The Properties and Use of Mouldmade Paper in Printmaking

DO YOU WANT TO OPTIMISE YOUR PAPER USAGE WHEN PRINTING?

DATES: 11 to 13 June

Time: 9:00 to 17:00

PRICE: R3000 includes a well-researched and written 60-page manual.

Key points the manual covers 

• Scope and focus: Detailed, practice-based manual on mouldmade paper for printmaking, linking paper chemistry, manufacture, and specifications to printing outcomes.

• Materials and manufacture: Explains fibres (cotton and high alpha-cellulose), fillers, sizing, and the Cylinder Mould Machine process, plus how beating and drying influence strength, absorbency, and dimensional stability.

• Process-specific requirements: Defines optimal paper properties and moisture levels for intaglio, relief, lithography, screenprint, monotype, and multi-plate/multi-layer work, with troubleshooting for common printing defects.

• Handling, preparation, and finishing: Covers conditioning the studio, handling and tearing sheets, wetpacks, calendering, chine collé workflows, drying strategies to prevent cockling, and gentle cleaning of prints.

• Archival and contextual aspects: Discusses pH, buffering, permanence standards, storage conditions, historical development of Western and mouldmade papers, and lists major contemporary mouldmade paper ranges.

 

* Mouldmade papers (made with a Cylinder Mould Machine) are Arches, Fabriano, Hahnemühle, Magnani, Somerset, Zerkall and others. 

As a substrate, mouldmade paper offers a consistency similar to machine-made paper while retaining the unique characteristics of handmade paper. It is a fundamental element of printmaking. This presentation draws upon insights gained from her three decades of experience in print and paper.

The relationship between paper and the printed image should be paramount to the printmaker. The final print is judged by the entire sheet of paper, not merely the impression printed on it. Several factors are crucial when selecting mouldmade papers for printing. The paper must have excellent printability to produce an accurate impression from the matrix, and its characteristics should enhance the qualities of the impression. Furthermore, it should be as permanent as possible, adhering to the international standards for preserving works of art.

Understanding the properties of contemporary papers and the specific requirements of printing techniques offers artists and printers another means to influence the character of their printed images and address various printing challenges.

In the workshop, Zhané Warren will unpack the properties and use of mouldmade paper in printmaking by explaining, among other things, the production method and composition of mouldmade paper, how to identify and specify mouldmade paper, which mouldmade paper to use and prepare for various printing techniques, the use of mouldmade paper in chine collé and how to make archival wheat starch paste.

The key takeaway

Mouldmade paper is not just a neutral surface but a core, creative, and long-lasting component of printmaking.

By understanding how it is made, what it’s made of, how to select, handle, moisten, and prepare it (including for techniques like chine collé and with archival wheat starch paste), printmakers can:

1. Improve print quality – getting more accurate, beautiful impressions that respond well to multiple layers and different techniques.

2. Shape the character of the image – using paper properties (surface, weight, stretch, moisture behaviour) as an artistic tool.

3. Ensure permanence – choosing papers that meet high standards so the print as a whole (not just the inked area) endures over time.

The workshop exists to give artists practical, in-depth knowledge of these aspects so they can make more informed and intentional choices about mouldmade paper in their work.

Day 1 Thursday

  • How is mouldmade paper made.
  • What is mouldmade paper made of.
  • What are the specifications of mouldmade paper.
  • How to handle mouldmade paper.
  • The moisture and surface preparation of mouldmade paper for printing.

Day 2 Friday

  • The behaviour and utilisation of the moistened mouldmade paper during printing.
  • The moisture & stretch guidance of mouldmade paper when printing many layers. 

Day 3 Saturday

  • How to make wheat starch paste.
  • The function of mouldmade paper in chine collé.
  • Post-printing processing of mouldmade paper.

 

Past dates for this workshop were:

February 2025 and November 2025

THE PRICE INCLUDES THE MATERIALS & THE WORKSHOP CAN ONLY HOST 5 PARTICIPANTS.

To sign up for the workshop, email Zhané Warren at we@warreneditions.com

 

Workshop participation terms:

1. Your place in a workshop is confirmed only once payment is received.

2. If you cancel, you may transfer or sell your spot. If you cannot do so and no new participant signs up, Warren Editions will not reimburse you.

3. Warren Editions may reschedule workshop dates. If Warren Editions cancels a workshop, you will receive a full (100%) refund of the workshop fee.