PULP

23rd September 
PULP

AIM - use recycled paper waste to create pots, vases and bowls that can be used in a variety of ways (both functional and decorative)

How will i find the best method?

test different types of paper

different ways of moulding the vessels

different ways of adding colour 

different soaking times/amount of water

length of drying time before de-moulding

adding in other materials?

thickness of paper - how does it affect stability/ability to dry fully

First test

-Using waxy papers and crushed broken old paper bowls and tissue. 

-Using a mix of fibres to see if that allows the pulp to hold together better.

-Left to soak for a couple of hours then blended with a lot of water

-Applied to mould still quite wet and applied in a medium thickness.

Thickness worked well/held together relatively well but the removal from the mould is what cracked the edges - need to find a better way of doing that. Maybe grease mould/add a layer of fabric/a full sheet of paper.

Because i made this pot relatively thin, it dried really well, but when it came to taking it off the mould i had to use a skewer to loosen it, which ruined the edges and shown in the video below.

Second test

-Using different coloured papers to test which will affect the colour and which will just break up to add flecks of colour.

-Made up of leaflets etc with plastic like coating to see if this affects the stability

As shown on the video below, the removal of this piece was very difficult. I used a pot that had a paper sleeve hoping this might help. Due to the thickness of the pulp, the pot wasn't drying which meant it was very delicate and ended up falling apart. This could also have something to do with the type of papers i used as they didn't blend down as fine as the thinner waxy papers.The way i ended up removing this made me think that starting with flat sheets and then rolling them once partially dry could work as they wouldn't have to be pulled off from a mould and they'd have more air to dry.

Third test

I wanted to explore different ways i could add colour to my pots as the white looks too much like paper, and i want them to look more durable than that.

I first tried using various shades of blue paper but again different types of paper to see which dyes the rest of the paper and which breaks into little specks.

I was really pleased with how the pot looked but soon released it was too thick and was hardly drying. I again used the skewer to loosen the pot and used a hairdryer to try and get some air flow between the paper and the plastic. When i eventually got it out it just fell apart as it was too wet and too thick. The photo below shows the amount of condensation. 

After using the coloured paper, i wanted to try a natural dye, as i have more white recycling than i do coloured so cant rely on coloured papers. I decided to use turmeric for my first test as its very pigmented and doesn't require boiling to infuse with the water/paper mix.

I’m really happy, visually, how this turned out even though the colour faded as it dried. I am however having the same problem as the previous pieces that the plastic is preventing drying. I like that this was built around a water bottle as it means if i leave it as it is, it can hold water and function as a vase. However, i want to find a way to do this without having the paper build around an object. 

When i removed this pulp from its mould it ripped in half but everywhere else stayed pretty secure so i used some varnish to stick it back together. I really like the effect the varnish had on the paper as it has made it look more ceramic. However, my goal is to make products out of waste products/natural products.



SO FAR..

What have i discovered?
-Plastic moulds don’t allow for the paper to dry
-take about 5 days to fully dry
-Need to add more time to the project to see if my experiments have worked due to drying time
-Edges need to be stronger
-Better removal process
-Something to use in place of clingfilm


What do i need to do to progress?
- test different methods - flat pieces then mould
Do i need to incorporate different materials?
Corn starch
Glue?

30th September
WEEK 2 EXPERIMENTATION 

Considering the points i made above about the first weeks experiments, i started this week by changing the method /recipe for my paper pulp.

Instead of just using paper, leaving it to soak, blending and moulding, i added flour into the mix to act as a binder. This is similar to making ‘paper clay’ but without the addition of glue.

Using the paper and flour mix, i started applying it as i had done before but placing a piece of scrap plastic to make the removal easier. As shown in the video above, the plastic made it very difficult to apply the mixture evenly to the bowl. It also caused the pulp mix to slip off the bowl.

I applied the pulp mixture directly onto the glass bowl hoping that it’ll be easily removable once dry. I also focused more on the edges as in the previous tests this area broke very easily as they were quite thin. 


The texture of the paper/flour mix feels a lot like a soft clay and moulds really well to the bowl. The overall look of the pulp is a lot smoother on the surface than the initial mix so i think the finished look will be much more successful. However, the mix feels a lot wetter/stickier so i’m concerned about how long it will take to dry and how it will feel.

Using the same pulp mix as above, i tried a different technique using full sheets of paper to line the object i was using as a mould. I tried one using strips and the other using a full piece. I dipped the paper in water first so it would form to the mould better and then applied the pulp mix on top. I’m unsure as to wether the paper will peel away from the pulp or fuse to it. I’m hoping this will add a level of durability and stability when it comes to remoulding the pieces. In the video on the right, i cut small holes in the base of the mould to allow for some air to work its way in as in previous tests the lack of air meant the pulp wouldn’t dry properly. 

I have since made a flat piece of paper pulp which i intend to let nearly dry and then mould it into a shape. I also trapped a layer of  plastic mesh between the pulp to see if that adds further strength to the paper. This doesn't seem to be drying as well as the already shaped pieces so it may take more time.

This test really did not work, the pieces turned yellow and began to smell. I assume this is because the flour is a food substance and went off? they did however dry much faster than any other tests so i will try adding a small amount of cornflour and see if this helps.