Is this picture a product of Photoshop or digital art?

This is the question that most of people develop in their heads when they look at this picture. I used to ask myself that question too when I first face this piece of art. However, this is not a product made by computer because it is 100% hand made.

The process of making this painting starts with sprinkling any color of fabric paint on the surface of a thick cellulose solution, which is a mixture of carrageenan (a type of gelatin) with water. People can think of this mixture as oil on water because when the paint drop into that mixture, the paint never spread out as well as it never blend with other colors. The paint stays there until the artist uses tools such as wooden sticks, combs, or rakes to create a pattern.

A paper marbling artist

The paper which is used for this kind of art is also not a normal one because in order for the color to stick to the paper, the artist needs to dissolve some alum in water then sponge that onto the paper, and it’s ready to use when it’s dry.

So, after the artist created a pattern, he or she will put a sheet of alum-treated paper onto the paint surface, lift it off, rinse and hang it up to dry.

Finally, another amazing piece of art is created!

A paper marbling’s workshops

This whole process is called “Paper marbling” and I believe this form of art is one of most creative thing that the human have. The reason is a person can create millions of pattern with millions of colors. Moreover, not only pattern can be made, but picture such as flowers or abstract animals can also be created through marbling.

“I frequently amaze myself by coming up with new designs I never thought of before, and perhaps nobody else ever has either”- Galen Berry, a medieval marbler that started marbling since 1985.

Galen Berry

About the history of paper marbling, it first appeared in Turkey in the 1100’s with its name was “Ebru”. It was used for decorating and was spread to Western Europe by the crusaders, in the 1600’s. So it already exists long time ago and until today, paper marbling is still a very interesting art which allows the artists to go to their infinite ideas.

I used to be fascinated about this art, and now, I still am!

Heidi Finley creates a pattern paper marbling
Paper Marbling: Ebru style

Works Cited:

Freeman, Cathy. “Paper Marbling (with People Who Know What They’re Doing!).” A Creative Community Resource. 11 Sept. 2011. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.

Harrington, Jenny. “Paper Marbling Techniques.” Creativebug. Demand Media. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.

“The Secrets of Paper Marbling Revealed.” Daniel Smith.com. Daniel Smith Inc. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.