Konnyaku is a starch made from the root of the Konjac or VooDoo Lily plant. Who wouldn’t like to work with something named ‘VooDoo Lily’? I first learned this technique from Linda Marshall of Washi Arts in a fabulous online workshop. One technique involves brushing the washi with prepared konnyaku, then repeatedly crumpling and kneading the washi to encourage the konnyaku to penetrate the fibres and strengthen the washi. The washi is allowed to dry and the process is repeated. …
Kakishibu is a tannin made from fermented unripe persimmons. It is traditionally used as a treatment to make washi more waterproof, improve surface durability. It is used functionally to make cushions, clothing and umbrellas, stiff katagami stencils for making stencilled fabrics and katazome-shi stencil dyed papers. One of its many interesting qualities is that washi that that has been treated with kakishibu will continue to alter and darken for many months, so the final appearance is not entirely within my …