Bookbinders around the world have been familiar with the process of making marble motifs on paper for hundreds of years. This activity can simply entertain the children in their spare time or even become the lifelong focus of an artist. The slightest change in the ingredients or temperature during the manufacturing process can result in vastly different results, so it may take several tries to get it right.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Preparation
Step 1. Prepare the workplace
Cover the newspaper on the work surface as well as on the surrounding floor. Prepare:
- Trays that are larger than the paper to be processed should be slightly elevated at the edges.
- The second tray which is also larger than the paper to be processed, this tray is filled with water.
- Clothesline or rack for drying.
Step 2. Mix alum with warm water (optional)
Alum is "sharp," which means it can make the color settle on the paper. Without alum, the results of the marble pattern on the paper will be blurry and thin. To prepare enough alum to process several dozen papers, stir 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of alum with one-half cup (360 ml) of water until completely dissolved or for at least two minutes.
- Purchase pure aluminum sulfate from an art supply store or online. Do not buy alum which is sold as a spice, it is usually a similar chemical mixture, but can damage the paper.
- Keep alum away from children. This substance is harmless, but can dry out the skin and irritate the nose if inhaled. Handle with gloves or wash hands after touching, and do not inhale the powder of this substance.
Step 3. Process the paper with alum
Apply the alum solution to a sheet of paper with a sponge, using several long sweeping motions so that the entire sheet is covered but not soaked. Mark the non-smeared side with a pencil so you don't get confused later. Allow the paper to dry (about 15-30 minutes) with the smeared side facing up.
Step 4. Pour the liquid starch into the empty tray
Starch liquid is usually sold on the detergent rack in supermarkets. Pour until the tray is filled with starch about 2.5 cm high. Allow the liquid to settle before continuing and do not touch the tray.
This is the easiest preparation, but skilled marble pattern artists usually use other materials. Check out other alternatives below if your results with using kanji aren't great or if kanji is hard to find near where you live
Part 2 of 4: Creating Motives
Step 1. Lightly blot the surface of the liquid with a piece of newsprint
The goal is to break the surface tension of the liquid and get rid of dust grains and air bubbles. If there are still air bubbles, pop them with a needle.
Step 2. Mix the paint with oil or a gall-like liquid
Prepare a separate cup or plate for each color of acrylic paint you will use. Use an eyedropper or paintbrush to drip paint onto the starch liquid (or on a separate small dish of starch to test, make sure the starch on the plate has settled as well). Almost all paint brands and colors will sink without spreading, so you should mix the marble motif maker gall into the paint container. Vegetable oil is a cheap alternative, but your paper will be a little greasy later. Mix the gall or oil drop by drop into the paint, and in between try a drop test on the starch; see if the drops of paint rise to the top and slowly start to spread. If the drops of paint spread quickly until they are approximately 7.5 cm in diameter, the paint is ready to use.
- Ox gall sap (ox gall) cannot be used on acrylic paints. Use a marble motif maker gall that is made from a detergent that does not contain animal ingredients. It is also sold as a surfactant or dispersant.
- Test each color separately and do the test at the beginning of each process of making marble motifs. Changes in temperature and humidity can make a difference in the number of galls required.
Step 3. Add paint to the starch
When all of your paint is ready, drip it directly onto the starch in the large tray. To drop one at a time, use an eyedropper or the tip of a paintbrush. To spread multiple drops at once, use a bunch of plastic straws to splash the liquid on the starch surface. Repeat this step with several colors until they have spread over the entire surface of the liquid.
- For initial experiments, use a dark color as the base and no more than four colors.
- The same color may differ in brightness depending on how much gall you mix.
Step 4. Decorate the surface (optional)
You can use anything thin to decorate, as long as you don't mind getting a little dirty, such as a small brush or toothpick. Drag this object across the surface of the liquid to create swirls or spiky patterns. To create parallel patterns, use an inexpensive comb with loose teeth or a plastic fork.
Don't stir too much when decorating, as the colors can mix and turn dark. Stop decorating if the boundaries between colors are getting blurry
Part 3 of 4: Decorating Paper
Step 1. Lower the paper on the surface of the liquid starch
Hold the paper at two opposite corners with the alum-smeared side facing down. Lower the center of the paper into the center of the starch-filled tray. As soon as the paper touches the starch, immediately lower the entire paper so that the part you are holding is also touching the surface of the liquid. Gently press the corners of the paper to make sure they are all in contact with the liquid surface.
If you lower all of the paper at once, there may be air bubbles trapped underneath, leaving areas of the paper unstained
Step 2. Lift the paper slowly
The paper was now colored, but also covered in a thin layer of starch. Lift the paper from the corners, then transfer it to a bucket of water to rinse. If the paint is completely absorbed by the paper, you can shake it under the water until the starch layer is gone. To reduce the risk of the paint coming off, you can rinse the paper by gently running water using a faucet or sponge.
Step 3. Hang the paper to dry
Hang the paper on a clothesline or on a drying rack and keep the colored side facing up. The starch-colored liquid should be enough to color a few sheets of paper. When the starch liquid begins to fade, make a new mixture.
Part 4 of 4: Variations and Techniques
Step 1. Use water thickened with carrageenan
Apart from starch, you can use any viscous liquid; The liquid is usually in this process called size. Another well-known and used option is to mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of carrageenan powder and 4 cups (950 ml) of water and stir for about 30 seconds until combined. Cover the mixture with plastic, refrigerate for 8 hours, then the result is a liquid thick as syrup or milk curd without air bubbles.
- The liquid can be used after cooling it for only 3-4 hours, but there is a risk that the air will still bubble so that your motif will have defects later. This mixture can last in the refrigerator for a week.
- If the tap water in the area where you live is quite high in mineral content, it's a good idea to use only filtered water.
Step 2. Try using methyl cellulose
Many bookbinders use methyl cellulose because it is cheaper, but also a bit difficult to use. Buy methyl cellulose which is either cold water dispersible or labeled "cold water dispersible"; This substance can also be purchased at a large bookbinding or craft store. Mix the substance into the boiling water, then mix in the ice water until the liquid thickens within 10 minutes and remains thick.
Step 3. Use special ink for marble motifs instead of paint
Special ink for marble motifs is made from a special liquid, so try to read the label before buying. If the brand of paint you use can produce sharp colors and the lines between the colors are clear, there's no need to buy another type. You can also use other types of paint, but you may need to find a suitable float and/or gall. Here are some examples:
- Oil paint mixed with turpentine and floated on water.
- Watercolor mixed with ox gall and floated on carrageenan.
Step 4. Create a Japanese style effect
Japanese suminagashi ink can be floated in pure water, which makes this process easier. The use of this type of ink usually produces a pattern with thinner layers than the staining of Turkish or European style marble motifs.
Step 5. Make a comb and rake
Artists who are expert in marble motifs often use tools such as combs and rakes which are usually made of a stick of wood that is given a series of nails. These tools are used to create symmetrical patterns by dragging them straight across the surface of the painted float.
