Craig Joubert has been marbling since 1992 and loves to share his passion for marbling art with anyone willing to learn a new skill. He tells us that it might look complicated, but it is easy to do. Every design is unique. And it is fun to do for most ages.

For those who might be less familiar with marbling, it is the art of floating paints on top of a thick solution, called size, manipulating the paints into patterns, then transferring the pattern to an object – – fabric, wood, leather, tiles paper and more – – by gently placing the object on top of the paints.

Marbling on fabric is particularly exciting, according to Craig, because the paints are transparent which means that you can add more than one layer of paint, building on the background of the original design. The results are pretty-much instant, dry to the touch, and the finished article can then be washed in a machine (gentle cycle). You can also stitch different marbled designs together for a wonderful patchwork quilting effect.

Craig teaches marbling techniques at his stand at exhibition shows across the UK using his own water-based, non-toxic, quick drying paint. Also available at his stand are one to one make and take workshops focussed on marbling tiles and fabric. You can watch several of his workshops on justhands-on.tv

Craig sells his books and a variety of affordable Marbling kits with loads of support to spur you on via his Marbling 4 Fun website. He also sells hand marbled creations at exhibition shows. These are all unique one-off prints directly onto functional surfaces, e.g. Bathroom/Kitchen Tiles, coasters, lampshades and fabric purses.

Signature Technique:

Marbling

Top Tips:

– There are no rights or wrongs with marbling. Play, and enjoy the process.
– Use soft, deionised water for diluting paints and mixing the thickening agent for best results.
– Do two rounds of marbling on the same object to get an exciting layered effect.
– Avoid air pockets by tilting an object when printing.
– Remember to avoid squiring the paint out as it will sink, less is more.