First Marbling Class of 2020!

I’m excited to be kicking off the new year at BookArts LA again with my 2-day Introduction to Paper Marbling immersion class February 8-9, 2020.

Want to learn something new (or develop your marbling skills further), play with color and concept, and work hand-in-hand with the elements of surprise, wonder, and awe? Then I invite you to join me in my favorite class where we get TWO FULL DAYS to dive deep into technical skills, traditional patterns (and variations of patterns), techniques, and troubleshooting (the key to any successful marbling session!)...with time for play and experimentation in the tank too. By the time you are done with the weekend, you’ll have the confidence and technical expertise to start marbling on your own at home.

With a maximum of eight students, there is a lot of personal attention! And the best part is that everything is provided for you. You just show up and have fun!

For more details or to register for the class, visit www.BookArtsLA.org or click on the link below. Hope to show you the joys of marbling!

BookArtsLA
Saturday, February 8 and Sunday, February 9, 2020
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (both days)
11720 Washington Place, Los Angeles

Papers that Compel Me to Marble on Them!

Oh, how I love a lovely paper to marble upon.

Yes, I have my go-to “practice” paper that I prefer to marble on. And I always have a wide variety of papers (of varying weights, colors, and styles) available in my classes so students can experience what it’s like to marble on different papers. Then there’s my favorite “professional” paper, the dreamy, creamy one that I marble on for commissions or special projects.

But then there are those OTHER papers, the ones that take marbling to a whole different level. These are the papers that you work WITH and not simply marble ON. You take into consideration their unique properties, be it a color, texture, how it was made, where it came from, or what already exists on (or in!) it.

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Some of the colors I chose to use reflected the "attitude" of the paper. This was a thick, heavily textured sheet with a blue hue that had a very classic, elegant feel to it that reminded me of New England. I used Titan Buff Green Hue, Raw Umber, and French Gray Blue to create this Stone pattern.

And the papers in Vintage Page Designs' monthly paper club are those OTHER papers.

I happened to have the luck of having Ali Manning, the woman behind Vintage Page Designs, in my Clouds on Water eCourse (more on that in a future blog post!). A most talented book artist, I fell in love with her work and have taken a keen interest in all her creative endeavors. When she announced her paper club, I was immediately interested, knowing the papers were not going to be just your every-day-run-of-the-mill variety.

And I wasn’t wrong.

Ali graciously sent me a sampling of papers from her club offerings to test for marble-ability. My batch included very heavy, textured papers in pink, silver, and white and two different medium-weight papers – one with DILL sprinkled throughout it and the other with beautiful blue Larkspur petals.

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The Dill sheet! I marbled a Sap Green and Silver on one side and Sap Green and Gold on the other.

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The Larkspur sheet with an Italian Vein pattern in Violet and Gold.

What a wonderful experience it was to work with all these papers. First of all, the papers are handmade so each one is a piece of art imbued with the love of the paper maker. If you’re a sensitive soul like me, you can actually feel the paper vibrate with artistic energy. Secondly, the gorgeous characteristics of the papers made it an absolute delight to strategize how I was going to marble on them to best bring out or complement their beauty. And while the papers made with Larkspur and dill were stunning, it was the thick, heavily textured papers that stole my heart (there was something about their weight, about all the groves and bumps and topographical personality that appealed to me and resonated with my adventurous spirit). And finally, and most importantly to this girl, all the papers marbled beautifully.

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Here I created large color blocks using blue transparent paint to allow the texture of the paper to come through which had the added effect of making the paper feel "watery."

I can’t recommend more highly these papers as a great addition to one’s marbling explorations. They are stunning by themselves and get a boost of WOWZA with a touch of marbling tossed into the equation. The papers are great for making books, cards, and mixed media work. And if you need help with your bookmaking skills, Ali has some great tutorials to help you put your papers to extraordinary use.

For more info on the paper club, visit Vintage Book Designs' website at www.VintagePageDesigns.com.

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The thicker, heavily textured paper is REALLY strong. This sheet was overmarbled THREE times and it never lost its texture or started to disintegrate.

