Paper marbling is a printing process in which a design is created on top of a thickened water surface, and then printed onto prepared paper or cloth. In a way it's magic, but the reality is that once you understand the process, it is simply another way (albeit a very messy way) to create beautiful, interesting art. There are no limits to what you, the artist, can create once you master the basic chemestry and techniques of marbling paper or cloth.
I made the above Youtube video with my grandson earlier this year. After making a tremendous mess and marbling paper for several weeks, I was "over paper marbling" for a while. Actually, so much so that I'd almost forgotten that I'd even put the video on Youtube. At last I have decided tht its about time to write detailed directions here for you, and give you links so you can have some fun (or get serious) with the exciting (yes, exciting) craft of paper marbling.
Keep in mind that entire books have been written on paper marbling. This is my little primmer just for you.
By this point, my grandson had abandoned his apron and gloves...
like Mama always said, "Do as I say, not as I do..." Nate is properly attired for the very messy job of paper marbling in the photo below.
You might want to use an apron to protect clothes, mask (while you mix powdered chemicals) and vinyl gloves to keep paints off of your hands. Any time you use chemicals, you should take precautions to protect yourself. Read my fun, but helpful article about art safety - http://fineartviews.com/blog/7320/Operating-a-Hedge-Clipper-Without-a-License-and-Other-Foolish-Things, which I wrote for Clint Watson's blog, Fine Art Views.An inexpensive plastic throw, like a shower curtain or plastic drop cloth to protect your work surfaces (Look at the Dollar Tree, if you have one).
One aluminum (disposable) pan a little bigger than your paper, and a plastic tub several inches deep and big enough to fit your paper in with a couple of inches all around so you'll be able to get your fingers in there as you work. (This is your main working container.)Clothes hangers and clips to hang your work on to dry and old newspapers for drying - or you may want to dry your designs by setting them flat on newspaper.
Alum is used as a mordant to prepare the paper or cloth for marbling. 1/2 cup of alum stirred into a gallon of water. It can be found in the spice section of the grocery store, or online.
Marbling inks or Liquitex Soft Body Concentrated Artist Colors (other brands also have liquid acrylic paints, but Liquitex had detailed instructions on their website, so I went with them.)
Jars for the paints. They will need to be thinned. We used small jelly jars with lids.
Alum or for paper preparation, so the inks/paints will adhere to the paper
Carrageenan, liquid starch (unscented) or powdered starch made using the "thicker" directions (a thickener for the water) Gum Tragacanth (available from art stores and mail order - see Liquitex techniques for how-to's) or Cellulose wallpaper paste (mix 2 or 3 T to a gallon of water); any of these are used as a base liquid for dropping paints and making your design.
Combs (if you don't have a comb made specifically for marbling, you can adapt an old comb by breaking off every other tooth, or any pattern of your choice), toothpics, whisk, old toothbrush, paintbrush (one with stiff or frayed bristles so the paint will spatter or splatter from it) and other things for swirling paints.
Paper: You may want to experiment with different papers, but I have found that a good quality paper with a slight sheen, like brochure paper, works best. If you don't have that, any paper will work. The quality of the marbling will be better with slightly shiny, smooth (satin finished) paper, not too absorbant.
Cloth: I haven't done marbling on cloth, but I have friends who have marbled silks and made scarves and ties from them. The following site has some information on fabrics, what works well. For instance, smooth surface and tight weave works best: http://www.fibrecrafts.com/resource/fact_file/marbling/marbling.asp
Dropper bottle and dish soap: *Use dish liquid, not detergent, to make a solution which will show the white paper (for whites, of course!). Fill a dropper bottle with water and put a couple of drops of dish soap into it.
For colors that work well for paper marbling, go to Liquitex Techniques: http://www.liquitex.com/techniques/marbling.cfm (I'm sure you can use other brands if they're what you have already on hand. But I used Liquitex because it had these wonderful instructions.)
