Sculptural Papermaking

Explore a range of techniques that take handmade paper from two- into three-dimensions. Students will learn to work with both low-shrinkage and high-shrinkage pulps, including cotton and flax, to create vessels, low-relief sculptures, and fully dimensional pieces. Pulp casting, sheet laminating, working with armatures, manipulation of high-shrinkage sheets of paper, and paper thread will be covered, as well as working with both pigmented and natural pulps.

Special Notes
This is an in-person class which will take place in our 3rd floor rear studio with strict social distancing protocols and a maximum of 6 students in the space. Students will be required to wear masks for the entire duration of the class. Please see our COVID-19 community safety policies.

Tuition Assistance is Available
To make our classes and workshops accessible to everyone, Fleisher offers tuition assistance every term so that everyone can join our creative community. We have recently streamlined the application process, making it even quicker and easier. Tuition assistance applications can be completed once registration is open by clicking here. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Dec. 2.

What you will learn:

  • Learn the technical skills to create uniform sheets of handmade paper including pulp preparation, sheet formation, and the drying process

  • Discover techniques involved in creating relief and three-dimensional forms using pulp

  • Learn decorative techniques such as fiber embedding

  • Learn how handmade paper and the papermaking medium can be used for artistic expression, and how it can be used with other media

Start the term with these supplies:

  • Students should come prepared to get their hands wet and pulpy. Students with very strong skin sensitivities may wish to bring long rubber/latex/nitrile or similar gloves.

  • Students may wish to bring a plastic apron, or fabric apron and plastic sheeting (we can show students how to attach to fashion their own plastic apron in class!), to stay dry.

  • A plastic container (such as large yogurt container) to hold water

  • A clean sponge

  • Midway through the term, students may wish to bring found materials for embedding and armature building. We will discuss this in class.