25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 23

Hand screened chiyogami papers are the ambassadors of Japanese paper. They are immediately recognizable and beloved by artists and designers. The patterns are gorgeous, the printing of them is exquisite, the colors vibrant, and the range is amazing. You will likely have used chiyogami at some point in your artwork and this year we’d like to tell you more about these papers, inspire you to use them in your work and learn about the patterns.

There are more than 700 patterns of chiyogami currently available and Washi Arts has several hundred in stock at any one time for immediate delivery or ordering. While the patterns look wonderful on the website, it is not the same as seeing the paper for yourself, so Washi Arts has created a Limited Edition Sample Box  with a hand-picked selection of 480 3” x 3” pieces of hand-screened chiyogami for reference and use in your studio over the course of the year ahead. You can learn more below or by clicking this link.

About Chiyogami

Wonderfully decorative patterns on paper, known as chiyogami, are silkscreened onto machine made sheets of mixed kozo and sulphite.  They are more popularly known as yuzen in the United States.

Originally, chiyogami designs were developed in the Edo period as fine woodblock prints by papermakers during the farming season. They were based on the bright kimono textiles which the papermakers from the country saw on the fashionable wealthier ladies in the cities, especially Kyoto, where the Yuzen area had become famous for its sophisticated techniques for dyeing cloth.

The range of Chiyogami patterns is astounding, and Japanese designers today are tireless in their development of new fascinating patterns. 

Washi Arts Limited Edition Chiyogami Sample Box Set

Starting in January 2016, you will be able to acquire a limited edition chiyogami box set of 450+ samples. Each month subscribers will receive a hand selected grouping of Japanese patterned papers. The monthly package could be a selection of of birds, geometrics, stripes, florals or traditional patterns. Some months will include custom, limited edition or rare patterns. Each mailing will include educational and inspirational information about chiyogami. In addition you will receive a subscriber discount code to enter on the website, if you wish to purchase full size sheets of any of the samples you receive in that month.

The starter package of box, dividers, and first set of samples is $45.00 and each month after that is $25.00. By this time next year subscribers will have acquired a set of close to 500 samples of hand-screened Japanese chiyogami paper. This set is limited to an edition of 110. The subscription fee includes mailing. If you live outside the US, please email info@washiarts.com for pricing.

Discount on Chiyogami

Readers of Helen Hiebert’s blog can purchase full sheets or half sheets of chiyogami and receive a discount of 15% on any chiyogami order until December 31st. Enter HELEN at checkout. If you are looking for a particular pattern or color, please contact Washi Arts. There are many more patterns available than are listed on the website. We offer a pattern matching service if you have a favorite Japanese paper you can no longer find.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

About our Sponsor: Washi Arts sole focus is Japanese papers, tools and supplies for creative artists and businesses. By having this focus we can offer our customers the widest range of papers for a variety of uses. The papers offered are available in a wide range of fibers, colors, patterns, weights and sizes.

Japan has a culture that honors excellence in craftsmanship and the 1,400 years of continuous paper-making means the quality is excellent, the traditional methods are highly sustainable with the papers made from renewable fibers, in small communities, and family businesses.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! Receive updates via e-mail by adding your address in the upper right hand corner of this page. Enjoy the season, and feel free to leave a comment below and check out what people are making in the 25 Days of Paper FB Group!