Shaving Cream Marbling


I wanted to do some paper marbling, but after reading several online tutorials, they all required special products (thickeners, special paints, powders to make the paint stick, etc...) and tools (combs, trays, etc...).  So when I read a tutorial for using shaving cream, I figured it was worth a whirl since I had all the stuff on hand.

You'll need:
Shaving cream
A tray or cookie sheet
Liquid food coloring
Spatula or plastic ruler
Chopstick or skewer
Paper (I used cardstock)


Squirt a layer of shaving cream onto your cookie sheet or tray.  I used a cookie sheet that I picked up for less than a dollar--pretty worthless for cooking on--but good for craft projects.


I smoothed it out using a spatula.  You could use a ruler or piece of cardboard.


Start by dripping your food coloring on and starting to drag your chopstick or skewer through the shaving cream.


Once you have a pattern that you like, you can make a print.  Just drop your paper on top and gently press it into the design so that you don't have voids.


Peel your print up and let it sit for a moment before scraping the excess shaving cream off.  I used quite a bit of food coloring to get nice saturated color, so I had a little smearing when I scraped the shaving cream off. So scrape your shaving cream off in the same direction so that if it does smear, the smearing looks intentional.  The great thing about this kind of marbling is that if you like your print, you can make another one right away.  You can also adjust a little and try again, all without having to start completely over.  The food coloring is also pretty easy to clean up as long as you catch it before it dries.  It does stain the fingers a bit, but I think this is a totally kid friendly project.


I turned my marbled prints into a thank you card by adding a printed message and some coordinating paper. Next time I try, I'll give this a shot with real paint and see how it works, but I was pretty pleased with the food coloring.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Plastic Wrap Alcohol Ink on Small Ceramic Bowl

Splatter Resist Alcohol Ink Tile

Alcohol Ink Washer Necklaces