Alum Mordant Marbling

Makes the color stick on the paper or fabric.

Alum mordant marbling.

Alum is corrosive and will destroy cloth if not washed out soon. Marbling instructions vary greatly in the strength of the alum solution recommended to mordant paper. Used as a color binder in marbling. It bonds readily and permanently to other molecules creating a link between fiber and marbling pigment.

Alum this is mixed with hot water as a mordant to get the finished pattern to stick to the paper or fabric being marbled. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the crystals. Alum or potassium aluminum sulfate is a chemical often used as a food preservative. Wear disposable gloves while treating and marbling the fabric.

Let s investigate just how much is enough to make a successful print. It is sold in a dry crystal form and is soluble in water. I ve seen measurements ranging from 1 5 teaspoons to 5 tablespoons per pint of water. Alum potassium aluminum aluminium sulfate sulphate dodecahydrate.

Alum mordant for paper marbling. Marbling paper in the ebru turkish style requir. It costs about 1 oz and is also sold in 8oz 16oz bags at art craft stores or online. Remember that alum is the compound most commonly used to mordant both fabric and paper.

450 g 1 lb chemical formula. Friday february 19 1999 anne lane alane at infoave net writes there is a discussion going on on the calligraphy list concerning the use of alum as a mordant for marbling paper. Used as a color binder in marbling. Mix 3 tablespoons of alum per quart of hot water in one of the buckets.

Plan to marble fabric as quickly as possible after treatment. Jana kolar jana kolar date. Alum potassium aluminum aluminium sulfate sulphate dodecahydrate. Alum is also used in dyeing as a mordant.

The alum helps the pigments used in marbling to adhere to the paper. It acts as a color binder or mordant fixing the colors to the paper permanently if alum is not applied to the paper before marbling most of the color will rinse off. Some of these people are using the traditional carragheenan size and watercolors. Alum aluminum sulphate every sheet of paper to be marbled must be coated with alum.

This video demonstrates the recipes and techniques necessary for aluming paper in preparation for marbling. Our aim in mordanting is to evenly apply an alum solution to our fabric before marbling just enough for a permanent print. Without a mordant the pigments will slide off the paper. Make enough solution to cover your fabrics.