Marbled Paper: Art That Floats
1Have you ever seen paper covered in swirls of color? This kind of paper is called marbled paper, because its patterns can look like marble stone. People have made marbled paper for hundreds of years. In Turkey, the art is called ebru. In Japan, one style is called suminagashi.
2Marbling begins with a tray of water. First, the artist fills a flat tray with water and mixes in a powder that makes it thick. The thick water helps the paint float. It also slows the paint down, so the shapes stay sharp.
3Next, the artist drops paint onto the water, one color at a time. Each drop spreads out into a circle. After that, the artist drags a stick or a comb through the colors. The circles stretch into swirls, waves and feathers.
4Then comes the exciting part. The artist gently lays a sheet of paper on top of the water. The paint sticks to the paper. When the artist lifts the paper, the whole pattern comes with it. Finally, the paper is hung up to dry.
5Marbled paper is different from a painting made with a brush. With a brush, an artist can paint the same picture again and again. In marbling, the pattern leaves the water when the paper is lifted, so no two sheets are exactly alike.