Today, individuals take their access to paper for granted. Paper comes in all different shades of color, different shapes, sizes, textures, etc. One would be surprised that the process of making paper was not an easy one. Paper making goes even further back to the 12th century when a new kind of parchment made its first appearance in Italy. Paper and parchment had completely different surface qualities. Paper was fragile. It had a rag base and more of a cotton appearance. (Preliminaries: The Introduction of Paper into Europe) Paper also ripped very easily. However, despite papers fragile surface, paper and paper mills took off in Italy. Next, the cultivation of flax and hemp in the Middle Ages was being used as a substitution of linen for wool in underwear making. The flax and hemp helped significantly to make a rag base in paper. It was less costly. There was still improvements that needed to be made to improve the quality and quantity of paper. Manufacturers improved the adhesive properties of the pulp used in paper but substituting animal glue and gelatin for the vegetable glues used originally. This gave the paper a more “cotton-like” finish.
So how exactly is paper made? After the 12th century, from the 14th century to the 18th century the process of paper significantly kept changing. The most substantial development was the replacement of the mallets by cylinders being used in the paper process. In creating the best quality paper, manufacturers used flimsy, white rags that was separated from any other tough fabrics. Also, to make good quality paper, pure water was the crucial. The pure water was used to turn the beaters and to make the pulp. The search for old rags and fabrics led to more and more paper mills being established. However, the search for rags became difficult. Rag collectors were charging a great deal for the rags, and this led to papermakers going right to the state to grant them with monopolies in the rag collection. In the 18th century, reading and writing also began increasing, and the need for paper did as well. As long as the rag remained the most essential raw material in papermaking, expanding the papermaking industry continued to be difficult. (Preconditions of the Growth of Paper-Making: Natural and Industrial)
Before papermaking became essential there was a long list of writing surfaces that were being used for centuries. The list included cured animal skins, woven cloth, stone, flattened metal sheets, tree bark, dried animal bones, and even sea shells. All over the country, people were using very different types of writing surfaces. For example, in Egypt, individuals were using scrolls that were made from thinly sliced sections of marsh reed. This was used for its lightness as well as its flexibility. This was used for nearly four thousand years because the marsh reed plant or papyrus was known as the “gold standard of recording surfaces”. (Common Bond) Paper arrived at a time when a new surface medium became urgent for people who recorded everything they could about religious, literary, artistic, and business details on whatever writing surface they could get their hands on. To create a book from bamboo, the user would have to slice very narrow strips of the bamboo from the skin and then fasten them together with twine for the book to stay together. It was not an easy process for those individuals, and they felt that paper would suffice a lot better.
Today, the need for commercial paper for everyday needs is overwhelming. Paper is being made mechanically in Japan by industrial giants such as Oji Paper Company and Nippon Paper Industries. There is also a great need for massive supplies of wood pulp. This wood pulp is being imported on container ships overseas. In Japan, the individuals making the paper mechanically is considered to be a time-honored method. This method is greatly being threatened with extinction. A lot of the traditionally made papers from centuries ago are considered to be “cultural property” and it is in need of preservation as well as protection.
Altered Book:
I chose to alter a childhood favorite book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. This book is a children’s picture book that was published in 1964. The book follows the life of an apple tree, and a little boy. The tree has the ability to communicate with the little boy. As the little boy grows up he enjoys playing with the tree, climbing the tree, swinging from her branches, as well as eating the apples off of the tree. Time passed, and the little boy did not want to play with the tree as much anymore. He was becoming a teenager, and he needed things. The tree was always willing to help. The boy asked for money, and the tree suggested the boy sell her apples. More time passed, and the boy grew older and wanted to start a family, so the tree told the boy to take her branches and build a house. Every time the tree did the boy a favor and helped him out, the tree was happy. More time passed, and the boy who was now a man wanted to sail far away from his life. The tree was there to help again, and the boy cut down the tree trunk, made a boat and sailed away. Time passed and there was nothing but a tree stump, and the man returned again seeking help, but the tree had nothing to give. The man just sat on the stump because all he needed was a quiet place, and again the tree was happy. Not only did I choose this book because it was a childhood favorite of mine, I chose this book because now as I read it to my niece, I still love the story, but I feel that there is not any color to the book and the pages are rather boring, with just words, and black and white pictures that explain the story between the boy and the tree.
1. I chose to add color to every page of the book. I colored in the trees, and the little boy. I found that most little children like my niece like to be interactive, so I added little details to the book on each page, to make the story line more observant.
