Paper Weaving

• Hope Paper Sculpture by Emilio Aponte Sierra – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ZFhX-W4VE
• Paper Weaving III – Layering – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuEpbCQhSas
• Paper Weaving,  by Peggy Flores, Art is Video Series, Crystal Video, 2001
• Paper Strip Kente Weaving – Project #164 – United Art & Education – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL6QTVvDTgc

• Step 1 – In any paper weaving activity, it is easiest to leave the top edge of the warp intact to keep the warp elements connected during the weaving process.  Cut vertically up the paper, stopping within a ½” or so.  Tape these connected elements to a paper foundation.

• Step 2 – The weft elements are then woven across the warp elements going over, under, over, under until the weft has traveled all across the warp.  The next element is woven in an opposite way, going under, over, under over until it has traveled across the warp. 
• Step 3 – As you can see in the drawing above, the elements can all be the same size, or can vary in widths.  They can be cut straight, the can be curved, be undulating or form stair steps.  When the elements are not straight, they need to be woven in the order they were cut so one piece fits another like a puzzle.  If the strips are cut in regular widths, they can be mixed up or woven in order – each method will produce different results.

There are MANY ways this technique can be incorporated into students’ artwork!  Here are just a few ideas – see if you can come up with your own application.

In this example above (by author), the backpack of the magazine image was cut into narrow warp strips with an X-Acto knife.  The old map magazine image was woven across (the weft) carefully, in order not to tear the warp strips.  The weft strips were woven in a twill pattern (over two, under one for one row, then stepping over one element and repeating over two, under one for the next row).  This created a twill weaving pattern and allows the weft strip to be more visible in order to maximize the image being more visibly cohesive. These are just a few things that can be woven together:

• Magazine pages
• Large scale posters
• Photographs
• Students’ original prints, paintings, or drawing on paper
• Specialty papers
• Metallic papers

Students original drawings can be cut and manipulated to create interesting contrasts between the drawing and the weave structure.

Additional layering can be build up on the positive side of the image for relief sculpture details.