Join Senior Paper Conservator Susan Catcher as she gives a masterclass on dyeing Japanese handmade paper using a traditional method.
What is ASMR?
ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response – a pleasant tingling sensation beginning on the scalp and moving down the neck, which is triggered by a delicate or satisfying auditory or visual experience.
How do you dye thin paper?
Starting by boiling cones from the Japanese alder tree, Susan makes a natural brown dye called yasha, which is brushed over two different types of paper – misu (thicker) and mino (thinner).
Once dry, the crackly leaves of paper are peeled apart from each other to reveal perfectly dyed paper. These delicate sheets are then thoroughly covered with paste, and applied to a paper object in need of a fresh lining.
Watch more ASMR at the museum on our YouTube channel.
See more in our Japan collection.
