Eliv Rosenkranz.

Eliv Rosenkranz is not only a mother of two, but also an entrepreneur, calligrapher, and paper maker based in Austria. Her sustainably processed hand-made paper are works of art in their own right and become even more beautiful as the canvases for invitations, cards, and menus. Eliv explained to us how the combination of her passion for calligraphy, appreciation of architecture and light, as well as her own wedding inspired her to start the company. We also learned about her paper making process and dedication towards inventing the perfect colour palette.

You’ve been a calligrapher for many years, what inspired you to start making your own paper?

The two actually went hand in hand mostly. I took up calligraphy for my own wedding because I had fallen in love with it on Instagram. Studying many calligraphy artists on Instagram, I learned rather quickly which styles I liked – and all of those artists used handmade paper. I didn’t find anything comparable here in Europe and so, not long after we had gotten married, I made my first piece of paper. I always wanted to be the one shop calligraphers thought of when they created a design based on handmade paper. And to be able to do that, a good stock and reliable service, I realised rather quickly that I couldn’t do it on my own. I got my first team members within a year.

Describe a typical day in your studio?

On a typical Monday, I go down to the workshop (which is in our house btw) at about 9 am. Our team member T. is already there, preparing all the orders and the paper pulp for the next day. I then do afinal check on all orders, write the thank you cards and T. starts packing everything up. We then go over our production plan for the week, so my team knows how many sheets of which formats and which shades they need to create over the week. On most other weekdays, J., our paper maker, is in the workshop at around 8 am and makes a lot of paper – those videos I share on Instagram often. When everything is said and done, the paper making process itself is rather peaceful and serene. To be honest, when I started this business, I thought I would have time to work as an artist, doing calligraphy, experimenting with colours and textures, getting inspired for new products. But I quickly understood, that being an entrepreneur is mostly about administration and planning. Being a mom of two young children, it’s not always easy. I have to constantly make decisions on my priorities and it’s important to not loose focus on what’s most important: family; just because you think you can squeeze in that quick little task in the workshop. 

What inspires you day to day?

Old buildings and architectural details. Most of all when they’re painted in neutral tones. I love discovering textures. And simplicity, interiors that are stripped back to the bare essentials: an empty room, painted neutrally, maybe a chair and some simple curtains. Light that falls into the room in the perfect angle. I tried to create a few corners just like that in my workshop and that’s where I find a bit of visual serenity during a hectic workday. 

You just celebrated your two year anniversary, what are your hopes for the next two years?

Honestly, I’m happy with how Eliv Rosenkranz is now. I put in a lot of time and energy these last few years and I really enjoy when things are steady, and we get a bit of a routine. Letterpress printing is a personal project of mine. I already have the machines, so this is something that I might like to expand but overall, I’m very happy with how things currently are. 

Tell us about your paper making process?

 First, the raw material is being finely cut (called: beaten) for several hours, making sure the cotton fibres are short and ready to take on the pigments. Then, on the following day, we mix the mass with pigments and add in a few other ingredients that make sure our paper is stable and the ink doesn’t bleed when you write on it. After pulling the sheets out of the paper, frame by frame, we let it dry and on the following day, after a final quality check, we have our finished handmade paper sheets. 

Do you provide any workshops online for people interested in making paper? (Online or in person)

Currently I don’t have workshops planned. I would love to do workshops for kids in schools and for summer activities, once we’re allowed to gather again. Since I have a training in children’s development and education, I would love to combine these two passions of mine one day – I think children will love the haptic (and fun, water based) process of paper making. 

How do you add colour to the paper and achieve the perfect shade?

 We recently expanded our product range with our eight Custom Colours to give our clients an even wider selection to choose from. Achieving the perfect shade is a passion project for me, but it also comes with very arduous labour. And work that never ends, we’re constantly optimising our products and processes. Many trials, many errors, many scraps. I have a very clear vision of what colours I like and what colours fit the Eliv Rosenkranz brand. And it takes many hours of experiments in the workshop and wrestling with our raw material to make this vision a reality. 

I’ve recently discovered how much I love colour theory. For example, I recently mixed a very bright  Orange with Black and got a Pinkish shade I loved. It was nothing like what I expected but it was perfect in its own unique way. And it made its way into our permanent collection. So for the future, I want to dive even deeper into this subject, really studying and understanding colours and the science behind it. 

Big thank you to Eliv Rosenkranz.
Web elivrosenkranz.at
Social @elivrosenkranz

Photography credits: Katja Scherle katjascherle.com / Eliv Rosenkranz