How To Use Marbling Inks
Thursday 07 February 2019 - Sandra MWe have some top Marbling tips & techniques.
Learn how to create your own marble effect paper, fabric, cards & more with Marbling Inks
Use Marbling Inks to create marbled gift wrap, book covers, decorate gift bags and more.
This decorative art form was favoured by the Victorians and has been used to decorate paper for centuries. You can see excellent examples on the inside cover of older books.
Marbling is a method of decorating paper or fabric to imitate marble and other stone where colour is suspended in a thickened liquid and manipulated into various patterns. Paper or fabric is then laid upon the mixture and the pattern prints onto the surface.
What Do I Need To Do Marbling?
You will need the following Art Supplies:
- A large tray with deep sides e.g. A foil roasting tin or plastic tub.
- A large jug of cold water.
- Marbling Thickener & Marbling Inks in different colours.
- Paper or fabric.
- Cocktail sticks or Marbling comb.
- Pipettes
Using Marbling Inks Step By Step Instructions:
1. Prepare the bath by adding 2 teaspoons (7grams) of Thickener to 1 litre of cold water and stir thoroughly.
Leave to stand for 2 hours before pouring a 1 – 2cm layer of the bath into a flat tray or plastic tub.
This should be larger than the piece to be printed.
2. Using the dropper or a pipette carefully drop the selected Marbling Inks onto the surface of the mixture.
Let the colour spread and settle before using a cocktail stick, point of a knife or comb to swirl and move the paint around the tray until you achieve the pattern you want.
3. When you are happy with your pattern place your paper or fabric onto the surface of the bath by rolling it on making sure it is completely flat. Leave it for 10 – 15 seconds before carefully lifting out by rolling back.
4. Quickly rinse under running water to remove excess ink and dry flat.
5. If you are marbling onto fabric just iron on the reverse side of the fabric for 3 minutes using a hot setting
Carol Kearns is a freelance illustrator. She also runs bookbinding workshops. We asked Carol what she thought of Marbling Inks:
“I’ve marbled with oil-based marbling kits before and have got very quick results. However, you tend to be left with some oily patches which take a very long time to dry. The Pebeo Marbling Inks give a really nice marbled surface so the paper is ready to use for art projects as soon as it is dry and it is also extremely easy to use.”
:
“I worked with 100gsm printer paper – this was thin enough to ensure it rested on the surface of the marbling bath but strong enough to be lifted and rinsed before drying. All the effects were achieved with a cocktail stick which I used to manipulate the inks on the surface of the bath. I also used lots of plastic pipettes to better control the placing of the inks on the bath; only using the dropper supplied in the lid of the inks to mix colours in separate small containers (those tiny single portion jam jars are ideal).”
Carol’s Top Tips For Using Marbling Inks:
1. Mix the colours to get a wider variety and add varying degrees of white for added subtlety.
2. Really work the paints with the cocktail stick.
3. Achieve different effects by using different tools to manipulate the ink. Try a comb or a feather.
4. Don’t let the paper go under the water.
Create extra special book covers or gift wrap for this year's Christmas presents with Marbling Inks.
Buy Marbling Inks and other Art Supplies online with Pullingers Art Shop.
How To Draw A Cartoon Dragon
Learn how to draw a cartoon dragon with artist Sarah Jane Vickery.
Watch the video and follow these simple steps. Get drawing!
19/10/2020 by Sandra M
Read More
What Is The Best Fineliner Pen
Which Fineliner is the best for using with marker pens? Find out all about fineliners pens here.
Read Sophie Knight's review on the best fineliners
02/03/2020 by Sandra M
Read More
Painting With Winsor & Newton Cadmium Free Watercolours
Find out how Winsor & Newton Cadmium Free Watercolours compare to the original cadmiums.
Get a Watercolour Tutorial With Glyn Macey!
05/06/2019 by Sandra M
Read More
What Are Winsor And Newton Drawing Inks
Why are Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks so popular with Illustrators & Students? Find out here!
Learn how to use Winsor & Newton Drawing Inks
30/05/2019 by Sandra M
Read More