.com Paper Tips
...the link between you, the visual artist, and the manufacturer of art materials.
Established 1990

Dixie Art Supplies since 1935	ARTISTANDDISPLAYSUPPLYINC
	EssentialArtProducts.com .........supplies for artists of all ages!

Strathmore Artist Products, Westfield, Massachusetts 01085

Strathmore

Artist Inkjet Print Paper
Click here to BUY

Holiday Crafting

Paper Ornaments

Some people think of it as therapy, some as relaxation, and others as tradition. But, whatever you call it, making original paper ornaments for the holidays is a long-standing and honored holiday pastime that is inexpensive, creative and tons of fun.

There are the tried and true stand-bys of paper ring garlands, metallic paper stars to hang on the tree or on wreaths, and maybe paper cone holiday trees with small ball ornaments for the mantel or bookshelf. But what about creating small sewn paper shapes like stockings, candy canes, holly leaves with berries and stars or gingerbread men that look good enough to eat but are made of paper? These suggestions could be the jumping off point for your own ideas for shapes and designs to make your holiday decorations creative, fun and, oh, so easy!

For the sewn paper shapes you will need a scrap of poster board, shirt cardboard or old folder with which to create your master patterns; artists papers in rich tones (such as Strathmore's Pure Paper Tints); needle and thread (or you can glue them together); glue; cotton balls for stuffing (or shredded computer paper, paper towels, facial tissue); scissors; a pencil; and some miscellaneous materials described below.

Draw simple shapes onto your master cardstock, shapes that will be simple to stuff and sew (or glue) together. For our explanation, a stocking shape will be used. Cut the shape out of your master material with scissors. Fold a sheet of richly toned paper in half and lay your pattern master on top. Using scissors, either cut around the master shape or draw an outline and then cut. You will need two exact shapes to make one stuffed ornament. You may choose to make the ornaments one at a time, or cut several pairs and then stuff and join.

Strathmore Paper Co.

Strathmore artist papers, boards and pads; blank greeting cards, watercolor and oil/acrylic brushes; Strathmore Kids Series pads and art kits.

With a matched set of stocking shapes, hold them together to form a "J." Sew or glue the right side from the top of the "J" around the crook that forms the hook at the bottom of the stocking. Carefully push a bit of stuffing into the shape and then continue sewing to close the foot of the stocking. Add a strip of white around the top (or other contrasting color) for a traditional, cozy-looking stocking ornament.

Other shapes that work well include stars--especially neat when made of metallic paper like Strathmore's Reflections (mirrored paper); pointy tree shapes that can include sewn or glued beads and sequins like a tiny decorated tree; and palm trees to trim a tree in Florida, cowboy boots in Wyoming, or big red apples for NYC. Create your own look using shapes of which you are fond.

For a gingerbread man, cut a simple gingerbread shape out of the poster board or old folder. Tear a sheet of rich, cinnamon colored Strathmore Pure Paper into strips about one-half inch wide and three inches long. Dilute white glue 50/50 with water and brush it onto the torn strips of brown artist's paper. (You can also use Kraft paper or grocery sacks). Press the strips into place on the gingerbread man shape. You will want to wrap any excess around the edges of the shape to cover the base material and to make the "cookies" look more realistic. Smooth each strip into place, then repeat until the entire base cardboard shape is covered. Allow to dry flat and then decorate with red-hot cinnamon candies, raisins, confectioner's icing or felt scraps and cotton string. Use red-hot candies or red felt for eyes, raisins or brown felt for buttons and icing or string for edge decoration around the "cookie." Dry thoroughly and then pierce a hole at the top and hang by a ribbon. These are so cute that you will want to make dozens. They are great on the tree hung by ribbon, on the mantle nestled in greenery or on packages. They also make thoughtful small gifts for those special people on your gift list.

Other shapes that you might want to consider include simple wreaths (candy decorations are really neat on these), stars (replicating old fashioned German cookies decorated with white icing) or any favorite holiday shape.

A super-fast-track paper ornament that is a wonderful container for a small gift is a paper cone. Create a cone by cutting a bright sheet of artist paper into a circle and then cut the circle in half. Roll one half into a cone shape and glue the seam. Attach a ribbon and fill the cone with a snippet of paper doily, a scrap of colorful cellophane, tulle or other decorative filler and top it off with small candies, homemade cookies or fudge or little trinkets. These look like expensive, Victorian treasures, especially if you include a bit of lace in the presentation. You can create dozens of cones from materials you have around the house, and each will be a treasured gift or decoration.

All it takes is a little thought, some rich-toned paper and materials you already have on hand to create some near-heirloom ornaments that are easy, unique and charming. Look around to see what you might have that would work well for these projects. Collect all year long for a flurry of creativity during this season, and your ornaments will shine. The sky is the limit, so enjoy creating some heirlooms!

Glossary

Since 1892, Strathmore has designed papers that are the preferred choice of professional artists, art teachers and knowledgeable amateurs. Most Strathmore Artist Papers are made in our own mills, where each run is tested by machine and by hand. We hope this quick reference guide and glossary will be useful in helping gain a better understanding of common artist paper terms and the Strathmore product offering.

Acid Free Paper - Paper manufactured using alkaline papermaking technology. Acid free papers are buffered with an alkaline reserve, such as calcium carbonate, to neutralize acid compounds absorbed from the atmosphere or formed through natural aging.

