The Art of Paper Marbling

The beautiful art of paper marbling is a really fun and messy project for the class. You can pretty much work it to almost any theme. Marbleize the paper and cut it out in the shape of choice! There are endless possibilities.

Update: I did this project with 5th graders to make beautiful marbled stationary as a gift for Christmas. I'll post the updated photos of the process.  The materials and instructions are following...

          Materials:

• Pad of watercolor paper. Heavy stock so it won't bend too much
• A few cans of cheap shaving cream- foam type.
• 3 or 4 cookie sheets with sides. And a few that have no sides.
• An abundance of bottles of paint, the large washable tempura. Metallics look beautiful.
• Squeegees at least the width of the paper.
• Pad of Scrapbook paper for background
• Circle punches
• Pencils or Popsicle sticks etc to stir foam and paint.
• Artist smocks from the art room- this can be messy!
• throw away plastic tablecloths
• plenty of adult helpers.

Show the kids a great video on Turkish Ebru. less than 5 minutes long. http://www.5min.com/Video/The-Art-of-Ebru-315086138

Then show them this slidetalk-  Art of Paper Marbling

Early Prep. 

• Make a few samples to show kids
• If you are doing butterflies, then trace a butterfly on each watercolor sheet in advance for project for children.
• Using used file folders are great for a stencil, just bend in half and draw half a butterfly, unfold!
• If you want to have antennae, then slice a few up in advance from a sample, a paper shredder works too.
• Also, if you want then to decorate their butterflies with a few contrasting circles of marbled paper, then punch a few in advance, and from leftover scraps while the project is in full swing, assign a mom to punch out more!

demonstrating making the paint patterns

push the paper down!

Demonstrate the steps in front of the kids, wait for the ooohs and aahs!


 Spray a even layer of foam on a cookie sheet with sides. 

The kids choose 3 colors for their marbling,  generally at least one dark and one light for contrast.


Evenly pour the paints back and forth over the foam- (the kids do this part too)

The messier the better the results!

     Take a pencil or stick and with straight lines, go side to side and then up and down a few passes each time.  make sure the stick touches the sides each pass! Also, make sure to use the pointy part of a stick/pencil. The paint will be spread around, but not mixed together. 


Have them place their paper, tracing side up, onto the foam.  Press down until the foam squishes out the sides,  you don't want any bare spots!

sweet London

Before its squeegeed

Have an adult pick it up from the end, it will be beautiful, but messy!

Station an adult near the cookie sheets, and their job is to squeegee the paint in one sweep off of the paper.  If there is still any foam left on, make sure to wipe the squeegee first, or it will deposit paint!

one good swipe of a squeegee

The paper will not be wet, since it was just foam used.

Cut out the butterflies, and bodies,  let the kids pick out coordinating backgrounds, and using glue sticks, mount them.

This project makes a great gift from the kids, hint, hint... Mothers Day!  Make sure to take those Artsonia photos!  It's the gift that keeps on giving.