M.Tech. (Fine Art) / Papermaking as an activity area at the Technikon Witwatersrand (TWR) was initially introduced to equip fine art students with the basic knowledge and skills required to produce their own handmade papers, primarily for printmaking techniques. This need was identified through the fact that quality art papers were only available on campus at an expense that aspiring students could not afford. As the Papermaking Research and Development Unit (PRDU) at TWR expanded, students were able to specialise in paper-based research that targets certain issues that impact on and in our immediate environment. One issue that took priority was to investigate the properties, use and production of archival handmade papers to service local artists and students. South Africa does not have an extensive indigenous history or tradition in hand papermaking. It is a relatively new medium with little literature available on the subject. Research has become necessary to understand the properties of this medium in order to explore its various possibilities. This investigation would be viable to the local marketand manufacturers of paper, as well as to those who utilise paper in their creative activities. The bulk of archival papers available on the South African market are currently manufactured overseas and are imported to our country. With importing costs and current exchange rates, this increases their price in the South African market. The research specifically aims at producing a local handmade equivalent to the imported product that will meet, or lower, the cost and increase the availability of the product to the local market. Handmade papers have many advantages to the artists that exceed mould-made papers, all of which are investigated in this research. The specific market had to be identified in order to streamline the research possibilities and improve product potential. This market was identified as papers for selected traditional printmaking techniques, such as silkscreening; intaglio and relief processes. The research thesis, once published, will provide a resource on the subject, with specific application to a local situation. It will enable papermakers to further understand the composition of their product, as well as expand on its use and application.

M.Tech. (Fine Art) / Unemployment and the crime levels which escalate as a result of it, are very realistic social problems in South Africa and training for job skills and entrepreneurship has become a priority. This study identifies the use of invasive plant fibres as a viable resource for the hand papermaking industry and the development of a new cultural industry. The research' funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Technikon Research Committee (TRC) has been implemented in an established poverty relief programme called Phumani Paper', which creates jobs especially in rural or impoverished sectors through technology transfer and training. A curriculum is currently being developed for current and future participants of this programme to obtain qualifications in hand papermaking. An investigation has been undertaken to define suitable invasive plant species for the purpose of this research. The investigation included the extent of invasive encroachment, plant identification, methods of control and government legislation. Initially water hyacinth (eichhomia crassipes) was identified as a suitable fibre, but because Phumani Paper supports 21 small paper businesses in seven provinces, research had to be undertaken on several different species found in each of the regions. Species such as moth catcher (Araujia sericifera), milkweed (Asclepias fruticosa), pampas grass (Cortadeira selloana), giant reed (Arundo donax) and bugweed (Solanum mauritianum) have been identified as viable fibres for the hand papermaking industry, due to their fibrous characteristics...