Home Again from QBL-Final Marbling Thoughts

Well despite some hefty thunderstorms, home beckoned and lots of time to think on the ride there!

Absolutely loved the marbling and have more than 50 pieces to show for my five days. I think I did 20 of those the last morning I was there. Can't wait to iron these pieces as I know how much better they will look after a good soapy soak and ironing! I will summon up my patience though.

On the way home, I decided that the key to marbling was to develop a relationship with your tray much like you do with people. If you abuse your tray, the relationship will change for the worse and you either change or end the relationship. The tray just refuses to change according to your wishes, only it's own -- isn't that the way all relationships are?

Anyway, am reading up on surface tension these days with some experiments in mind (of course). I have one print that I did on my cleanup water. It had (obviously) some of the size in the water and paints did float on it (although it was pretty ugly I must admit). They looked much more fluid though. The prints that I took from the paint that rose up from the bottom of the tray to lay on top also have that delicate fluid look. My thought is to try some varying concentrations of the size you work on and varying implements to put the paint on top.

So marbling will be on my list next week and then again in the fall when the weather cools and I can't work outside dyeing anymore. Now if it would just stop raining every single day!