Paper

Paper is matted plant fibre formed into a thin sheet either by hand (the traditional method) or by machine (the modern method); artists use it as a surface for drawing, watercolour and printmaking. Paper is made from cellulose fibres — once chiefly from linen and cotton rags, now largely from wood pulp — which are pulped, suspended in water and lifted on a screen, after which the fibres interlock and dry into a strong sheet. The quality, texture, sizing and colour of the paper significantly affect the final appearance of a work. Paper was invented in ancient China, whence it spread through the Islamic world to medieval Europe, revolutionising drawing, book printing and printmaking. Different grades — from rough, grainy watercolour paper to smooth printmaking paper and thin Japanese sheets — serve the needs of particular techniques. In many cultures paper became an artistic material in its own right: in paper-cutting, origami, paper reliefs and installations. The Ukrainian folk vytynanka is a vivid example of turning plain paper into a distinctive decorative art. The fragility and sensitivity of paper require special conditions of storage.