Making Ebru (Marbled paper)

Hello dear friends! Winter break is here and yesterday I had some time off from work to spend it with my kids. My husband has a wonderful artist friend who was nice and generous enough to have us as guests yesterday at his studio. He is one of the most acclaimed ebru (marbled paper art) artists in Turkey, and we were absolutely wowed by all the pieces in his studio. Take a look at some:

This one below was made by one of his students who came to learn the special technique of marbling from Portugal. The student called it "DNA Strand", which is exactly what I thought it looked like too!

So, my kids had the chance to try it themselves....twice! They had such a great time and we really loved the end results:

Ta da ! My son with his picture transferred from water to paper.

My daughter posing with her teacher Nuri Pınar, masterpiece in hand!

The process of ebru making is actually very complicated. The materials used are all natural. The paint used is made from natural pigments and the stabilizer used to make sure the picture stays stable while transferring onto the paper is animal-derived. The brushes are made from horsehair fastened to tree twigs. Sometimes even the paper is handmade. There is a very deep philosophy behind the whole art, and even the process of creating the picture is considered a type of meditation. Find out more about the art here.

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning my husband's friend, Nuri Pinar. He has been an artist for many years and was thrilled to have the kids paint to their hearts desire. He also taught them that art is not to be rushed, but enjoyed, and the process, not the end result, is what mattered most. Visit Nuri Pinar's website to learn more about him and ebru.

Have a wonderful day!

all images by Kenan Pusatcioglu, 2013