The Simple Pleasure of Marbling.

Having experimented with Suminagashi, I wanted to learn more about the traditional methods of marbling. Having evolved through the Middle Ages, marbling was once so highly prized  artists would jealously guard their processes and designs. My father initially trained as a bookbinder, so I grew up with some the books he had restored. There was always something magical about opening those old books with their beautiful marbled endpapers.  I owe my love of art and books to him.

While Suminagashi is a fairly straightforward process and can be easily set up in a studio or kitchen, marbling with carrageenan moss is a more involved process.  Size is required to be added to the water to hold the gouache on the surface. There are more variables that can affect the outcome. For the process to be successful the correct balance is essential - for example the temperature can have an influence, as can the hardness of the water used.
However when all is in balance the results can be extremely satisfying. I quickly became absorbed by two particular patterns - the vein and the stone pattern. ​