2. On some of the blank pages, I cut designs into the book to add more of a visual feel to the book.
3. On some of the other blank pages, I thought it would be cool to paint the bottom of an old pair of shoes I had and smudge paint on the book. I felt that to me this helped explain how the boy kept leaving the tree, and coming back.
4. I splatter painted some of the pages, just to make them stand out to the readers eye.
5. Lastly, I made the cover of the book, rather blank and boring.
*The process of altering a book was not an easy one for me though. I felt that changing a childhood book was rather difficult. When I chose to make the cover of the book blank and boring I kept thinking of the saying “Do not judge a book by the cover”. Just because the cover of the book is boring, doesn’t mean what is inside is boring, and dry. I wanted the pages to stand out a little more with color because as a child, and knowing what my niece likes, color is what young children look at.
I think Taylor had a really cool idea where she made her book into a true representation of the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” by purposely making the cover of the book more boring and the insides more exciting and colorful than they were previously. Also, the idea of the shoe marks was a really original idea that embodies what happens in the story, as the entire book is really the boy leaving and coming back to the tree. I found myself wanting to do actions like that as well when I was doing my own project, that represented the book and the plotline itself, in addition to some more random actions. I can also relate to the difficulty of having to change a book that means something. Luckily for me, my book was not quite so close to the heart so I was able to get past it but it still always lingers in the mind when doing a project like this that I was doing something wrong by changing the book. One thing Taylor mentioned regarding the reading that I found interesting was the fact that some individuals in Japan do still make paper in the way it used to be done years ago and how it is a “time-honored method.” It is interesting to see which cultures are more into preserving different things, as I do not think the United States has the same relation in regards to making paper the old way as Japan does.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the fact that Taylor altered her book in a way that would be more appealing to little kids. Although the book does have a nice story line, little kids like to look at the pictures too as they are read the book. Therefore, it is nice to see that she made the pages ‘pop’ with color by using paint and other methods. I also found it interested that she mentioned that paper and parchment’s surfaces were different. We learned more about the differences between the two in Basbanes “Road Trip” on page 56 when he referenced Blair who explains that you cannot change the writing on paper like you can on parchment. More specifically, the ink soaks into paper whereas with parchment it can be scraped off allowing you to re-write on it. I feel that Taylor’s alterations to her book mirrored the earliest qualities of paper (before we had erasers). For example, she did not attempt to change the words to the book, the story is still complete. She just added to the pages by adding color to the pages. Therefore, she treated the book like true “paper” by not erasing some of the words that are permanently made in ink.
ReplyDeleteTaylor, like myself, did not realize how paper was made prior to this reading, and also believes that people today take paper for granted. It was so hard to make paper when it was first invented, and it took a lot of time an effort to make it perfect. Taylor decided to alter one of my favorite children’s book “The Giving Tree”. The reason she chose to alter this book was because she thought it was too boring and plain, and that the black and white pictures are the only thing that describe the story. She decided to bring the book to life by coloring the tree and the boy, and added details to every page to make the story line more observant. Like Taylor, I found that altering a childhood book was extremely difficult because it meant so much to me. I really admire how Taylor uses the line “don’t judge a book by its cover” when describing her reasoning for leaving the cover of the book blank. She knew that inside of the book it would be much more interesting. By adding the color to the pages of the book, she knew that it would be much more attractive to younger children because they are typically drawn to bright colors.
ReplyDeleteThis new interpretation of "The Giving Tree" was a great alteration and recreation of this book. It is so true that young kids enjoy colors, pictures and excitement when reading books and the original black and white version of this story might not be as appealing. Though it is a great story, it needed new life and Taylor’s alterations brought just that. When the book was first created this might not have been as important as the story, but I feel that today, color and aesthetics are very important to young readers. This shows a development in this book just as books and paper have developed over time. The new alterations I think also give the paper more depth, distinctness and meaning. The readings opened our eyes to how unique and different paper can be and I think that is better reflected through the pages in this book with new life. Taylor also mentions the time-honored nature of paper making which is something interesting to look at. The process of papermaking has remained part of certain cultures and is an art form. While in some places, like probably the United States, papermaking has become something that goes unnoticed, the art of it still survives. This reminds me of books today and of some of the books chosen for this project. People, like Taylor, chose to alter books with great meaning to them and with great meaning in the content of it. Writing and reading books also is a time-honored process that most people still consider interesting and important. There seem to be some parallels between the importance of a book itself and of how the book’s materials were made.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the approach Taylor took with the altered book project. I thought it was interesting how she took what she knew from personal experience (that her niece enjoys reading books with color) and added this to her project. It is a simple, yet drastic alteration that was able to completely change parts of this book. I also thought it was interesting that she decided to make the book cover plain and “boring”. It is almost as if she reversed the emptiness of the inside with the colorful nature of the outside, and I thought this was very significant in terms of the scope of this project. All of the small details Taylor added to this story really reshaped how one reads and understands the book. With regards to the reading, Taylor displayed a full understanding by explaining paper from its origins to its current day necessity. She talks about how it is manufactured worldwide and how its process has completely changed due to mass production. I also thought it was fascinating how she talked about paper as a “cultural property” that needs to be preserved. Although this is certainly true, it can sometimes seem silly to think that cultures cherish paper, something that we take for granted today without even thinking of its past.
