How To Marbelize Paper

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How to Marbleize Papers
You need a container larger than the size of the paper you will marble. It doesn't have to be deep, just an inch or two like a cake pan and you're on your way to creating your own beautiful, one of a kind marble papers.
Add a drop of dishwashing liquid to the water so your paper takes the color better. The idea here is to have the color float on top of the water rather than being mixed in.

Cover your work surface to control messes.

Pour water into pan with a drop of dishwashing liquid.

Paints should be very liquid, so thin if needed. Gently drip colors onto the surface of the water so they float.

Gently swirl the colors with a straw, stick or anything that won't be harmed by the paint.

Hold a piece of paper horizontally with both hands and bring ends together so that the paper is curved into a "U" shape.

Lay the paper on top of the painted water surface by placing the center of the paper (bottom of the U shape) on top of the water and lowering both sides onto the top of the water.
Handling the paper this way prevents air bubbles between the paper and the water.

Immediately remove the sheet.

Set with painted side up on an absorbent, flat surface to dry. If needed, paper can be ironed flat by placing between sheets of paper and then press with an iron.

Try different types of colors on small paper samples to see what works best for you and don't be afraid to mix these together. Here are some ideas:

Acrylic Paint

Oil Paint

Watercolors

Tempera Paints

Chalk Shavings

Pearl-Ex

Ink

Dyes

Spray Paint

Wood Stain

Latex Paint

Easter Egg Coloring

Make sure you let this paper dry completely before using it for your pressed flower art.


This would be a good project to do with our grandchildren! :)

Thanks for that Willow..

I did try it a few years ago and in fact bought a Japanese marbelling kit from Japanese Papers on Queen St. W. For those of you in Toronto it's still there and has a fabulous collection of papers.

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Interesting site, Sunnysideup. :)

The instructions that I posted, are a simplified method of marbelizing papers. There are many methods, all of which create interesting results.
I'm writing about this, with much ambition, but the truth is, that I haven't "played" with my creative senses for a long time, but still... lurking in my idle mind, is a desire to create again! What I really need...is a "kick in my behind" to get me going again!

What a neat thing to try. I suspect it is a lot of fun. Would like to try it sometime. Do you need to buy special paper for this? Or would photocopy paper work? Thanks for Willows for posting that and thanks for the link Sunnysideup.

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I used a heavier watercolour paper because I wanted to do calligraphy on it, but I wasn't happy with the result so never did it. I did cut it up intending to make it into a book but never used it either sigh

I think that photocopy paper would work, Islandgrl. One would likely have to "iron" it after it's dry to smooth it out. A fragile paper, like newsprint, would tear in the process.

Sunnysideup, the texture of watercolor paper may have ended up being too rough for caligraphy, but torn pieces of it would make interesting gift tags or backdrops for greeting cards or for memory photo albums...etc..

Right on!! Actually I do use the Arches hot pressed paper for calligraphy, it is wonderful to write on.