ONLINE: Introduction to Marbling Workshop

You will need a few specialised materials to get the most out of the workshop, so if you have never marbled before, we suggest that you select the "Yes I'd like a kit" option in the dropdown above. We will then send you our Beginner's Complete Marbling Kit which contains everything you will need.

If you already have some equipment or materials and don't want to get the whole kit, here's what we recommend you have to hand ready for the workshop:

-Deep tray or shallow box that you can fit A4 paper into
Skewer
- Marbling comb (unfortunately hair combs will not work)
- Acrylic paints
- Paintbrushes
- Sponge
- At least 15g carrageenan
- At least 15g alum
- Paper

Once you have selected your preferred date, chosen your kit option and completed your purchase, we will then send out an email with instructions on how to prepare your marbling water ready for the workshop (it needs to sit for a few hours prior to marbling) and the link to join the Zoom.

When it's time to start the workshop, click the Zoom link and wait to be admitted into the session. Lucy will take it from there!

Most of these items will already be in your household. We won’t be using anything toxic – the only thing you might not want to use subsequently for food is the heat-proof container, which will contain mordant (a mild irritant). If you don’t have access to a blender or hand mixer, it will be difficult to participate in the workshop.

- Blender for mixing marbling water. Can be an electric hand mixer
- Kettle
- Measuring jug
- Heat-proof container (can be a ceramic or glass bowl, a small plastic box, an empty, clean ready-meal container, etc)
- [Desirable but not essential] Food scales that can measure accurately in grams
- Measuring spoons OR tablespoon and teaspoon
- 1-2 Newspapers OR lots of scrap paper for cleaning water
- Water-tight bin or plastic bag
- Folding clothes airer or clothesline to hang wet papers on
- If hanging paper indoors, plastic or cloth to protect the surface underneath
- Scrap paper / tablecloth / protective fabric to cover everything around the marbling area OR an area where it’s OK if paint gets flicked around (ie, outside)
- Tap water
- Access to sink for rinsing OR a large sealed container (such as a big plastic box) plus a jug with water in it

During this fast-paced three-hour workshop, you will be given a thorough introduction to the beautiful art of paper marbling, including a brief history, the technical ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s, and a lot of trying it out.

Paper marbling is a centuries-old art where paint is floated upon a bath of thickened water and drawn through with various tools to create striking, fluid patterns. In this marbling workshop, you will learn:

how to make the thickened water
how to prepare paper for marbling
techniques for controlling the behaviour of the paints
how to create all kinds of beautiful patterns.

Contemporary paper marbler Lucy McGrath will demonstrate various techniques and talk you through how to recreate them yourself, providing all the tools, equipment and materials you might need to get really experimental. Marbling is great fun but super messy so make sure you wear old clothes (and shoes)!

If you can no longer attend the workshop, please contact us to let us know at least 48 hours before the event for a full refund. Please note that bookings including a kit can only be refunded if the kit is returned to us.