Making Plant Paper From Wild Fall Grass... and Making Art Out of It

Hi, my name is Cory and I am an artist who makes environmental and ecological inspired artwork. Almost a year ago I made a video about making DIY homemade plant paper from green spring grass. In this video, I get a bit more detailed with the process (especially as I've gotten more practice making paper!), this time using the dry, dead, and golden-yellow grass that decorates California's hills during the Fall season. If you're interested in making similar grass paper, I hope this video can act as a guide to help you out! This video is also a glimpse into my artistic process. The paper I make in this video became the primary medium I used in an art project that I was lucky enough to show in a local group exhibition!
Although I go in depth in this video, the breakdown of the process looks something like this: Gather grass and cut it into 1 inch pieces. (I wash the grass and cold soak it next, but this is optional). Then, boil the grass for about 2 hours with washing soda/soda ash. After boiling, strain and beat the grass into a thick pulp. Once the grass is a thick pulp, blend it in a blender (about a 1 part grass, 2 part water ratio) until it turns into a thinner slurry pulp. Meanwhile, boil some okra. The remaining thick liquid is a formation aide (also optional). In a vat of water, add the pulp and okra (my ratio here is about 1:3 or 1:4, 1 being pulp, and 3 or 4 being water). Mix the water and using a deckle and mould, pull a layer of pulp out. Let it sit for a minute and then take the mould off. Bring the screen to a couching station to press it into fabric (the texture of the fabric will determine the texture of the paper). Flip the screen, wet paper side down, onto a piece of fabric. Use a sponge, paint roller, and/or microfiber towel to press the paper into the fabric. Carefully, pull the screen away from the paper. Let the paper dry, either in the open or under weight (the paper does shrink as it dries which can cause warping and wrinkles - using weight helps with this). Once dry, pull the fabric away from the paper. If it's still a bit wrinkled and warped, let it sit under heavy weight for a day or two. Now you can use the paper to make art or anything else you can think of!
For me, the papermaking process is a way of connecting to my local nature. I often think of the spaces I'm in while making paper (and making art from paper!) and I mediate on ideas of past, present, and future environments as well as our role in the natural world. This project was a fun challenge that I'm glad turned out successfully!
Thanks so much for watching and reading and I hope you look at the nature around you just a little differently now. Feel free to ask me questions and give me feedback (or roast my art) in the comments!
Here's a list of most of the materials I used just incase you want to tackle a similar project:
Wild grass
Shears
Gloves
Okra (I use frozen)
Washing soda
Deckle and mould ( • Making a Mould and Dec... )
Tub/vat
Towels and fabrics (I used old tees this time)
Water
Wooden pole
Concrete pavers
Blender
Paint roller, sponge, microfiber towel
Portable stove (definitely don't cook grass inside!)
Hardware bucket
Various old kitchen pots and utensils
and its always good to have some extra bowls around (preferably not plastic during steps with hot water!)
Artists I mentioned in this video that provided inspiration were Mark Rothko and Richard Long.
If you want to check out some more images of this artwork and more you can check out my social media and website here:
Artist Instagram:
/ corym.art
My website:
corymorrisonart.com/

[@mikobee6682]

So awesome best non asmr asmr content

[@corymart]

Hey, that's exactly what I was going for! Appreciate the comment!

[@th-gf5lz]

Bro i have project i want to made this type of paper for an other thing

[@MoniqueAO888]

Well, asmr can be quite "sick" p.ex. when people feel great while listening to munshing sounds...

[@Tengspeakfootball]

As a middle school student who watch this for a half year,it is an idea of science project,thank you

[@corymart]

This would make an awesome middle school science project, go for it!

[@nadiavanrooyen1446]

What would be the dependent and independent variables?

[@aamackie]

From what I've read many plants for cloth are retted before fibre extraction. Maybe it would help if you intentionally left the grass to soak for a few days and gave it a change of water before the next stage?

[@BeachPeach2010]

I love this approach...tried and true!

[@niallwildwoode7373]

It's a known thing, but some people like to try and reinvent the wheel.

[@bigbird4481]

it may help, but I like the way leaving that out speeds up the process and it seems to be fine without doing so

[@harrietthoppe7501]

Rice flour is also great as a binder - as are Potatoe or corn starch. Clean egg shells whole or ground help prevent fouling of the mix, as will natural fruit citric acid. 😊

[@nuri2318]

hello so i have to mix rice flour and ground egg shells or either of the two alone will work as a binder? `

[@gogomantvgogomantv3387]

Rice flour, potatos or corn starch are the binders. I think that egg shells and the citric acid are for delaying the fermentation proces, but would not work as a binders.

[@messenjah71]

God bless the peaceful paper makers of the world.

[@sarina229]

I'm all late! But instead after the stick, using another, smaller flat stone in a circular motion would help grind it down more easily. Anyway, I love this!