Marbling Tips for Vintage Books Designs Paper Club:

• The papers need to be alummed. I have found some 100% cotton rag papers don’t need to be but I tested the papers without alum and the paint slid right off!
• Because of the bumps and grooves in most of the papers (especially the thicker, heavily textured ones), I gave them the twice over with alum, alumming once and then again (still wet) so as not to miss getting into the nooks and crannies of the little crevices.
• Let the natural beauty of the paper shine through. There is no need to cover over the papers that incorporate delicate elements into them, such as flowers, leaves, and herbs. Instead, I marbled Italian Vein on them which framed their organic gifts rather than hid them. On the other hand, for the thick, heavily textured papers, I used a combo of transparent and opaque paints, often ending on a transparent paint so the texture of the paper could still be seen.
• Because these papers are thicker/heavier, it’s important to make sure you do not get “ahead of the lay,” meaning make sure you don’t drop the far corner of your paper on top of the bath before the middle part of the paper is laid down…otherwise you’ll end up with air bubbles.
• Consider marbling on BOTH sides of the papers. Most are thick enough that the marbled designs won’t cast shadows or even show through the other side.

Vintage Page Designs Paper Club Details:

• Some quick facts below. Be sure to head over to her website for more details or to sign up for her newsletter.
• All of the paper is handmade by Vermont paper maker Richard Langdell.
• The paper is made from 100% cotton rag and has been internally sized and buffered.
• Each sheet has four deckled edges and measures approx. 19″ x 25″.
• All sheets are nice and thick with an approximate weight of 200-300lb, unless otherwise noted.
• The papers are perfect for making books, cards and mixed media work.
• Six exclusive papers are showcased on the 1st of the month. Orders close on the 10th of the month (unless already sold out) for shipping by the 15th.
• There is no commitment – you can order one month and not the next. Sign up on Ali’s mailing list to be notified of when the papers are selected.

Reunited with Metallic Marbled Papers

Years ago, I discovered how eye-popping delicious metallics were on certain papers, especially black. It took me a while to find the a black paper I was looking for, one that was soft to the touch and had warm and elegant qualities to it. I was also looking for one that didn't leave behind water stains, a common problem with black papers. Once  I found that paper, I was off and running. I marbled with metallics on lots (and lots!) of papers...and then I shifted focus and didn't marble with them as much.

Then came Instagram. And I found my way to Brazilian marbler Renato Crepaldi, who is a huge fan of using metallics (and I believe he makes his own paints even), especially on black paper. Totally re-inspired by his work, I stepped into the studio and played with my dear old friends again; and it was just like any good, strong relationship...we picked up right where we left off.

I've listed a few of my favorites in my shop, if you're interested in purchasing these beauties. As always, there is free shipping anywhere in the U.S. on marbled papers.

The Spanish Marble

Yes, this is marbled paper, NOT marbled fabric. Pretty cool, eh?!

Always a fan favorite, the Spanish Marble creates the illusion of ripples across the paper. I like to think of it more as a technique than a traditional pattern since it is about how the paper is laid down and not about a series of strokes.

Students had a blast learning this technique in the Advanced Marbling class I held in my studio this past weekend. I also teach it in the Advanced Marbling Techniques classroom of my online course Clouds on Water. It's not a complicated technique to learn...but it definitely is a touchy-feely one that requires some insider tips and then some practice to get it down.

Spanish Marbles are wickedly wonderful to see in person and when famed, they add some serious spice to a room! Or you can use them for the cover of journals or other creative projects you're looking to jazz up.

I just updated the shop with these fun guys so head on over and grab one for yourself. And as always, there is FREE SHIPPING on all marbled papers.

Morning Fun at the Marbling Tank

I love the meditative vibe of creating a design with Bull's Eye. And the funky, contemporary result is satisfying too.

Marbled Words

I absolutely love marbling on old book and dictionary pages (and maps and handwritten letters and ledgers too!). Sometimes I use them to pick up "ghost prints," or the leftover paint in the bath from the original print. But sometimes I set out with colors and patterns that match the specific personality of the page I am marbling on. For me, the point isn't to cover up the beauty of the printed page...it's to complement it...which means I have to be strategic in my colors, design, and intensity.

