How to Make a Hanji Wall Plaque

If you purchased one of our plaque kits, here's how to put it all together:

First, make a batch of hanji paste, like this... Measure 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently, until thickened. Set aside.

Take out the tile, the 2 pieces of paper and the cut design. Find the larger of the two papers. On a flat surface, brush hanji paste on one side of the paper. Place the paper, paste side down, on the BACK of the tile (flat side). Wrap edges around to the front side of the tile and smooth the paper. Use a chopstick to poke through the holes on the back of the plaque, keeping the "poked" paper inside the holes. Spread a thin layer of paste over the back of the plaque.

Follow the same process with the smaller paper on the front (angled) side if the tile. Poke front holes through with a chopstick.

Cover the front of the tile with a thin layer of paste. Center the cut design on the tile front. Carefully brush a thin paste layer over the design.

Thread a string or wire (a opened paper clip works well) through a hole and hang the plaque until it's dry. Thread the ribbon through both holes and tie it in the back.

Any questions? Ask thehanjicrew@yahoo.com.

Tray Making

At camp today, lots of parents asked about the chance to try a traditional hanji project. We put our remaining tray project kits in the market here at Korean Heritage Camps, and here are a few tips for making the trays:

Make a batch of traditional hanji paste by whisking 1/4 cup flour into 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until thickened. Brush a thin layer all over the inside bottom of the tray; carefully place the SMALLER piece of hanji paper in the tray, pressing the paper into the corners. Cover that piece with another thin layer of paste. Place the cut design on the tray, and lightly brush over the entire surface. Flip over the tray and cover the bottom with paste. Add the larger piece of paper to the bottom. Cover the bottom surface with paste. Let it dry thoroughly.

Keeping the Crew Busy

The Crew loves our classes, but we've never prepped for anything quite this large before. We wanted to ensure that classes were foolproof, so we made kits for all the kids, including the wood tray hanji projects that 4th and 5th graders made today. Prep pays off, as the 60+ trays were fabulous. Best of all, four 5th grade boys told us this was the best thing at camp.

It's Camp Season

A giant hanbok? It must be time for culture camps. The Hanji Crew kicks off the season at Korean Heritage Camp in the Colorado Rockies.