Cells: Step 1 - Using hand made paper ...

A great day in the studio yesterday has resulted in some wonderful designs for "Project:Cell" - an idea I have for a particular project (read more about this here) where I want to represent specific 'cells & their structures'. To do this I'm going to first work with a selection of paper & thought of initially looking in my existing 'store' to find if I already had something to use. (In the past, whenever I tried new techniques, I usually made extra or loads for later - then I've got it ready to hand!)

I soon came across  some handmade paper samples from a few years ago which at the time were unsuitable for something else. Looking at them now, I liked the way in which each piece (a total of 7, all in use below) had dried - its colouring, it texture & the resulting delicate & fragile nature of each piece. It symbolised the 'cells' I wanted to show & were ideally suited for "cell structure". After playing around with a few delicate 'bits' of this paper, here's the result:

Paper samples positioned on table

My working table is covered in white plastic & perfect as a 'plain canvas' to look at initial ideas. After placing them quickly down, their 'bitty' image was fitting together perfectly. I then thought about a background for them & rummaging in my paper's box, came across some woodchip wallpaper - also perfect for use as the 'hidden' wood chips were showing as 'cells' too. Using wallpaper paste, I glued them all in place (with a few minor changes) & as the paste is drying, I've noticed the paper is starting to crinkle & become more cell-like.

Same samples now on 'woodchip' paper

Watching the paper over the afternoon, I'm noticing the paper is becoming more 'cellular/knobbly' as the paste softens the paper - I'll have to wait until it's perfectly dry to see the final effect.

Close-up resembles 'cells'

For the rest of the afternoon, I've also worked on some other paper samples I found - these are also viewable at Project:Cell.