Papermaking
Panama’s Only Complete Papermaking Studio
At Black Rock Art Ranch, you’ll experience a complete papermaking workshop equipped to produce the highest-quality handmade paper.
Our studio is fully outfitted with a Hollander beater, 30- and 50-ton presses, large and small vats, a dry box, and ample glass space for drying. Our frames and deckles are handcrafted from local exotic hardwoods and come in many sizes. You’ll also find a full range of paper manipulation supplies: PVA glue, bone folders, envelope forms, paper cutters, cutting mats, accordion glue bottles, and assorted decorative paper punches.
Fibers and Materials
The studio is stocked with a full range of fibers ready to cook and beat. East Asian fibers include abaca, kozo, gampi, mitsumata, and kenaf. We also stock cotton, blue jean, bamboo, flax, and kenaf linters.
For color and finishing, we carry the full line of Aardvark dyes plus retention aid, and paper marbling dyes. Our chemicals include formation aid, methyl cellulose, soda ash, lye, copper sulfate, gelatin, and alum. An indigo dye vat is always going, along with many other natural dyes for paper, including cochineal.
Most remarkable is our huge selection of local fibers: cocoa, banana (abaca — Musa textilis), aquava, pineapple, lily, and many more plants still waiting to be discovered and explored for fiber.
What You Can Make
There are countless uses for the paper you create in class:
- Add fine pumice to make paper for pastels
- Marble the paper
- Use your paper for gelli plates
- Use your paper for pour-on painting
- Make beautiful cards with deckle-edged paper
Workshops and Seminars
Black Rock Art Ranch offers a variety of papermaking seminars:
- Beginning Papermaking
- Introduction to Papermaking
- Advanced Papermaking
- Creating Three-Dimensional Paper
- Guest Teacher Workshops
- Party Papermaking Classes
- Handmade Cards