Being an ancient art form, there are plenty of marbling texts to pull from. Like any art, however, many of these books are designed to be utilized by the casual crafter, and the information offered is too basic. I refer to those as Craftburger Helpers. This is my attempt to sort and organize what is out there.
This is only for western marbling techniques: no suminagashi, ebru, dyed, or paste papers. This also does not include catalogues.
Modern Artist Guides
Pre-1980 Marbling Guides
History and Persons
Artist Books
Other
Craftburger Helper Guides
Non-English
Modern Artist Guides
Brett, Kate. Making Traditional Marbled Papers. The Crowood Press, 25 Oct. 2021. 112 pages, paperback. ISBN: 9781785009570
Chambers, Anne. Marbling on Paper Using Oil Paints. Search Pr Ltd, 1993. 64 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-0855327095
Chambers, Anne. The Practical Guide to Marbling Paper. Thames & Hudson, 1999. 88 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-0500274217
Eisenbart, Rene. The Art of Paint Marbling. Walter Foster Publishing, 2021. 128 pages. ISBN: 978-1600588761. Paperback.
Fletcher, Heather RJ. Making Marbled Paper: Paint Techniques & Patterns for Classic & Modern Marbleizing on Paper & Silk. Fox Chapel Publishing, 2019. 160 pages. ISBN: 978-1497100435
Fox, Polly. A Marbler’s Companion: Common problems & solutions. Fresh Ink Press. Taos, NM. 1991. 30 pages.
Grunebaum, Gabriele. How to Marbleize Paper. Dover Publications, 1984. 32 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-0486246512
Grunebaum, Gabriele. Techniques for Marbleizing Paper. Dover Publications, 1992. 32 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-0486271569
Maurer-Mathison, Diane V. The Ultimate Marbling Handbook : A Guide to Basic and Advanced Techniques for Marbling Paper and Fabric. New York, Watson-Guptill Publications, 1999.
Paperback: 978-0823055753, 144 pages
Hardcover edition published by author with updated source directory
Maurer-Mathison, Diane V. Creating Marbled Patterns. 20 pages, PB.
booklet that contains the patterning section from the Ultimate Marbling Handbook.
McGrath, Lucy. Contemporary Paper Marbling: Design and Technique. Batsford, 2020. 144 pages. ISBN: 978-1849945530. Hardcover.
Medeiros, Wendy Addison. Marbling Techniques: How to create traditional and contemporary designs on paper and fabric. Echo Point Books & Media, 2019. 146 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-1635618242 (originally published in 1994 by Watson-Guptill)
Nevins, Iris. Traditional Marbling. 48 pages.
Nevins, Iris. Fabric Marbling. 26 pages.
Nevins, Iris. 105 Helpful Hints for the Marbler. 25 pages.
Scott, Freya. Marbling: Practical Modern Techniques. Schiffer Craft, 2020. 176 pages. ISBN: 978-0764360817. Hardcover.
Schleicher, Patty and Schleicher, Mimi. Marbled Designs: A Complete Guide to Fifty-Five Elegant Patterns. Lark Books, Asheville, NC. 1993. 144 pages. ISBN: 978-0937274699
St. John, Daniel. Contemporary Classic Marbling. Self published; part of Chena River Marblers Intro to Watercolor class. 28 pages. Spiral bound.
Pre-1980 Marbling Guides
Cockerell, Sydney M. Marbling Paper. Bookbinding as a School Subject pamphlet no. 5. G. W. Russell and Son Limited Educational Handicrafts Hitchin Herts, Letchworth, UK. Undated. *
-17 pages. Illustrated and with two specimens of Cockerell paper tipped in. (Mine has a gel-git and a curled nonpareil. The Met’s has a bouquet.)
Fichtenberg, M. New and Complete Manual on the Making of Fancy Papers by M. Fichtenberg.
-Oak Knoll released a fancy version edited by Richard J. Wolfe.
Halfer, Josef. The Progress of the Marbling Art from Technical Scientific Principles.
