MARVELLOUS MARBLING
THE ART OF MARBLING
Marbling is the floating of ink or paint (gouache or acrylic) on a liquid surface to create a pattern. There are all sorts of different effects that can be created, from swirls to featherlike patterns, and to random splashes, and any number of colours can be used. Paper or other material, is then placed on top, and the pattern is transferred.
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What I absolutely love about this printing technique is that no two designs are the same. The patterns are fluid, organic and unpredictable - each one is unique. Each time I print, I'm connecting with an art form that evolved many centuries ago.
THE HISTORY OF MARBLING
Like many art forms, marbling has a rich history that can be traced across Asia and Europe. Its origins are thought to have been in Japan, where suminagashi literally meaning "floating on ink" was a highly skilled meditative art form. From there it can be traced across Asia to Turkey, and then to Italy and beyond, where it became popular for book covers and endpapers, until modern printing techniques began to dominate.
