Wrap each gift you give this season in a work of art. Paper marbling is a fun and easy technique for creating stunning gift wrap that they won’t want to rip!
MATERIALS:
- Rice paper
- 2 plastic bins
- Hydrus Liquid Watercolor
- Gloves
INSTRUCTIONS:
How to marble paper for gift wrap
Step 1:
Fill 2 large shallow pans or bins with approximately 3 inches of water. One of these pans will be for marbling and the other for rinsing your paper.
Step 2:
Using an eyedropper or a paintbrush loaded with Hydrus Liquid Watercolor, gently touch the surface of the water in one of the pans to add colour. Lift your hand and repeat this gesture all over your bin.
Step 3:
Create swirls and movement by gently nudging the bin to create a soft ripple on the water surface or by dragging the tip of the eyedropper through the watercolor to move it around.
Step 4:
Once you are happy with the look of your composition, let it settle and remove any air bubbles that may have formed. Starting at one corner of the paper and rolling to the other, gently lay a sheet of paper on the surface of the water. Be careful not to submerge it. Let the paper fully contact the water for about 10 seconds.
Step 5:
Gently lift one end of the paper and pull it back to reveal your print.
Step 6:
Rinse any excess colour off the paper by laying it gently in the clean water tray and letting the water wash over it a few times. Lift your paper from the water and either hang it to dry or lay it flat on a rack.
Step 7:
Use the beautiful paper you have created to wrap one of a kind gifts.
TIPS
- Wear gloves to avoid staining your hands
- Drop your ink from very close to the surface of the water
- For more intense colour, prepare your paper beforehand by spritzing it with water mixed with 2 tablespoons of alum powder. Let the paper dry completely before marbling
- Paper can be ironed flat before gift wrapping