[@gogomantvgogomantv3387]

Thank you, I was just thinking if that would work.

[@priscyla1396]

This guy deserves more likes, more views and more subscribers

[@dendog21]

No he doesn't. He overcomplicates the process.

[@sylviekoenig9960]

@@dendog21 I agree wholeheartedly.

[@cecif9419]

@@dendog21 I don’t think she was speaking for the paper nerds. Non paper making people might like his videos for other reasons such as his relaxing voice and interesting content.

[@andpot5033]

@@dendog21He just has his own refined methods.

[@Mmouse_]

@@andpot5033 yea, doing way too many steps for absolutely no reason at all.

[@mollyp6088]

Oh my god is this where the term “beat to a pulp” comes from!?

[@andypowers3025]

Watching your process was so fascinating and I loved it. The final piece that ended up in the gallery is amazing!

[@degenhardt_v_A]

I really like your content and the calm manner in which you explain everything you do. Thank you! Here's an idea: Make digital textures of all your papers that people can then use as an overlay or such. :) Thanks again!

[@HepCatJack]

The "cotton" parachute for dandelion seeds at the end of the season would probably make a decent paper, it's already white, so bleaching chemicals wouldn't be needed. There are also cottonwood trees that produce a similar substance and milkweed.

[@nicholasauwaerts2280]

Damn started as an interest in how to make paper of everything cellulose, but was amazed by the artististic end of it. LOVED it visually and also what makes it art; a true and honnest impression of the person whom made it

[@rubenskiii]

i wonder if you could use 2 paver stones on top of eachother to use as an improvised mill stone. Love your experiments! It may be worthwhile to have a bucket of water with grass fully submerged under water for a longer period of time(a week or maybe longer), in ye olden days ropemakers and textile makers did that with flax to make it easier to release the fibers for use, i think it's called "retting".

[@erlina021]

Biggest grass on Earth is bamboo. This project is more the same as papper made from bamboo fiber. Thank you for sharing. Exellent art 🌱💚

[@Arthur-ek7nd]

I've just watched your videos on making Leaf paper and ink. You could have a really killer youtube shorts video series if you made paper from different types of leaves, made ink from them, and then stamp an image of the leave the paper is made from onto the leave using the ink made from the leave. Like how that guy made a map using wood from each state and got millions of views for each vid. Something to try at least.

[@lynnkraus6715]

What a wonderful artist you are! Thank you for sharing your process.

[@sketchbookscheming]

So cool to see this whole process!

[@NachozMan]

I really appreciate your respect for nature, even the dead grass, I wish more people would hold even a modicum of the value for our earth in their hearts that you seem to have!

[@jconbro]

This is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your technique!

[@CousinAAE]

Beautiful work! I love the process and the final moments as you peel the cloth from the paper.

[@juliennebrendadevos6004]

Such an Amasing vedio ,thanks for sharing your wild grass paper process .

[@AquaPeet]

Hey Cory! Very interested in your paper making and as I am watching, I was wondering why you can't just throw it in the blender. I sometimes make nettle powder from boiled nettle leaves as food for my shrimp, and I just throw them into a coffee bean blender and sieve out the remaining big particles.

[@Aerynvala]

What a lovely project and final art piece. I really enjoyed watching this.

[@Tom-nw4vb]

Wow I learned so much about making the paper from grass fiber and then it turned into a art picture so creative, thank you for making this video

[@tamilouduplechin7927]

This is really beautiful! ❤

[@anuschcka1]

Vielen vielen Dank für dieses inspirierende Kunstwerk 😊

[@RandomGuy0987]

I get a creative block when I think about how much work (and money) goes into art supplies. This papermaking is a cool hobby though. Any art you make with it must feel even more special.

[@_vanearaujo]

Your content is very relaxing and informative, thank you for sharing this amazing process 😁

[@starofdestinykreationsplus]

Very cool! I feel inspired to try my own homemade paper! Tysm for sharing!

[@irismuddyhehe]

beautiful and fascinating! thank you!

[@TheVaughan69]

I started looking at your videos because I wanted to see how to make a Mould & Deckle, I then followeed to see where that went. Honestly, I think I am more satisfied with the end result in your meditative piece of art than where I started. thank you. It's a really beautiful piece and I love the thought process behind it.

[@Viteaification]

after you showed your inspiration it was amazingly easy to figure out what the last piece meant. i wish all pieces at art galleries came with that insight lol

[@ifeanyiobiadoh5323]

This is awesome 👍😎

[@freshoil1]

Beautiful.

[@stromy-fo2uo]

These kind of video i watch before sleep.

