Beata Thackeray

I picked this book up initially because it has it has lots and lots of beautiful pictures. It covers both papermaking in both the Western and Eastern traditions, and breaks down techniques into simple, intermediate and advanced techniques, with excellent step-by-step photographs. Unlike many craft books I've bought, I'm actually confident I could follow the instructions given (even if my mould and deckle are still sadly pristine -- so many projects, so little time!)

While my adventures in papermaking have remained largely in the planning states, I've returned to this book for inspiration because there is as good a coverage of what to do once you've made the paper as there is of how to make it. Again the techniques range from the very basic (piercing, embossing, folding, dyeing) to the advanced (pulp embedding, molding) , but the really nice thing is the projects shown to go with the basic techniques don't have that "starter project" look to them, and inspiration galleries are full of gorgeous fine art applications by a wide range of artists.

If you are looking for a hardcore papermaking technique book and know exactly what you want to do with it, go straight to The Papermaker's Companion. But if you are looking for a more general introduction to techniques and possibilities, this is a really nice way to start.… (more)