apermaking with Plants is deceptively short, for author Helen Hiebert has packed in a huge amount of information between its attractive covers. Hiebert writes, "the most important advice I can give is�have fun!" No question, the possibility of enjoyment is here in plenty. How-to books face the awesome task of covering many diverse aspects of their subject and this book makes traveling along Hiebert's well-organized path�from collecting fiber to producing the finished sheet�rewarding. My first impression, before reading the book, was of the stunning textural quality presented in the photographs of the endpapers, the five chapter headings, and the samples shown throughout. Texture is a prime element of handmade paper in general and a major characteristic in plant papers; it may be the primary reason why so many artists use these papers in their work. The book's color prints of plant papers provide a stunning first glance-through, enhanced by the pictures of raw fiber clumps and bundles to illustrate paper's genesis. Allowing viewers to perceive the sensation of touching these papers is all the more astonishing here since one can experience the texture through visual means only. I praise the author, book designer, and photographer for beautifully presenting this element. Hiebert writes clearly and she accompanies the text in four chapters�titled "Collecting Plant Fiber", "Getting Ready to Make Paper", "Processing Plant Fiber", and "Making Paper"�with numerous drawings. As she says in her introduction, she wants to encourage people to begin papermaking with plants by providing advice about techniques and building simple equipment. Then she follows through with specific information in each chapter about ways to do just that. Unfortunately, a number of boxes containing good information lie scattered throughout the pages, interrupting the narrative flow and detracting from the excellent drawings illustrating the steps in papermaking. The information boxes are well-keyed by subject to the index, however, should one wish to find them. Each of the first four chapters contain abundant details of the steps in making plant paper. This may discourage the beginner who thinks only of the finished sheet and not what goes before but, on balance, I think it is better to have the details laid out, in an orderly sequence like this. In the chapter "Processing the Plant Fiber", Hiebert states that, "All plant fibers must be cooked in an alkali solution, called a caustic solution, prior to making paper." I disagree. Retting fiber in water allows bacterial action to destroy the harmful starches and lignins and is a successful and more environmentally sound method of preparing fiber for paper without cooking it in caustic. (Certainly cooking in caustic is much faster than retting, though; my own shredded bamboo fiber has taken more than nine months retting in milk to break down enough to be beaten!) Retting deserves further experimentation and documentation. In the chapter called "Recipes, Techniques, and Projects", Hiebert gives us a delightful presentation of recipes and comments by well-known papermakers who work with plant fibers. Welcome hints for everyone from novice to skilled individual will make life smoother for the former and will make the latter wonder why they did not think of them on their own. The pleasure of picking up a new idea from the papermakers Hiebert quotes is like getting an unexpected gift, such as reading about Bridget O'Malley's method of brushing black walnut dye onto dry sheets and then sealing them with gelatin size, or using black walnut dye with indigo to make a fine black color on paper, a technique O'Malley and Amanda Degener have pioneered. I expect readers will find many such gifts in this book. The current enthusiasm for experimentation with plant fibers will certainly increase our knowledge of what is available and how to use it. Each fiber's unique characteristics can point the way toward its ultimate use, such as the thin papers with embedded objects that Hiebert uses in her lamp shades, or high shrinkage fibers used in double-couched, decorative sheets. The great variation in specific plant fibers, in characteristics such as shrinkage rate and fiber strength, may cause problems for readers who follow some of the book's general directions. For example, one who follows the directions in the section on gelatin sizing for pan sizing, stacking, pressing, and line drying using fibers weaker than flax may find the sheets disintegrating in the pan or sticking together when stacked and pressed. Documentation is key to tapping into the work now being produced in paper studios worldwide, and Hiebert shows us some simple, effective charts for keeping track of experiments and documenting the results. I learned about Matthias Koops' work with plant fiber in 1800 from Dard Hunter's documentation in his book, Papermaking, the History and Technique of an Ancient Craft. Economics drove Koops to experiment with straw, hay, thistles, hemp, flax, wood, bark, and recycled book pages in an attempt to find alternatives to cotton and linen rag for increased commercial production of paper, but we seem to be heading in another direction: producing unique papers in smaller quantities by and for artists and artisans. Now aesthetics drive the output and economics follows rather than leads the process. The author makes a good point about learning the genus of plants when seeking fiber sources for paper and checking to see if they contain any toxic properties. If experimentation is your forte, you will be excited by choosing from plant families known to have sufficient cellulose for papermaking. As a starting point, Hiebert provides lists showing some good fibers for paper. One can also productively find fiber to supplement that of soft tissue plants, by learning which fibers are used by seine and cord makers and weavers in various cultures. If you have an overwhelming desire to make plant paper, Hiebert gives you the basics and more, culled from her extensive experience in papermaking. I have no doubt that her book will successfully attract many converts to making paper from plant fibers, and that these converts will then go on to produce unique papers and fully realized art works.