Preparation is the secret to paper marbling going smoothly. You can figure that you will need at least two days for paper marbling. Get all the necessary preparation done first and then you can really enjoy the actual process of paper making.
Directions:
Day One - Get Ready
1. Prepare the Alum solution. Wearing a mask and gloves, add 1/2 cup alum to a gallon of water. Mix well.
2. Prepare the paper or cloth by dipping each piece in the alum solution and allowing it to dry thoroughly. For cloth (and sometimes for the paper if it curls), you will want to iron it with a cool iron. Don't use a hot iron.
3. Prepare paints, if you choose to use acrylic paints. Even if you use marbling paints, you will want to check them to see if they are thin enough. (Some people use oils. I haven't dont that, but if you're interested, Thin paints to the consistency of light cream. You want it to float and disperse on the surface of the water. If its too thick it will sink and if its too thin it will dispurse too quickly and be transparent.
4. Prepare the soap solution: *Use dish liquid, not detergent, to make a solution which will show the white paper (for whites, of course!). Fill a dropper bottle with water and put a couple of drops of dish soap into it.
Day Two, morning - Get Set:
4. Prepare the carrageenan, wallpaper, gum tragacanth or starch solution and set aside. It will need a little while to set and thicken. According to the Liquitex site, carrageenan sours more quickly than starch. I think it may also be called "Irish Moss Tea".
5. Prepare workspace with a waterproof cover.
6. Ideally, you would want to set up our workspace to work left to right. On the left, have prepared paper, then prepared paints, then tools (toothpics, comb, spatter brush, etc.), then the aluminum or plastic tub with the thickened water, then the second tub with clear, clean water for rinsing. Have a place to lay or hang your paper closeby, on the far right.
Marbling - Go! A basic design:
7. Spatter or drop a base color onto your thickened water surface. Though this will be your first color and will disperse over the whole surface, as you drop more color into it, it will eventually be the background color for your design (for instance, if you make flowers or hearts, it will be the negative color around them). You will probably need to build up this base with 2 or 3 applications. As this base paint begins to build up tension on the surface, it will create an atmosphere on which the other paints will sit.
8. Drop a color here and there onto the surface color. Give it a moment to spread out. Now you can begin to drop other colors into the center of that color.
9. Experiment with creating your design. Use the comb to gently go in one direction back and forth across the surface. Now comb up and down. You've made a feather design. Drop more colors onto it and give it a minute or two to spread into a circle. Drop more color into the middle. Then take a toothpic and push the circle in in several places all the way around, and make a flower. Run your toothpic from the top through the bottom and you've made a heart.10. When you're satisfied with your design, you're ready to print. Take a prepared piece of paper or cloth, and hold it over the surface. Bending it slightly (the middle towards the paint surface) gently and quickly lower it in one smooth motion. (This takes practice!) The paint will automatically adhere to the paper or cloth. The printing part of this process is that fast and simple.
11. Lift the paper/cloth and put it into the water bath. Swish it slightly and lift it out.
12. Hang it up to dry or lay it on newspaper.
Voila! You have just made marbled paper.
You can clean the surface of your base water using newspaper or scrap paper. The liquids can be saved in a sealed jar in the refridgerator for a few weeks. When the base liquid becomes too dark to see your design on top, its time to throw it out and make new stuff.You can create something marvelous the first try, but you will want to continue to experiment. As with all things in life, experience is what makes the difference between a dabbler and an expert. I don't consider myself to be an expert in paper marbling, but as I learn I do get better at it. Every time I do it, I learn something that I didn't know before. It's a very satisfying experience.
Remember this. When making art, the most important thing is to enjoy yourself. It will show in your work. And in your joyful attitude about life.
What are you sitting her for? Get busy!
More good links for you:
Marbling supplies
http://www.danielsmith.com/content--id-110 for more how-tos and supplies
http://www.marbling.org/internet_links.htm for dozens of links
Volcano Arts seems to have some very intersting things which I will have to look into further... http://www.volcanoarts.biz/cart/marbling/index.htm
Until next time my friend, have a marbelous time!
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