[@rarestoration]

beautiful

[@kulthummaabad]

Watching this from east Africa. Thanks

[@dismith73]

I am inspired by your work

[@patriciacooper1308]

I cut long grass by grabbing a handful and using a sharp knife under where I grabbed. This makes a sheff, easy to handle. I'm going to make some paper out of the longer grass we mow in the field this year. I think buying a bale of hay would work for people who have limited access to field grass.

[@dijik123]

Why ur doing is amazing don't stop

[@merlinkingcreative]

broooooo this is SO amazing. super inspired!!

[@MysteryMycology]

Nice and tasty paper

[@eams19801]

So cool 😍

[@NirvanaFan5000]

fantastic videos and art

[@cherylannhillsartist]

Wow great video and information thank you. I'm looking for ideas for a project I'm working on. This is a great start. Thanks!

[@Nae_Ayy]

this is beautiful

[@whitneywickhammusic]

Start to finish was moving! When I taught middle school history we talked about different ways paper type products have been made through history. I purchased Egyptian papyrus and they each got to make their very own bookmark by painting a relief representing them on the papyrus. Doing something like this, though very different from Egyptian papyrus, would have provided another hands on understanding of how things are made and how long craftsmanship takes. These processes are not only important for the creation of items but are really a form of art. Beyond that, I really must say, your final art piece had me wiping tears from my eyes. Your symbolism is honestly thoughtful and deeply empathetic. Your commentary on your final piece invokes a mindfulness of humanity’s actions, division of spaces, people from nature, people from people, the “this is mine” mentality yet we are all one collective, the stripe down the middle going from thin to thick also depicting how some get less divided to them (be that nature losing more as humanity takes more plot for itself as time goes on or even the economic concept of the middle man taking more or some people being unable to afford themselves the same amount as others OR unable to afford themselves the same amount as the people before with the same baseline), I could go on and on with the metaphorical symbolism you’ve presented as it tingles a special part of my brain. Thank you for sharing your work, your heart, and your art. Blessings to you!

[@aw9164]

How beautiful. Each piece of paper is a work of art in itself. The variation of colour and texture according to pulp used is very interesting and lends itself to still further investigation. And all wonderfully sourced ❤ Thank you for sharing.

[@sylviekoenig9960]

I have been making paper for many many years. This is over complicated. Sheets must be stacked with a piece fo cloth between them. You just need to press the frame and lift it. No need for pressing with a paint roller or a sponge. First layers are of lower quality as the stack is too flat, but as you build it up it is getting better and better. Place the stack in a print press or between planks pressed with lots of G clamps to extract water and wait until the stack is completely dry, tightening the press our the G clamps every day. The sheets of paper will be perfectly flat.

[@hildachacon001]

This is amazing! Thank you for sharing. I have really been enjoying your videos and I subscribed. 🙏🏼

[@vitors9198]

Your videos are so relaxing. I got to say i loved the artististic pov by the end of the video, internet culture makes it very hard to find this kind of content

[@apikmin]

Beautiful 💚🎨✨

[@corymart]

Thanks!

[@SOMEOLDFRUIT]

Hello, from Maine. We are about to have a bunch of real dry flora. This is real fun to find. Nicely done! 💪🌱🌲💚

[@JaneWatson-t4p]

i did learn from you lot I thank you Ardeshir

[@jackiepan4050]

I’m curious as to why you have to beat the boiled material prior to blending? Awesome videos!

[@willykim123]

Amazing job^^

[@SOMEOLDFRUIT]

Sweet Fern is so abundant here! It would maybe make sweet smelling paper! 😊

[@junkyard_dog18]

i really appreciate your care for your harvesting methods and attention to detail you put into the creation of your project. this channel is amazing im a happy new subscriber

[@ProfesionalVideoWatcher]

As a professional video Watcher i approve this video

[@pauldell6984]

Don't know why but I love this

[@mbee4103]

Very good idea.Its kinda nice to know there are still many crafts where people are producing truly ''one-off'' things,that are totally unique,given that we seem to live in a world where ''getting the latest version'' of consumer goods (phones etc) makes us a bit samey,IMHO. Thanks for the video 🎻

[@BeachPeach2010]

The Okra is interesting. As a child of the South, I never liked it, but now I can see it has its uses. 😝

[@user-jo1hn5pg5l]

Whenever i want to get wrinkles out of my paintings (quache, watercolor) i lightly spray their back with water and iron them on a hard surface. It works perfectly. Just turn it over on your kitchen counter, lightly spray with water, wait for a minute for the water to seep halfway through the paper and iron it using a parchment paper in between for extra safety.

[@themagefromthestones8884]

Wow you’re so awesome

[@MoniqueAO888]

Interesting video !!! ...somehow the look of the paper reminds me of "Papadam"... 🙂

[@ramonawhitten9273]

So I am trying out making a paper alternative using eggshell membranes and rice water . It can be dyed and the eggshells saved for artwork.I haven't done the binding yet. I love this. Kudos.

