Exercise 1: Paper/ephemera

To begin: Collect a wide variety of paper samples and other paper ephemera across a range of weights, textures and surface finishes. This builds on your previous paper sample exercise from Part Two. Aim to collect a wide range of unprinted papers, such as blotting paper, tracing paper, lined paper, graph paper, rice paper and handmade papers. Look out for papers with special print

finishes – metallic, embossed, shiny and matt. Aim to collect paper that is light as a feather and heavier, more dense, paper. Collect papers that will run through a conventional desktop printer, or indeed the print output options you have available to you – this may include board.

In addition, collect paper ephemera that you find interesting or that appeals to you in some way. This may include tickets, flyers and similar printed material or mementos or souvenirs of exhibitions, occasions and days out. Create a stack of these papers for use in your next few exercises.

In your learning log, document some of these papers and their attributes. Use a reflective approach and simple, descriptive words. For example, it may be that a heavy, coarse coloured paper reminds you of primary school, or the particular smell and shine of a paper puts you in mind of glossy magazines, or the fish and chip shop. Document these associations, however bizarre, into your learning log and/or ongoing paper sample book – you may revisit the words and phrases you use here later on in this process.

Paper

I set out to explore various types of paper and collected samples, which I then glued into my sketchbook. One of the most unusual materials I discovered was corrugated card. I really enjoyed the texture of this card, and it reminded me of a project from primary school where we recreated a life-size Anderson shelter using corrugated card.

Many of the papers on this page were from sketchpads specific to the medium, for example, watercolour and pastel. My watercolour papers have a different GSM depending on how much wet-on-wet techniques I use.

This page was interesting because it showcases many different types of paper. The most unusual type is paper with seeds embedded in it. I love this concept because once the paper has served its purpose, it can be planted, thus repurposed. I also came across my many blocks of Post-it notes, which are among my favourite functional types of paper. They are incredibly versatile for taking notes and can easily be repositioned, making them an essential item in my life! After glueing in the sample papers, I was surprised by the paper's versatility. For example, baking paper is something you don't often think about when you're in the kitchen. There are also decorative papers and cards for gift boxes and scrapbooking.

The more I searched for paper, the more I realised that paper is everywhere. Receipts, everyday lined paper, graph paper and photos, but also handmade paper, which has a very tactile and pleasing feel when holding it.

I was pleased to discover recycled paper, as I believe it is important for our environment. Recycled paper has significantly improved since my school days, when it was often grey and thin and the ink from felt-tipped pens would leak to the other pages. Now, it is available in a variety of colours, weights and finishes. I also found both coated and uncoated paper, as well as embossed and metallic options. One of the most surprising aspects for me was the GSM, which ranges from 80 gsm to 850 gsm. The higher GSM papers are very strong, making them difficult to cut with standard scissors.

Reflection

I believe I could spend several weeks exploring the different types of paper available. There is such a wide variety suited for various projects, including an array of colours, finishes and weights. These can all be combined to create brochures, books, handmade invitations or posters. The possibilities are endless and the potential for creativity is limitless.

Ephemera

I found old leaflets, boarding passes, birthday cards, menus, wrapping paper, tube maps, gift tags, tickets, booklets and tissue paper, to add to my collection of ephemera.

I keep paper that I find interesting and inspiring for my projects. I am particularly drawn to wrapping paper because it often features embossing or gold foiling, which adds a special touch. I also collect paint swatches; even though I haven't painted anything recently, I find the colours and their names inspiring. Whenever I visit a hardware store, I pick up samples. Recently, I rediscovered some handmade paper that I had forgotten about!