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Marbling is, in a sense, art created by science—specifically the fluid mechanics of surface tension. It involves dropping paints onto a thickened water mixture, called “size,ˮ where surface tension lets the colors float and spread freely.
These paints are manipulated with tools to form patterns. Fabric thatʼs been treated with a mordant, which makes the fibers receptive to pigment, is lowered onto the design. Attracted by the mordant, the design transfers to the fabric immediately. |
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Creating each piece takes more than a dozen steps over the course of several days. Each design is absolutely unique, and cannot be exactly duplicated.
The process is somewhat capricious, and the results obtained depend on factors that include the temperature of the studio, the consistency of the paints and size, and the texture of the fabric being used. This unpredictability is one of its attractions - itʼs always exciting to see what emerges from the marbling tray! |
I marble each each piece by hand, using non-toxic water based acrylic paint, and mix my own colors, always searching for a warmer mango, richer cranberry, or livelier lapis. My work includes a variety of techniques:
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“Duetˮ Scarves are marbled on both sides, creating two different designs, in a single color scheme, for an interplay of contrast and harmony.
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Over-Marbling - A piece is marbled several times, the multiple layers creating a sense of depth.
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Predyeing - Dyeing the fabric before marbling yields more intense tones, and also creates color shifts like the classic “yellow plus blue make green,ˮ seen below.
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Monochrome Designs - These pieces are dyed before marbling, and I build upon the color of the dye to create textural patterns in a single color.
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Scottish Fold - My own twist on the classic marbling pattern, Spanish Wave, this technique gives the illusion that the fabric is pleated.
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Marbling, Step by Step
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First, the fabric is gently washed to remove any surface impurities, and hung to dry. Then it is soaked in a mordant (fixative) to make the fibers more receptive to the paint pigments, and again hung to dry.
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Water is mixed with a plant fiber to form a gelatinous liquid, called “size,ˮ on which the marbling patterns are created. The size is poured into the marbling tray and left to cure. The size is continually skimmed during marbling to maintain a clean surface to work on.
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Paint colors are mixed, then thinned to the proper consistency to float easily and spread freely.
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Brushes, combs, and other tools are used to apply the colors to the size, and to then work them into patterns.
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Colors are applied one at a time to the marbling bath, where they create a design called the stone pattern. This can be used as the final design, or it can be the starting point for a combed pattern.
(Click photos for larger view of each color being added to the tray in turn.) |
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Tools, including rakes and combs, are used to work the colors into a design.
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The fabric is lowered carefully onto the design. The mordant it was treated with makes the pattern transfer to it immediately. Then it is rinsed and hung to dry.
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For pieces that are going to be over marbled, the process is repeated again, starting with the alum soak.
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After drying, the piece is heat set to make it colorfast and washable. Then it gets a final gentle wash to remove any remaining size or excess pigment, and is ironed again.
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