【紙的旅程06｜sketching experience】紙是素材、是載體，更是創作本體——插畫家葉懿瑩的紙想像-紙的旅程-不讀不知道！-OKAPI閱讀生活誌 (2/2)

【紙的旅程06｜sketching experience】紙是素材、是載體，更是創作本體——插畫家葉懿瑩的紙想像

作者:何曼瑄 / 2016-09-20 瀏覽次數(13782)

In commemoration of its 21st anniversary, books.com.tw is teaming up with age-mate Suho Memorial Paper Culture Foundation for an unusual project. The limited paper collection " Fine Writing Papers " (好好寫字帖) features 21 paper types for different writing styles, including 12 special types produced by Taiwan's remaining manual papermaker, Chang Chuen Cotton Paper Mill from Nantou County's Puli Township.

From brush pens to dip, fountain, and ballpoint varieties, the unique appeal of handwriting has never been surpassed over centuries of development. Nevertheless, writing will not be possible without paper. What exactly is the role played by paper in writing? With this in mind, illustrator Yen I-ying join us on the ride, sharing her own experiences of using paper in artistic creation.

中文 / English

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Interview & text—Ho Man-Hsuan Still Photographer—Lee Ying-hsia English Translation—Chen Yi-hsuan

Yeh I-ying

Independent illustrator with published works spanning books, magazines and newspapers. Yeh's personal piece "I Feel, Therefore I Am" was selected for the 2011 edition of American Illustration 30, and her first book The Gift of the Season was published by MOOK Publishing in 2015. www.iyingyeh.com

"Paper is not just a medium of my creation
but a raw material with innite possibilities from its makeup to transformation."─Yeh I-ying, illustrator

"The color of the ink is marvelous!" We were amazed at the palette of colors on display in Yeh I-ying's drafts drawn on Naked mián paper (Fine Writing Papers-ⅱ). It felt as if we were peeking behind the scene of artistic creation.

In order to maintain a sort of creative freedom, Yeh is not that particular about the pen and ink she uses. She admitted with a coy smile that her pouch is filled with all kinds of student items, including pencils, her weapon of choice, as well as 0.3 mm gel pens or roller and ball pens. Accustomed to making the draft with a pen and coloring on PC, Yeh had never thought to drawing on paper with such distinct fiber pattern and tactility. "As my style requires it, I tend to draw with rather thin lines. The usual yellow drawing paper for pencil sketches would not be my ideal choice as it blooms easily."

With the Xuãn and Mián papers Yeh got this time for her project, each with its unique fiber pattern, aren't they better suited for works featuring watercolor blooms? Not sure what the outcome would be, she applied her most commonly used pen to the paper, and lo, amazing results followed as the tip of the pen plucked at the fibers of the paper.

"The pen feels drastically different on each type of paper from my previous expectations. So much unimagined fun awaits when I put my pen to the paper that I can't help but try out every pen I have in hand." She said unlike its slick appearance, the handmade Pineapple paper (Fine Writing Papers-ⅲ) actually dissipates the ink real quickly. Meanwhile, in addition to absorbing the ink easily, Naked mián paper (Fine Writing Papers-ⅱ) has a kind of roughness to its surface, which feels dry and tingly when you use a ballpoint pen on it. "These are the sorts of pleasant surprises you won't have with your run-of-the-mill machine-made paper."

As a creative artist, Yeh's life and work rely heavily on paper. Aside from the needs for painting and reading, all the paper-based containers in life are indispensable to her too. "And I have come to realize that, in addition to the common paper products we see in everyday life, there are numerous paper-based items that we are not even aware of, such as building materials, cable wrappings and medical supplies. This modern life of ours simply cannot do without paper at all."

"It's paper. It's all made of paper!"

Paper-made products you see everywhere in daily life

Illustration and text by

Illustrations and writings on this page were made using Chû xîn xiê Paper (Penmanship Paper for Beginners, Fine Writing Papers- ⅰ).

Click to buy "Fine Writing Papers"

Click to buy

The best way to keep the tradition of handmade paper alive is to keep using it.

Fine Writing Papers+Journey of Paper
(special issue by okapi.books.com.tw)

" Fine Writing Papers" is compiled by Suho Memorial Paper Culture Foundation, comprising papers made from bamboo and wood pulp, pineapple and synthetic fibers, kozo (mulberry) bark and grains. Manufacturing technologies range from manual vatting to machine production, with origins from Finland, Japan, the U.K., and Taiwan. Also included in this pack are three vintage, out-of-circulation local handmade papers from more than 30 years ago.

Find the paper just for you, making it a need that lasts a lifetime.