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- Japanese ink - available in black and red. Or Pelikan inks
which come in a wide range of colors. Note: These inks are
permanent. Be careful not to spill them on your clothes.
- Japanese brushes. One for each color.
- A pan such as a glass baking dish, or photographic tray, larger
than your paper.
- Photo-Flo, a wetting agent made by Kodak. It is sold in camera
stores.
- Medicine dropper. A Palette with wells to hold inks. A plastic
egg carton can also be used.
- Newspaper.
- Paper. Absorbent papers such as Japanese rice paper and colored
newsprint work best, but almost any paper can be used. Experiment!
PROCEDURE
 Spread
newspaper on the floor near your work table to provide a drying area. Fill
the pan with water to about 1-1/2 inches deep. Put 1 tablespoon of ink in
one of the wells of your palette and 1 tablespoon of water. Add 2 or 3 drops
of Photo-Flo to the ink and to the water. Rinse your brushes in water until
they are clean and damp. Skim the surface of the water with a strip of newspaper.
 Dip
one brush in the ink and one in the "colorless ink" (a
mixture of water and wetting agent). Hold one brush in each hand. Touch
the tip of the ink brush to the surface of the water. A puddle of ink
will form. Touch the colorless brush to the center of the puddle. Repeat
until the surface is covered with rings of ink. While holding the paper
by opposite corners, lay it gently on the water.
Rice paper absorbs the pattern immediately and should be removed quickly.
Wet rice paper is very delicate and has to be handled with care. Heavier
papers can be left on the water a few seconds longer. Spread the wet,
marbled paper on newspaper to dry.
When
non-absorbant papers are used, the ink may run when the paper is lifted
from the water. Rinse gently. The excess ink will wash off and the dyed
pattern will remain.
If
the ink sinks instead of spreading on the water surface, add another drop
of wetting agent between prints, skim the water with a strip of newspaper
to remove ink and wetting agent.
VARIATIONS
- When the pattern is complete, blow gently on the surface of the water.
This will create a design with jagged edges.
- Make a ring pattern, then gently draw a toothpick through it in several
places. This will swirl the ink into intricate designs. Again, experiment
to create different effects.
- To keep part of the paper blank, overlap two sheets when you place
them on the design. Experiment with different sizes and shapes of overlapped
paper.
 You
can use as many colors as you wish in each design.
Happy Marbling!
Thanks
to Kay Thomas shown in the photographs for her instructions on
Suminagashi. Kay teaches Sumi-e and Suminagashi throughout the year
at The Suburban Fine Art League and New Trier in the Chicago North Shore
area.
If
you are interested in attending the next Suminagashi Workshop
or for Sumi-e Classes, call The Suburban Fine Art Center in
Highland Park, IL at:1-847-432-1888 or New Trier at: 1-847-446-6600,
for more information, they will gladly send you a brochure for upcoming
classes and workshops.
Sources of supply:
Diane Maurer
P.O. Box 78
Spring Mills, PA 16875
Phone: 814-422-8651
E-Mail: dkmaurer1@aol.com
Mail-order source for inks, brushes and wetting agent. Write for
price list.
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