Alternative Marbling: Building a Personal Methodology & Vocabulary

Elin Noble | May 26-30, 2014

DESCRIPTION
Experience the “oh wow” moments when the paint attaches to the cloth, freezing exotic imagery that is reminiscent of microscopic views of cells, geological forms, and cosmic observations. This class offers a fresh approach to the age-old tradition of floating paint on water and transferring the image to cloth. We will use water (for Suminagashi), methyl cellulose and carrageenan (for Ebru) to pattern small scale cloth and yardage, with a variety of paints. Each day includes a series of demonstrations and critiques to push personal exploration. Emphasis is placed on working towards a visual vocabulary using sophisticated layering, color combinations, and personal imagery. You don’t want to miss this engaging, fun, and satisfying experience.

SUPPLIES (please label your own supplies)

• Scissors – paper and fabric
• 1 permanent black marker, such as “Sharpie” or “Rub-A-Dub” for name marking
• Roll of paper towels
• One or more 1-2 gallon buckets (as a rinse bucket)
• One 5-gallon bucket with lid (to make marbling size – and take home any extra size)
• One roll of masking tape (partial roll is fine, any diameter)
• Pair of rubber gloves to use when dipping fabric into the alum soak
• A few disposable gloves if you like protecting your hands
• Wear old work clothes, smock or apron and even old shoes


Tray
• Cardboard box or plastic tray – a “small” priority mail box or an empty liquor box measuring approximately 10”x15” is a good size to begin with. Cut the box down to about 3” in height. We will use and build larger trays as the week progresses.

• A box of white plastic (13 gallon kitchen type) trash bags - the inexpensive kind from the dollar store.
NO antimicrobial or scented bags. The bags should be large enough so the cardboard box/plastic tray fits easily inside, and/or roll of light weight plastic to make a tray.


Fabric and other stuff to marble
Bring 10 or more yards of fabric, cut up into 1-3 yard pieces. Bring a selection of hand-dyed or commercially dyed pastel, dark, or even white, cotton, silk, bamboo, linen, polyester, nylon, or any blend of fabric to marble (stay away from wool, it’s difficult at best to marble). Choose cloth with a flat surface, this will show the marbled pattern better.

Base how much fabric you bring (more or less) on your speed, need for variety, and ability to transport. Large amounts of any one fabric are not necessary. You may want to try different types of fabric, some good choices include: pima, sheeting, twill, broadcloth, sateen, gauze, voile, and duck. If you want to marble silk, look for crepe de chine, shantung, pongee, dupionni, chiffon, organza, gazar, taffeta and china or habutae silk. Other options include canvas or leather sneakers, gloves, baseball caps, wood and paper. Remember, you can marble almost anything. If it is absorbent it can be marbled!


Fabric prep
Your fabric MUST be properly washed for long lasting results. Wash your fabric (yes, even PFD or PFP fabric) in the machine, or by hand, with hot water and a heavy-duty laundry detergent or Synthrapol. Hang to air dry or dry in the clothes drier. DO NOT use any fabric softener in the washer OR drier sheets in the clothes drier.

Test fabric for absorption by dropping one drop of water on your washed and dried fabric. If it is absorbed immediately and without hesitation, then go ahead and soak in the alum soak. If the water hesitates being absorbed or beads up then wash again in hot water with a heavy-duty laundry detergent or Synthrapol. You want to make sure all starch finishes are off the cloth. If you are asking the question, “I’m not sure, is there any hesitation?” Wash it again.


Alum soak will be mixed up and ready to use for the entire week of class, so you will have an opportunity to soak and prepare fabric during class time. However, you may wish to have it ready to go for the first day of class. Do not store Alum Soaked cotton fabric for longer than 2 to 3 weeks before marbling.

If you want to soak your cloth before class here are some sources for alum via mail order:
PRO Chemical & Dye: in MA
http://www.prochemicalanddye.com/product.php?productid=16164&cat=0&page=1
Earth Guild: in NC
http://www.earthguild.com/products/dyes/dyemord.htm
TALAS: in NYC
http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=17060
Dharma Trading: in CA
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3334-AA.shtml?lnav=chemicals.html

• ALUM SOAK: Purchase alum from any dye supplier that has alum for marbling – please contact Elin if you have any questions. Follow the directions that come with the alum for the proper proportions for soaking. If you don’t have directions, then use them below.

Procedure: While wearing rubber gloves, add the washed and dried fabric to the alum soak. Stir the fabric intermittently for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure the fabric is completely submerged and can move freely. Don’t cram it. If you have lots of fabric to soak, do it in batches, making sure all the fabric in each batch can “swim freely”.

While wearing rubber gloves, remove the fabric and lightly wring out excess alum soak solution, allowing alum soak to run back into the container for future use. DO NOT RINSE! Hang the fabric so it is completely flat on a clothes-line to dry and make sure it is not folded back on itself or folded in half on the clothesline. DO NOT use a clothes dryer to dry alum soaked fabric.

Press with a cool-ish iron to remove any creases. The temperature of your iron does need to be hot enough to remove the creases, but DO NOT press with a very hot iron. I like to roll my pressed cloth on tubes to keep it flat. This way I don’t have to iron it again before marbling.

Discard Alum Soak after 2 to 3 months or if Alum has crystallized around the edges of the soaking bucket. Do not store Alum Soaked cotton fabric for longer than 2 to 3 weeks before marbling, because the alum disintegrates cotton fibers.

Handy List (only if you have it, have room, and/or driving, then bring it)
• Rotary mat, cutter, and ruler
• Four or more small (1 oz.) bottles with small nozzle for paint or surfactants
• Plastic pipettes or eye droppers
• Extra buckets, plastic tub or something similar
• Rubber and/or disposable gloves if you like protecting your hands
• Freezer paper and/or Press & Seal (partial roll is fine)
• Plastic cafeteria type tray or cookie sheet to hold and transport paint cups


Paints
Any textile paints and airbrush colors you have that you’d like to experiment with the marbling techniques we’ll cover in class. The supply fee covers marbling colors from PRO Chem and a selection of Golden Fluid Acrylic and Createx Airbrush colors. Other paints you may wish to experiment with are: Neopaque, Lumiere, Tsukineko All Purpose Ink, Jacquard Marbling Colors, Dye-na-flow, and Dr. Ph. Martin’s Spectralite Colors. If you have other paints you wish to try, bring them along. However, stay away from heavy body paints.


Inspiration
Sort through your written and visual collection, selecting topics, colors, or patterns that excite you. Bring a selection of things: something from a collection you have that inspires you, a poem, journal writing, a book you are reading, an issue or topic (political or personal), photograph, and/or picture books. Once the marbling basics are understood we will approach the tray with an eye for imagery and content. Marbling is temperamental and you may need to change direction based on what is happening in the tray.


Materials fee provides
• Paints, methyl cellulose and carrageenan size, handouts, and various tools with which to marble.

If you have any questions about the materials list or the course in general, please > Email

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