Studio Photos — Magnolia Paper

Paper Studio Photos

This gallery showcases various tools and devices used at different stages in the papermaking process. Magnolia Paper blends tradition and innovation, offering tools ranging from computer-guided, cutting-edge electronics to Arts & Crafts-era machinery to hand-operated devices crafted in a 16th-century style.

Magnolia Editions Paper Studio's Renaissance-style paper is made from linen and hemp fibers and pressed between coarse felts that sheep geneticists have identified as wool with ancient DNA, producing sheets whose availability disappeared in the mid-18th century. Its strong, durable, hide glue-sized surface can withstand repeated erasing and redrawing. The paper's coarse texture creates an irregular surface with millions of tiny felt hair marks that add an extra dimension to the artist's work. These sheets are a recreation of the paper used for chalk drawing by the old masters. This texture is unmatched by contemporary commercial cotton papers that typically have a repetitive mechanical pattern imparted on the sheet's surface by woven synthetic felts or, alternatively, highly calendered, perfectly smooth, and devoid of texture.

Magnolia Paper Studio – Max Thill and Megan Bishop

Small 4x4-in test and 18 x 24-in sheet; color matching

Couching while newly formed sheet is draining

Using a wooden slice to handle wet paper

Donald Farnsworth lifting a formed and pressed sheet with wooden slice

Nicky Yeager waxing horse hair treble lines

Linen and hemp sheets; sized, dried and curing.

Forming 32 x 42in linen and hemp sheet (Two person mould photos; credit: Nicky Yeager)

Max Thill separating sheets of a dried spur (18 x 24in. sheets)

Curating sheets (Max Thill and Nicky Yeager)

Standing press flattening paper - Time and pressure

Thick 3' x 7' paper for artist McArthur Binion

Miguel Mendoza with Lathe turning burnishers

Retting (composting) linen rags in a worm farm

linen rags soaked in Methy cellulose - stiffening required for shredder

Various 3D printed tools for making test sheets

Modified ArrowPress for making small test sheets (and coffee)

ArrowPress resulting small circular sheet

8.5 x 11-in 3D printed mould. Original design: Brian Queen, edited by Nicholas Price

Guy Diehl using a jeweler's saw to cut quarried chalk to lengths

Navajo Churro felt next to a modern woven felt

Graphite on 17th century paper showing felt hair marks

Chalk marks on felt hair marked linen & hemp paper

Mayan amate beating stone gift from Matt Gonzalez

Guy Diehl making a handle for a Mayan amate beating stone

Guy Diehl making assembling a cubist guitar