Trying to make marbling paper effect. Surface designer.

   

          So nice you visit me! lots of thanks!

When I studied illustration, lots of years ago, I learnt to use lots of hand artistic effect and techniques. 

I remembered lovely shapes drawings made with a technique called marbling paper. I was not sure about the materials used, so I looked for tutorials at google. 

I was surprised to see so many gorgeous works using this effect. I found lots of great tutorials, if you are interested in knowing how to make it. 

http://www.ibookbinding.com/blog/marbled-paper-bookbinding-tutorial-and-photo-gallery/ or http://www.marthastewart.com/920467/how-marbleize-paper-and-cards#208898.

You can see great images here too! https://www.google.es/search?q=marbling+effect&rlz=1C1OPRB_enES557ES557&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=dTreVKmDD8n2UOyFgJAO&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=961

So, yesterday I really enjoyed like a girl, it was a great fun. The truth it was mess as I am not careful, slow,or methodical at all. 

So, please don´t make the mistakes I did as not using gloves, not to cover the table with papers, not to clean each brush before of taking another diferent colour, …

I wanted to be so fast, patience in this occasion was not with me. Lots of paintings stains everywhere, till my bath curtain and jeans! But I know this is the reason I enjoyed it so much!

The truth is that I was not successful in mots of my papers as I expected, as I didn´t get a nice marbling effect similar or comparing it to the ones seen on the web. I should have got lines similar to marble veins, and no round stains. 

Anyway, it was my first try, and I am sure those papers are going to be useful for me in some way. I think I will  use them as backgrounds.

It was so nice playing with the water, adding colour oil paintings drops, moving it with combs or toothpick. Amazing to see the resulting shapes.

The difficult part for me of it, was to dip the paper on the water in order to translate those shapes on it. Some papers didn´t work at all!

When my papers were dried, unfortunately colours faded. But I have been able to improve its colours manipulating them at photoshop. 

I am glad as lately I have taken some of my time to experiment and practice hand techniques.  

I have been lots of years devoting all my time only to computer vector designs, and I was forgetting the pleasure of hand drawing.

These next weeks I am going to try to make more hand illustrations and discover new techniques! I hope you feel motivated to try too!

By the way, tomorrow is 14th February! Saint Valentin day! I have a great plan for that night! I hope you enjoy it!