The Sunday Paper #96

Paper of the Week: Minter Dry-Tear Guard Strips

Minter Dry-Tear Guard Strip paper was the result of an inventive suggestion by bookbinder Bill Minter, who asked Tim Barrett at the University of Iowa if he could produce a sheet from which conservation guard strips (using in mending old books) could be torn dry, without the need to prewet, fold, or score. Watermarked lines divide each MDTGS sheet into 7mm width strips. Ingenious! The University of Iowa Center for the Book sells sheets of this gorgeous Japanese paper in three grades that they produce on site. 

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Sponsor of the Week: Rachel Hazell

Reserve your place in Rachel Hazell’s PaperLove e-course. Starting on March 14^th, unfold five weeks of paper inspiration, packed full of ideas and projects to create, using bookart, writing, origami, hand-lettering and collage.

“This course has me giddy with possibilities!” -Karen Grace

Come on a PaperLove journey with Rachel aka The Travelling Bookbinder, who teaches all round the world. Discover new ideas with step-by step instructions via online videos and downloadable printouts, then share stories and your personal tips with an International community. 

Read inspiring interviews with experts including Claudine Hellmuth and Monica Dengo. Delve into the curious history of pens and the postal system. Explore links to new artists and send beautiful letters to the like-minded friends you’ll make through the private PaperLove Facebook group. 

Readers of The Sunday Paper can claim a special 10% discount using the code SUNDAY10. Sign up now at www.rachelhazell.com. 

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Out of the Studio:

I’m in Iowa City lecturing, teaching and seeing lots of people I know. Yay! I also had the opportunity to visit the university’s production paper facility and interview Tim Barrett for an upcoming podcast and began an artist’s book collaboration with Emily Martin. Stay tuned!

The crew transfer pressed sheets of Japanese paper onto the metal steam dryer.

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This is a lovely story about Origami for Africa, a program run by a Japanese woman named Kyoko Kimura. As you’ll read, these kids can learn origami even though they don’t speak the same language as their teacher. They look so proud of their work and are developing leadership skills too. 

A reader recently told me about the work of Yuko Nishimura, who works primarily with folded paper, creating precise and elegant sculptures that have a strong architectural presence. The texture and shadows created by her intricate folding work are stunning, as you’ll see in this video. 

Check out these unique paper collages by Albin Talik. Whoa!

These are the cutest, programmable Kamibots that are about the size of a coffee mug. These are based around Arduino, so kids can easily program them by using a drag-and-drop programming language like Scratch. They come with colorful papercraft skins that let kids dress up their Kamibots too.

Here’s a fun competition that I’m hoping to enter myself. Studio 360 is hosting, and they are asking us to de-file our taxes by coming up with a creative use of the tax form. Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal is the judge! Find out how to enter here. 

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About our sponsor: Rachel Hazell has over 15 years of experience in taking people on creative journeys. She has held creative workshops across the world – from palazzos in Venice to lighthouses in Shetland via Antarctica. Rachel trained in Bookbinding at the London College of Printing.

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If you enjoyed reading The Sunday Paper today, why not sign up to get it delivered to your in-box each and every Sunday? Click here to subscribe (it’s free), and you’ll receive my nifty pop-up alphabet template as a thank you gift! 

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on that cute paper button (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

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Thank you to those who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!