The illustrated concept of marbling—floating paints or inks on an aqueous mixture—and step-by-step marbling projects.

Throughout marbling’s long history, people have been captivated by both its apparent simplicity and its extraordinary complexity. Get to know and enjoy marbling's beauty in this guide from paper artist Freya Scott, whose enthusiasm for the craft is highly contagious.

As Freya explains the wide range of the art's possibilities and how to make them come to life in your work, beginners will learn the craft from square one, while advanced marblers will find many new ideas and directions for expanding their skills. Learn how to size and prepare various papers, choose color palettes, and make patterns, while being inspired by photos of dozens of beautiful marbled artworks. 

Throughout, try step-by-step projects. Learn how to marble with gouache and with acrylic; a special section covers marbling on fabric. Freya shares the personal experiences that have shaped her marbling career (for example, she learned marbling thanks to a debilitating illness) and the ways marbling can become a source of your best creativity. As she explains, although marbling is a simple concept, there are so many variables that the adventure never ends.

This absorbing guide offers you the art and science you need to take marbling as far as you want to go.