Archival Paper - Paper manufactured to provide the ultimate resistance against natural aging. The most important characteristics are: no groundwood or unbleached pulp, a minimum pH of 7.5, and additional alkaline reserve of 2%.

Basis Size - Sizes based on traditions/customs which represent the industry standard for a specific paper grade. For example, the basis size of watercolor paper is 22" x 30".

Basis Weight - The weight in pounds of a ream (500 sheets) of paper in a given basis size. Thus, a 140 lb. watercolor paper will be one in which a ream of 22" x 30" sheets actually weighs 140 pounds.

Bond - A term that has grown to be a catch-all for many different types of paper. Essentially, Bond is a grade of writing or printing paper with varying degrees of translucency, known for strength, durability and permanence, while remaining comparatively light weight. Originally used in the printing of corporate bond certificates. In the art field, it is extensively used for general layout and visualizing purposes.

Bristol - Artist Bristol generally describes drawing paper that is pasted. Two or more sheets are pasted together to form 2-ply, 3-ply, etc. Sheets are pasted into Bristol to achieve stiffness, strength and to form a sheet with two identical useable (felt or top) sides.

Calendering - A process that takes place at the end of the papermaking machine. The paper is passed through a stack of steel rollers which gives it more uniform thickness (caliper). By varying the number of rolls used, and the pressure applied, degrees of smoothness can be achieved.

Caliper - The thickness of a sheet of paper, expressed in thousandths of an inch (.001).

Cold Press - A term used to describe the medium surface of certain textured paper used for watercolor work.

Deckle Edge - A decorative feathered edge produced during the papermaking process.

Felt Side - The side of paper that does not contact the carrying wire while traveling across the wet end of the papermaking machine. Also known as the “top side,” it is considered the preferred working side of a sheet of paper.

Fourdrinier - The formal name for a papermaking machine that forms a continuous web of paper on a moving wire screen. The vast majority of paper manufactured in this country is made on Fourdrinier machines.

Furnish - A term to describe the mixture of fibrous materials (pulp), sizing, fillers, dyes, other additives and water that eventually is processed into paper. The consistency of prepared oatmeal, furnish is what is fed onto the moving wire of a Fourdrinier paper machine or Cylinder machine.

g/m² - A unit of measure for the weight of paper in the metric system. It is the weight of one square meter expressed in grams. A 140 lb. 22" x 30" watercolor paper is equivalent to 300 g/m².

Grain Direction - The direction in which the majority of fibers lie in a finished sheet of paper corresponding to the direction the wire travels on a papermaking machine. Handmade papers have no grain direction.

Hot Press - Used primarily in describing watercolor papers with a very smooth surface.

Laid Finish - Describes a watermarked series of parallel, vertical and horizontal impressed lines in a sheet.

Lignin - An organic substance which acts as a binder for cellulose fibers in wood and certain plants, adding strength and stiffness to cell walls. Lignin is undesirable in the production of fine, permanent papers because it reacts with light and/or heat to produce henols (alcohols) and acids, which cause deterioration and embrittlement of the paper.

Mould (Mold) Made - Although originally describing a handmade process, today “mould made” papers are produced on a Cylinder machine. Cylinder machines differ from Fourdriniers only in the way the pulp is applied to the wire.

Opacity - The property of a paper that minimizes or prevents the passage of light through the sheet.

pH - This is a chemical term, defining the acid-alkaline range of any substance. A lower pH indicates acidity, a higher figure shows an alkaline condition. A pH reading of 7.0 indicates neutrality.

Plate Surface/High Surface - For a special, uniformly smooth finish, sheets of paper are interleaved with highly polished metal plates to make a stack, or “book.” The “book” is then pressed repeatedly between steel rolls under great pressure, imparting the smoothness of the metal plate to a paper’s surface. Plate surface papers are ideal for pen and ink, airbrush, and mechanical layouts.

Ply - A single thickness (sheet) of paper. Artists’ papers and mounting boards, as well as other grades, are identified as 1-ply, 2-ply, etc. As each ply is pasted together the increased thickness and stiffness is described by the number of plies.

Post-Consumer Material - Paper, paperboard and fibrous wastes from retail stores, office buildings and homes after they have passed through their end‑usage as consumer items.

Pulp - Cellulose fiber material extracted by chemical or mechanical means from wood, cotton or other organic or synthetic sources. Pulp provides the fiber content in the furnish, which is used to form paper.

Rough Surface - A term used to describe a coarse, textured paper. Often used by artists when discussing the surface characteristics of watercolor paper.

Size (Sizing) - Additive substances such as starch or animal glue which are applied to the surface of the paper (surface sizing) and/or added to the furnish (internal sizing). Sizing is applied to the paper to improve the drawing, painting or printing qualities such as moisture hold out and paper strength.

Smooth Surface - A paper with a very smooth, hard finish. Ideal for pen and ink, marker, airbrush and mechanical layouts.

Vellum Surface/Medium Surface/Regular Surface/Kid Surface - A term used to describe the finish of a sheet of paper, with a minimum to moderate tooth. Ideal for pencil, charcoal, airbrush, pastel, crayon, and pen and ink, (not requiring a solid line).

Wire Side - The reverse of felt side. It is the side of the sheet of paper that comes in contact with the Fourdrinier wire on the wet end of the papermaking machine.