Marbling is one of the coolest ways to use acrylic paint! While most people associate marbleized paper with florals, you can create some incredible designs using this technique in other styles or even for something totally different.
Acrylic paints are liquid substances that contain polymers and pigment molecules. They dry slightly glossy and many take time to fully set. This gives it durability and an easily re-done surface.
There are three main components of marbled paper: medium, color layer and final coverup. Your colors should be as close to neutral tone as possible to mix together more freely.
The mediums used to make marble printed papers vary depending on what effect you want to achieve. Some examples include gel glues, alcohol washes, and plain water mixes. For our example, we will use gel glue.
General tips: remember your brush shape and position when painting! Also, keep all of your materials and tools clean so there are no dried down clumps or thick pigments that may cause layers to peel off later.
Mix acrylic paint with a damp cloth
The first way to marble paper is by mixing your chosen color of paint with a piece of plastic or soft cotton fabric. Once both are mixed, apply gentle pressure onto your surface as you roll it across the paper. Keep rolling until all parts of the paper have received repeated coats of paint and dried!
This technique works best for plain colors that contain small amounts of texture. For example, if you wanted to marbleize red papers, blue would be better than yellow because they’re more neutral colors. If the paper has patterns or shapes, then use a smooth clean plastic bag instead of fabric so that you do not distort the pattern.
Acrylic painting is an extremely versatile medium. By experimenting with different textures and materials, you will find many uses for this technique.
Use a paintbrush
When painting with acrylics, you will need to have a source of water to mix in with your paints. This is where having a proper painter’s tool comes in very handy!
A paintbrush is your most important tool when it comes to mixing colors and creating designs with liquid materials like acrylics. A natural bristle brush is best for beginning artists as they are easy to use and retain fluidity of the paint.
After you get the hang of using a paintbrush, try experimenting by mixing different shades of one color or create an ombre (gradient) design by blending several colors together.
Mix paint with water
Acrylic paints are some of the most versatile art mediums out there! They are not liquid ink, but instead they are typically referred to as acrylic or polymer paint. These paints are made of polymers that combine together to form microscopic spires or crystals.
Acrylic paint is solid material that you can manipulate into many different shapes and styles. It will remain in a stable state until you mix it with another substance such as water. When mixed with water, the paint becomes fluid.
You can use either milk or water as your drinking liquid. To marble paper, take a piece of plain white paper and pour some of the fluid onto the surface. Let the alcohol evaporate and then wash off the painted paper. Repeat this process several times and add more layers for an interesting texture and depth.
Artists have been using this method to create beautiful marbled papers for centuries! This article will teach you how to do it yourself with easy steps. Read on to learn more about mixing acrylic paint with water and experimenting with textures.
Use the right temperature of water
A very popular way to marble paper is by using acrylic paint and hot water! This method works because as the paint touches the surface of the glass, some of it melts and sticks to the other layer.
Acrylic paints are typically mixed in a container or bottle with a brush attached. You can use either warm or cold water to mix your colors, but it does make changing color more difficult so we recommend using warmer water to achieve thinner layers.
Once all of the colors are mixed together, you will need to stir the paint to ensure that everything mixes properly. Once it is fully combined, pour the liquid onto your paper and spread it around. Let the paper dry completely before moving on to the next step.
Note: Make sure to test a small area first to see how it looks and if it has dried correctly.
Try using a different texture of paper
When painting with acrylics, one must always clean your brushes properly! If you are looking to keep up with the trends in artistic expression, there is an infinite number of ways to marbleize paper.
One way is to use plain old white paper. You can draw lines or patterns on it, by scratching it with a brush, or dragging the edge of a liquid paint color across it. By repeating this process, you create a mosaic look that looks beautiful.
Another way to do it is to take pieces of paper that have markings already on them. These textures include patterned papers, brochures, magazines, etc. Some people even stamps themselves with printed images or designs to use as paper for marbling.
You can mix both types of paper together and experiment with colors to see what effects you want to achieve.
Let it dry
When painting with acrylics, your first order of business should be letting each layer fully dry before adding the next. This is particularly important when marbleizing paper!
Acrylic paint can easily be mixed in water so starting off that way is the best approach. By mixing your paints at a ratio of 1 part paint to 2 parts liquid, you will get twice as much use out of each bottle- perfect for budget savvy artists.
Once all layers are completely dried, mix up some new colors using the same proportions and repeat the process until you achieve the desired look.
General tips: remember that not every piece of painted material is meant to stay painted! Some things like napkins or table covers should be washed and put away properly.
Use caution when painting!
When marbleizing paper, there are two main types of brushes you can use. A natural hair brush or synthetic foam brush. Natural hair brushes are much more expensive than the latter, but they will last longer and not break as easily.
A natural hair brush is made of real hairs that have been glued onto a wooden handle. The glue dries slightly golden-colored and this helps give some depth to your painted pieces. You can wash these brushes out and dry them properly to use again.
Synthetic foam brushes do not require cleaning other than rinsing in water and drying thoroughly. They are less expensive than natural hair brushes but they may feel flimsy next time you use it.