[@pattiehanan1356]

Just beautiful! I've subscribed.

[@corymart]

Thank you very much! I appreciate the support!

[@morgan0]

i wonder if you could get a hold of some like corn husks or stalks, and i think rice stalks is another big byproduct that doesn’t have much use and often is just burned. could be cool as a concept for what we could do with waste from the plants that grew food for us

[@ozdevil4564]

Papel com grama e quiabo! Interessante

[@shaynecarter-murray3127]

I love making paper

[@TarotLadyLissa]

I like to hang my sheets on a clothesline to dry. One clothespin on each top corner of the T-shirt and clipped to the line. They will still get a little wavy, so you’ll have to iron or press. It’s much faster though. I can make in the morning and iron in the evening!

[@MyWifeUsesMyAccount]

That grass reminds me of home in OR.

[@thebusinessbackstage]

instead of okra, do you think I could use the gooey liquid from linseed or chia seeds for example?

[@lovinglife2]

Have you considered getting a blade that attaches to a drill to cut up your plant material to save you some time? Love your videos! Very insightful and inspiring!🙏

[@uiscepreston]

Dang, these whole grain crackers are huge!

[@harrietthoppe7501]

Have found personally, a blender or a cement mixing drill bit and drill, just as effective, much faster and helps prevent mix going sour. I say this because anyway you put your mix into the mixer to pulp it. 😊

[@ausdrucksvielfalt]

great 🙏🌈

[@Lulab3ll3]

I wonder if a mortar and pestle would be more efficient in the pulp making process

[@nicco87aus]

Just wanted to stop by to say this video inspired me to give this a go as well. I grabbed a bucket full of invasive grasses from our bush block and managed to turn it into paper. I didn't use the okra as a formation aid - mostly because I'm Australian and have no idea what okra is. Ha ha. Thanks again

[@bigbird4481]

Okra is a plant that's ate fried in the southern US and it's delicious, I highly recommend and I'd imagine it would grow well in the heat of Australia. I've grown them myself and they grow 5-7 feet tall

[@Illustrat_E]

That gooey texture is why I can not eat okra! Good to know maybe I can find a use for the stuff after all 😂

[@moefoundationgeorgia8338]

Nice work! Thanks for the introduction to grass paper making. I wonder if it is possible to paint or write on this kind of paper and if you have some experience on this already.

[@link12313]

7:00 If you add another concreate slab on top with a rod going trough it and fix the lower one in place you could make a basic gristmill and greatly speed up the pulping process. The top slab will also need some feel holes so you can easily put the pulp back in for another cycle. The only downside is it will dry the pulp with each pass from all the pressure. Also the gristmill could be placed on it's side and used with a bottle jack to maximize the amount of okra juice you can extract.

[@justsomeone-kj6io]

you should get a mixing drill and a bucket for pulping, will save you a ton of time

[@Cellottia]

7:48 Having the grass pre-processed by a pony, horse or elephant would save a lot of time at this stage.

[@GarbageKnight]

so here is a thought since you have the stuff. plant flax seed, to make linen, but instead make it into a paper cloth..wonder how it would turn out.

[@IntrepidInkweaver]

Oh, a book would have been so cool.

[@allanshpeley4284]

Yes and maybe even had some utility, unlike a framed blank piece of paper.

[@nit11]

Im from the occidental Mediterranean. Your grass looks like "cugula", a wild oat

[@bobbilynngibson302]

❤🧡💛💚THANK YOU💚💛🧡❤

[@user-zn2kt3ot6q]

Have you ever tried making paper from the okra bits after you've boiled them?

[@morgan0]

yea i was wondering could they just get put in at some stage of the process

[@harrietthoppe7501]

Wild beryy fruit juice great for colour.

[@censusgary]

To chop up grass faster, try running over it with a lawnmower, especially a mulching mower.

[@navyboymommygramma]

Just curious....why do you pound it when you are going to put it in the blender?

[@kagome1000o]

This is really amazing, also, instead of okra, you could probably use golden flaxseed

[@AnnaelleD]

Thank you for this tutorial... and artistic presentation! I have a "technical" question for you: how about conservation? Is this paper able to keep its color and will it not mold in time? Have a nice day.

[@rumeshapathirana96]

Awesome content! Have you tried aloevera gel instead of okra? It would be an interesting experiment

[@Ivan.A.Churlyuski]

A mortar and pestle in the dry 😊haze before adding water would make a much cleaner paper.

[@svedjenaeva]

Wow! This I will definitely try! Have you ever made paper for intaglio printing?

[@sewoh100]

Yissss, more g r a s s

[@mgtv5482]

This is beautiful. How do you use the paper? Happy for specific examples. Thanks

[@sehunlimitedsonyahoward1165]

That is so cool. So does it break when folding?