Studio Visit #6: Sorting Deli Paper

I use deli paper a lot to make my art.

It's strong, comes in big sheets, and is cheap. I often buy thousands of sheets of it at once. I like to go through my desk-side deli paper stash once a month and decide if the paper is ready to be used or if it needs more layers. To decide if a sheet is finished, I ask myself: "Would I cut it up and use it today or does it need more layers?" I look for bold graphics and intense colors with lots of coverage. If the paper doesn't have these, it goes into the unfinished pile. This helps me figure out what I have, which colors I need to make more of, and which stencils I've been using too much. Knowing what's in my stash helps me make art. Everyone's rubric for finished deli paper is different, so you have to figure out what yours is.

In this video I share the sorting process:

I find this process of sorting through the deli paper extremely helpful to my art-making process.  The sorting process helps me figure out what I have to work with.  It reminds me of colors/patterns I might want to make more of. I can see if I have a lot of one color or another. Have I been using a particular stencil a lot and need to quit it? I actually think that organizing your art supplies gets you ready to make art.

At the end of the day, this is a very low stakes process.  If something ends up in the wrong pile, it’s not a big deal. You can always move it.  That said, the sorting process is something that's important to me to do so that I’m not drowning in paper and I have some awareness of what’s in my stash.

As a side note, if you want to level up to a slightly more expensive art supply, deli paper is really close to rice paper.  There are some advantages to using rice paper (ex. it's absorbent) and some disadvantages (ex. it's absorbent).  But that's a conversation for another day!

Thanks for stopping by!