Sender: Rare Books and Special Collections Forum <EXLIBRIS@RUTVM1.BITNET>
Shirley
There are several types/ways of marbling, some using oil-based, some using
watecolor-based and some using neither types of colors. What most Europeans
think of as marbling is derived from the Turkish technique called ebru, which
(and I know that someone out there will correct if I am wrong here0 used
oil based colors. There are some Western techniques that specifically use
water-colrs; they don't dissolve in the water because of the amount and type
of sizing that is added to the water. There is also a way of using gouache.
The Japanese (and likely Chinese-derived)technique of suminagashi uses plain,
unsized water and the carbon-based inksticks (sumi-e) and a surfactant to
allow the ink to "float" on the water. For a real expert on this subject, I
send you to Don Guyot, whose book *Suminagashi--An Introduction to Japanese
Marbling* is a gem. Don is also quite knowledge about the other techniques
and his book has a nice biblio. The last address I have for him is via the
Brass Galley Press/1902 North 44th Street/Seattle,WA 98103. If Jack Thompson
reads this, would he please correct the address?
Good luck.
Dennis Moser
Internet: aldus@aal.itd.umich.edu
Go Jays! All the Way!
No, I DO NOT SPEAK FOR
University of Michigan!