Development of ideas
Developing my creative experiments further for the inside outside project I did some experimenting with marbling inks. After researching a lot into Hans Arp and his 'chance' collages, I wanted to create some chance work of my own using a different method and have an exploration of fluid dynamics. I was keen to experiment with colour also and to explore how colours effect and relate to specific moods.
Marbled paper is the art of floating pigments and dyes on water, and transferring those patterns onto paper. You can then use the mobility of the water and suspended pigments to create free form shapes or combined patterns. You can transfer patterns onto the same paper more than once, thus layering and deepening the marbled pattern. I decided to just do it the once.
Not only is marbling an old art, but it is also widespread. While the Suminagashi method of marbling was developing in Japan, a similar but separate form of marbling, called Ebru, was developing in Turkey. Suminagashi, meaning “floating ink,” is a method of marbling, developed in Japan. Suminagashi is an historical form of marbling paper that is still practiced today.
Ebru means “Cloud art.” Ebru frequently uses brighter pigments than the inks involved in Suminagashi. Ebru artists also used sticks or combs to drag the pigments in the water. This allows the artist to make a wide variety of patterns, including swirls and criss-crosses.
In Europe the art of marbling went hand in hand with the art of bookbinding. Marbling was an aesthetic way to protect documents from forgery. Books that featured marbled motifs on the edges of their papers were thought to be secure, because removing any of the pages would disturb the pattern. In this case, much of the Renaissance book art that involved beautiful marbled paper was primarily practical.
The Process
Filling a bath with water I dropped the inks into the water, swirled it with a straw to agitate the inks and then rested my cartridge paper on the surface of the water. I could see the pattern forming through the paper which was really exciting and watching the dance of colours on the bath was mesmerising. I could have carried on for hours having fun with this.
What worked well:
- The marbling effect worked well on some (images 1, 4 & 10) They are quite bewitching.
- Even though the marbling effect didn't work as well on the others, I still found them very interesting, especially the ones with splashes of blue, orange and yellow. They almost look like cells or galaxies.
- In relation to my original concept and idea of looking into chance, I felt this worked as I was unaware of what I would get and how to manipulate to inks in order to get a desired effect.
- The exploration of fluid dynamics and how this reacts and creates a visually engaging piece of work has been very fascinating.
Even Better if:
- To develop these further I would like to attempt a solar etching of my previous Dada etches and music notes onto them to see how they look.
- If I had used a piece of newsprint between prints to take off the layer of oil I feel these would have been more marbled.
- To take this further and away from the 'chance' idea, I would do this in a lighter space, using a different method such as Ebru or using acrylic paints so I could manipulate the ink/paint to get a certain design.
- In relation to my original concept of looking at how colour effects moods, I don't feel I achieved anything interesting for this due to the colours being quite chaotic and ever changing. I suppose though, this does relate to mental health, because moods are ever changing and chaotic, so maybe this should go back into the what worked well!
- From the research I have done about the origins of marbled paper being used for books; creating an altered book with marbled paper for an outcome would be interesting.
Following reflection on this experiment, I have gained more of an insight into how fluid and colour interact. What about bringing sound into it as well? After speaking with my peers about this, it sparked off an interest into synesthesia. Synesthesia is a condition in which one sense (for example, hearing) is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses such as sight. Another form of synesthesia joins objects such as letters, shapes, numbers or people's names with a sensory perception such as smell, colour or flavour. The word synesthesia comes from two Greek words, syn (together) and aisthesis (perception). Therefore, synesthesia literally means "joined perception." Chromesthesia or sound-to-colour synesthesia is a type of synesthesia in which heard sounds automatically and involuntarily evoke an experience of colour. The idea of bringing sound and colour together is very fascinating. My next research project will be looking deeper into this.
Solar etching onto marbled ink paper experiments
Following on from the marbled ink experiments, one of the ideas I had was to use them to solar etch onto and to create a mix media piece. After previously using canvas, scrim, cartridge paper and cotton to print this design onto, I wanted to explore how it would look on the marbled ink experiments. As I am often referring back to the non-sensical of Dada, I felt doing this would follow suite and the results were just that. One of the ideas was to combine what could be perceived as a 'vintage feel' image onto a 'more modern' texture and the juxtaposition of this.
What worked well:
- The original idea for the Dada was to experiment with 'the masks we wear', layering the musical notes over the top was effective again due to nature of combining music and mental health. How musical can tell a story and everyone has their own mental health journey or story to tell.
- The abstract of combining the Dada with the marbled inks creating a textural quality.
- I like the way the solar etch gives different tones and shades depending on how much ink is applied or whether its a ghost print.
- The way the colours show through slightly through the print is quite psychedelic which I like.
- The collage still really works as a solar etching which could also be translated into other mediums such as Lino print, (however quite intricate), stitch and stencil.
- The 5th print is the most effective due to the ink applied and the carefully lined up layering of the two solar etches.
Even better if:
- I'd like to incorporate line and stitch to give the print even more texture and layers.
- Sewing it onto other materials to give a contrast with the old and the new again.
- Adding Chine Cole possibly to incorporate even more colour into the print. (then again, there maybe enough colour going on already)
- Looking at this one a larger scale, with a larger solar etch.
- Taking my own photos related to my theme of inside outside and then making a solar etch.
- Using different coloured inks to experiment with which colours work best aesthetically on the marbled inks.
- Using different colour combinations of marbled inks.
Sewing into the creation
Taking inspiration from my last reflection on the solar etches above I immediately set to once they had dried and experimented with sewing into the paper. I chose one of the least successful prints to experiment on. I used a darning foot on the sewing machine that let me do jagged lines and allowed for more manipulation and free-hand around images. I chose parts that I wanted to stand out and gave a border round the edge. I also attached some left over bits of different materials. The idea of rescuing and reusing materials is something that gives me great pleasure.
What worked well:
- The stitching shapes worked well.
- The outline of the bird works well.
Even better if:
- Use a different coloured stitching.
- If I were to do this again I would use different colour combinations for everything. Using the colour wheel, I would pick colours that compliment each other and were more aesthetically pleasing.
- Different fabrics used, again with complimenting colours.
- It would be lovely to do this on a bigger scale, so it would allow me to stitch, following all the music notes successfully, possibly leaving the other images underneath.
- I would attempt to be much neater next time.
- The layering of materials - this is something that I really like doing, adding layers and effects and mixed media. This is also something I would like to experiment with more.
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