Easy Marbling Techniques for Your Home

Marbling techniques are done in several different ways but most involve paint. There are a couple of ways to marbleize certain surfaces without the expense and mess. One is to use paper towels and food coloring. This technique is one of the most simple in the world. Wet the paper towel, wring to the point where they no longer drip, and lay flat on dry newspapers. Squirt drops of food coloring here and there on the paper towel. Use a single color or various colors. The food coloring will spread throughout the towel making pastel colors much lighter than the original color dripped.

Place the wet paper towel up against any number of surfaces. It will cling to most crafts, walls, ceilings and clothing. With gloved hands, tap or press the paper towel, so that it makes good contact. After removing the paper towel allow the area to dry. Do not wash or launder the area for at least 24 hours.

Marbleized surfaces that need laundering, like tees or tablecloths, will fade eventually unless you use a fade prevention liquid sold in laundry sections of many stores. Surfaces that are simply wiped off, like a wall, won’t fade as quickly.

Some things to remember about this particular technique is that certain surfaces are more receptive than others. For example, the marbleizing will be unnoticeable if you use it on dark wood. Or, if you try to use it on a ceramic lamp it may or may not take. Good surface choices are light in color. The technique works well on wood, like cabinet doors, or solid-colored wallpaper. It does not work on glass or most metal surfaces. Rule of thumb: the slicker the surface the less likely the marbleizing will work.

A similar way to do the same technique is by using powdered drink mix, like Kool-Aid. It comes in a variety of colors and works the same way as the food coloring. With this method the paper towel should be very wet. Sprinkle the mix onto the wet paper towel and hold it over the newspaper or sink, allowing the excess to drain. Squeeze slightly with gloved hands. Place paper towel onto desired surface. Since the mix contains sugar it’s important to wash and launder any surface after it has dried well.

You can make large projects go by quicker by using several paper towels to cover large surfaces. Try the technique on tee shirts, plastic drawers or bowls, ceilings, baseboards, or light switch covers (unplug all appliances first and make sure towel is not dripping). Treat one paper towel and stick it to a wall, then leave it alone while you do the next one, and so forth. After many towels are in place go back to where you started and begin removing them, one by one.

To do the technique on clothing lay the desired piece on newspapers. Wrap the paper towels around areas like long sleeves. Make sure to get hidden areas, like underarms and shoulder creases, well touched with the dye. With clothing you can also wet the garment and sprinkle the powdered mix directly onto it. Or, mix the drink mix in a bucket and dip the garment into the solution. Twist the garment tightly for a more tie-dyed look.

Another variation is to mix the drink mix but use half the water suggested on the package. Add even less water for brighter colors. Place in a squirt bottle on the “spray” setting and spray walls or ceilings. Make sure that you wash the area after it has dried well. Be aware that squirting the fluid onto surfaces will leave you with a look of dripping color. If this is not the look you want do not use this method except on a project that is laying flat. This method isn’t suitable for small crafts but is well suited for walls, ceilings, large rugs, sheets or counter tops.

Some great uses for these techniques: turn plain paper and envelopes into stationery suitable as a gift, make old wallpaper look new again, turned stained counter tops into mod counters, die unglazed ceramics, or make pastel marbleized tennis shoes. You’ll find lots to do with this simple but effective method.