much quicker (30-45 minutes) and produces a glossy (shiny), smooth surface.
What can I do with my new paper?
Your new paper can be used to draw on, as collage materials for another project, as a window decoration even as wrapping paper!
Be sure to visit Art Out of Anything on FB for today’s complete video with step by step demos and more ideas to extend this project.
Here are some links to explore –
Free Stained Glass Patterns– print out these templates and trace onto the plastic sheets with a permanent marker to make a design with your paper scraps. Once dry, you can trace over the design with the marker again to make a stained glass window effect.
Art Vocabulary for Kids – did you know art has it’s own vocabulary?
Making Paper at Home – here’s a more traditional paper making technique you can try at home.
Don’t forget to check out Art Out of Anything on FB for the complete video of this project and follow us on Instagram @artoutofanything for more activities and resources!
Thanks for visiting, stay safe and keep creating!
Patty
artoutofanything.com 