Mixografia manufactures all of the paper used in the production of their prints on-site. The machinery has been specially designed and built by Shaye Remba to produce paper that fits the needs of each unique project. The workshop began making its own paper in 1978, when it became clear that the commercial paper available simply could not withstand the stress of the new Mixografia® printing technique.
Our archival paper is made from pure, 100% cotton fibers, which are mixed with water and an alkaline buffering agent, and then beaten to create pulp. This beating process abrades the surface of the cotton fibers, allowing them to bond to one another once the pulp has dried. Mixografia’s handmade paper contains no adhesives to bind the cotton fibers but rather relies on traditional paper-making techniques. In some cases, pigments may be added directly to the pulp during this process in order to produce colored paper.
After beating, the paper pulp is shaped using a wooden mold and deckle, and excess water is drained through a fine screen. The deckle leaves the edges of the paper slightly irregular and wavy, which lends the paper its “handmade” quality. While the paper is still moist, it is placed over an inked printing plate and run through the press at extremely high pressure, this removes more water from the paper. After the print has been run through the press, it is then lifted from the plate and set to air dry.
