In Paper and Marble: Suminagashi Paper Marbling Workshop

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For our 12th workshop at 1216 Walnut, we hosted two sold-out sessions on suminagashi, the Japanese art of paper marbling. Our talented artists learned, first-hand, the intricacies of floating inks on the ever changing surface of a shallow pool of water. We explored the history and origins of suminagashi, viewed examples of other forms of paper marbling (such as Turkish Ebru), and waxed poetic about the multifaceted beauty of suminagashi, before rolling up our sleeves and making dozens of prints.

If you have been inspired by this workshop and would like to try it yourself, you only need a few items to get started:

  • Shallow Tray
  • Room temperature water
  • Brushes
  • Inks (Sumi)
  • Dispersant - Photo Flo, dish soap
  • Paper - Preferably unsized and with long threads, but be sure to experiment!
  • Others - Newsprint, apron, paper towels, fan

We thank everyone who was able to join us. Due to the positive response from this event, we will certainly consider repeating it again in the future. In the meantime, be sure to regularly check our Workshop page, where we’ll be announcing our March event shortly.

WORDS BY SAM GEAN

IMAGES BY CHRIS SETTY