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My most recent round of scrap packs include some of these marbled pages. Head on over to my store to get your marbled bag of goodness...and remember, FREE SHIPPING on all marbled papers, including scrap packs!

Getting Back to the Tank

It's been a long, hot summer here in Southern California and it has put a damper on my marbling time. Last week, however, provided lovely conditions for marbling so I whipped up a bath and got back into the swing of things.

My only objective was to play and have fun. And I did. I didn't even practice many patterns. Instead I went for color and messed around with the traditional Spanish Marble pattern.

And this is what I love about marbling...even "just messing around" gives you spectacular results. Instantaneously.

It's so satisfying.

There are spots available in my Beginning Paper Marbling class on October 28. I'd love to share with you in the fun that can be had at the marbling tank! Email me to sign up.

Warm Up

Like an athlete, I do warm-up (or practice) sheets in the marbling tank, stretching memory muscle and calibrating hand-eye coordination, before diving into "real" tank work.

I'm also testing my bath and paints to see how they are behaving. Like us, a new day means a new personality for both of them and things that worked well yesterday may not today. Warming up is about getting into the groove.

Many times, these practice pieces turn out to be some of my favorite pieces, partly because I have no expectations of them and partly because I don't think too hard about things and just let my creative instinct (and eight years of marbling experience!) take the lead.

Hand-marbled Papers in the Shop!

Over the past month, I've been adding an affordable line of select hand-marbled paper to my online shop. These are papers I have a particular liking for...they catch my eye in some way: a perfectly executed traditional pattern, a lovely color palette, a stunning unique design. The inventory is always changing and I'm adding new papers once-a-week.

The best part: hand-marbled papers SHIP FREE (in the US)!

I'm excited to be shipping this one out to a sweet customer (who said kind words about my work) today:

Head on over to the store to check out the current inventory.

Practice Piece

I always start a marbling session with a couple of practice pieces. I'm testing the bath to see what it's doing and how the paints behave on it. But I'm also stretching my marbling muscles ~ like a singer who does vocal warm ups. Marbling is more physically demanding than most people realize and there are certain techniques that require superb hand-eye coordination so I want my body and my mind to be at the same place when I start working on the real stuff.

The thing is...usually these practice pieces end up being something really good. Something that actually makes me pause and go, "Oh, wow! That turned out great!" even though I'm not trying to do something good. I don't even think that hard about what colors I use, just grabbing the four of five closest to me and running with it.

Today's practice piece is no exception. I love it. I love the colors and how the design turned out. I guess I'm more conscious about my practice pieces than I realize...and that perhaps eight years of marbling experience coupled with not having any expectations from these first few pieces really frees up the creative mojo. And that's when magic slips in.

Available in the store.

Studio Play

Sometimes I just play in the tank. No expectations. Not trying to do anything specifically. Just moved by color and whatever dance my bath wants to do.

Continuing to Explore

Detail. WIP

I'm still exploring this particular direction in the tank. It's not always working out ~ and it takes forever to create these images so when I screw up, I feel like I just wasted so much time. It's been a lesson in patience and acceptance ~ and remembering that time is never wasted when you stretch and grow and learn something new (even if it's what NOT to do) along the way.

Trippy

You should really see this in person...

Overmarble Love

It was an Overmarble kind of day last week!

The Overmarble is one of my favorite marbling techniques. I can't wait for participants in my intro-to-marbling eCourse Clouds on Water to dive in and try it. We'd love to have you join us too! Class starts June 8. Visit www.CloudsOnWater.com for details.

Bubble Gum Beauty

No tricks. Just technique. 100% 2D marbled paper. 100% fun.

My friend told me she thought this looked like the best bubble gum EVER and she wanted to eat it! That totally made my day!

Don't forget to leave a comment here on my Gratitude Giveaway announcement for your chance to win a spot in the Clouds on Water eCourse. Winners will be announced on Thursday.