ReplyDeleteI loved Taylor's approach to her altered book on "The Giving Tree" and how she was able to recreate the story and relate it to her current experiences. Although she expressed how hard it was for her to begin the process and find ways to make it meaningful, I believe in the end she created a book that although it is altered it can still be enjoyed by others, such as her niece. Additionally, I found that her attitude towards not judging a book by its cover adds depth to the book and overall meaning. Growing up most kids struggle with trying to fit in and some are bullied because of it. The idea of not judging a book by its cover is one that most can relate to and summarizes the entire story completely, awesome job! In regards to the readings, the process of paper making is now considered an art form where it is still used because most places now rely on mass production in order to fulfill all needs and orders of paper. I also agree that previous to these readings I had no idea how paper was made or how it came to be.
ReplyDeleteI really like Taylor’s approach to book altering. As one of her favorite stories, Taylor I’m sure had already colored in The Giving Tree in her mind a thousand times but instead of parents telling children not to color in their books we now have professors encouraging it. This shift from boring and dull to exciting and creative reflects all of the colorful alterations Taylor made to this otherwise colorless story. While I think it was a nice choice to keep the cover fairly basic to demonstrate the old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” I’m glad to have finally seen a colored version of this book. Her other details really prove Taylor’s deep understanding of the messages throughout the book. The jagged edges give the book a playful, little-kid feel and the dirty shoeprints help you envision a small child swinging trough tree branches. Another nice thing about Taylor’s altered book is that it is still intact and legible which shows that Taylor was able to completely transform a book while keeping the central message intact.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was considering what books to bring back from home, The Giving Tree was one of my choices. Shel Silverstein was that author I read continuously as a child and now I buy my little cousins their own copies. So reading her post brings me back to when I sat in my room reading The Giving Tree. I like how she reversed the color scheme of the book. The inside was rather colorless and the cover however was a bright green. Her mantra during her process, “Do not judge a book by its cover,” is accurately portrayed by her final product. By doing these alterations she ensured that her book was still readable, just that the reader had a different experience with the alterations. She even made the book more enjoyable for children, since colors keep their interests a lot longer. The work she put into her alterations showed how much this book meant to her and I empathize with that. Books from your childhood are a lot harder to work on, which makes the process even that more enjoyable. The book is still whole, however it has been reinvented into a new entity. For a book with such sentimental value the materials are just as important as the content within the pages.
ReplyDeleteTaylor had some really great insights about the process of paper being made and was very thorough with her summary. I really appreciated the summary of the Giving Tree because I havent read it in so long, and forgot what it was about. It's funny how a children's book can be so deep with true meaning and this isn't realized until they are read again as adults. Its cool that she looked at this project somewhat from her niece's point of view, and how children like to be interactive. I didnt think about my book this way but she's right, my niece would love the more color the better. The use of an old sneaker is an amazing idea. It perfectly sums up the boy in the book, always leaving and coming back for more. She put a lot of thought into this book and it really shows.
ReplyDeleteTaylor did a very nice overview of how paper is made and the different mediums that were used for writing before paper making. It is interesting to note that paper was invented because it was an easier medium to create. Before paper, many of the materials used to write on were not very ideal. Paper was created as more of a necessity rather than a luxury item as the need to transcribe information became more and more essential. Although the availability of paper is something that is not much of a concern today, it was a very large priority for societies in the past; which is very interesting to think about.
ReplyDeleteTaylor chose to alter The Giving Tree, which is one of my childhood favorites as well. I like the idea of adding color to such a simple book. I also really liked that the book was altered to be more appealing to children. As Taylor mentioned, I can relate to it being hard to alter a book that is so close to you. I think that is why I chose a book that meant something to me but was not the closet book to me. It would be hard for me to destroy my favorite book because of all the memories it holds. I also like the way Taylor did not change the front of the book because of the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” because although the cover looks like every other copy of this book, the inside is now transformed and the reader would not realize this until they opened the book.