why I got started

When I was about 12, my mother wanted us to have an after school activity. Our choices were limited to Dactylographie (typing), Accounting, or something in Art. I wanted to have an adventure and do something creative. After thinking about it, I opted for bookbinding, since the thing I loved most was reading.

handbookbinding

Back then it was done by hand. First, I learned to restore old books. Break them down to just a bunch of signatures, repair the torn pages, then put them back together. After, the first book bound in red leatherette (something made to look like leather), I wanted to make elegant covers. Thus started my marbling adventure.

marbling ... the true story

The earliest known type of paper marbling dates back as far as the 8th century in China. From China it went to Japan where it became Suminagashi. In the 12 century, marbling from Turkey appeared on the Silk Road. Turkish marbling is called Ebru and is a sophisticated art of delicate patterns on paper. "Although it is possible to find ebru papers in the bindings of centuries old books, these cannot be used to date ebru papers as these books may be restored years after they have been written and ebru papers on their bindings may have been used during a later repair. Only ebru papers with a written date on them can be used as evidence for the age of that ebru paper. Besides the oldest ebru papers dated in this manner are the papers used in Arifi's "Guy-i Cevgan" in the Museum of Topkapi Palace collection which is dated to 1539." From the site of lmasi Yasaktir at http://www.geleneksel-ebru.com/english/eng.htm

Marbling is a single print process, done by manipulating paint that is floated on the surface of a thickened water solution. The floating paint is then transferred from the water onto paper, fabric or any other porous surface.

My goal is to become a versatile Ebru and marbling artist. Over the next few months, I will post the results of my weekly studies.