Paper Marbling

art · pattern · history · craft

Colors Float on Water. Artists drip or drop special colored inks onto plain water or a thick liquid called size. The colors spread and swirl on the surface, creating beautiful patterns before being transferred to paper.

Every Print is Unique. Because the patterns form naturally on water, no two marbled papers are ever exactly alike. Each one is a one-of-a-kind original called a monotype, even if you try to make the same design twice.

Used for Books for Centuries. For hundreds of years, people have used marbled paper to decorate book covers, bookbindings, and the inside pages called endpapers. It makes books look fancy and special.

Perfect for Calligraphy. The smooth, beautiful marbled patterns make wonderful backgrounds for calligraphy, which is the art of writing letters in an ornate and decorative style.

Looks Like Real Marble. The swirling patterns created by this technique look surprisingly similar to natural marble and other polished stones, which is why it's called marbling.