-originally published in 1894, and is in public domain
-Project Gutenberg link: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41241
-Debra Tremper has translated, edited, and re-published the text. This is the version I suggest reading: Halfer, Josef. The Progress of the Marbling Art from Technical Scientific Principles. Edited by Debra Tremper. Six Penny Graphics, 2018. 130 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-1732659506
Schade, J.A.F., The Marbling Art: Instructions for Comb and Turkish Marble for Bookbinders
-This title was originally published in 1845, and is out of copyright.
-Debra Tremper has translated, edited, and re-published the text. This is the version I suggest reading:
Schade, J.A.F., The Marbling Art: Instructions for Comb and Turkish Marble for Bookbinders. Edited by Debra Tremper. Six Penny Graphics, 2020. 42 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-1732659537
Woolnough, C.W. The Whole Art of Marbling as applied to Paper, Book Edges, Etc.
-This title was originally published in 1884, and is out of copyright.
-archive.org link: https://archive.org/details/wholeartofmarbli00wool/page/n7/mode/2up
-Debra Tremper has edited, annotated, and re-published the text. This is the version I suggest reading:
Woolnough, C.W. The Whole Art of Marbling as applied to Paper, Book Edges, Etc. Edited by Debra Tremper. Six Penny Graphics, 2019. 138 pages. ISBN: 978-1732659513. Paperback.
History and Persons
Berger, Sidney E. Edward Seymour & the Fancy Paper Company. 104 pages.
Dubansky, Mindell. Pattern and Flow: A Golden Age of American Decorated Paper, 1960s to 2000s. Thomas J. Watson Library, 2023. 188 pages, hardcover. ISBN: 978-0300266191
Wolfe, Richard J. Marbled Paper, Its History, Techniques, and Patterns. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990. 260 pages, hardcover. ISBN: 978-0812281880
-This has been reprinted in 2018 by Oak Knoll Press with a new foreword by Sidney Berger. Paperback, ISBN: 9781584563600
Artist Books
There is no limit on the number of small print artist books that deal with marbling techniques and history. I’m only listing ones that have been recommended to me or people I trust as having excellent information worth hunting down, and ones by prominent authors in the field.
Fridge, Karli. Alchemy & Marbling. The Netherlands, Joppe, 1996. 66 pages. 100 editions.
Wolfe, Richard J. On Improvements in Marbling the Edges of Books and Paper, A Nineteenth Century Marbling Account Explained and Illustrated With Fourteen Original Marbled Samples. Newtown, PA: Bird & Bull Press, 1983. 64 pages, followed by tipped in samples.
- First edition, limited to 350 numbered copies (Heaney A37). Reprints the first American Treatise on Marbling, an account which appears in the April 1829 issue of the Journal of the Franklin Institute with additional text by Wolfe. Beautifully printed on handmade paper. Prospectus loosely inserted.
Other
The Progress of the Art: Paper Marbling in the United States, 1880-1950. Thesis by Emily C. Pazar, spring 2016. https://udspace.udel.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/3e7e0ea8-4764-4a7d-958f-027ada75b0cb/content
Craftburger Helper Guides
Akers, Robert C. Marbling. Dryad Leaflet 505. The Dryad Press. Leicester, UK. 1976.
-15 pages. Illustrated, mainly via color photographs.*
Bates, J.S. Hewitt, and Halliday, J. Three Methods of Marbling. Dryad Leaflet No. 74. The Dryad Press. Leicester, UK. Undated. *
-15 pages. Limited illustrations and black-and white photographs.
Maksimovic, Natascha. Paper Marbling: Learn in a Weekend. Skittledog, 2024. 80 pages.ISBN: 978-1837760336. Paperback.
Shah, Zeena. Marbling: Projects, design ideas and techniques for a more colourful life. Quadrille Publishing, 2022. 160 pages. ISBN: 978-1787138407. Paperback.
Non-English
Gaißer, Gudrun. Marmorieren auf Seide, Leinen und andere Gewebe. Frech Verlag GmbH. Stuttgart. 1999. 48 pages.
Gaißer, Eberhard. Marmorieren, eine orientalische Färbetechnik für Papier und andere Materialien. Frech Verlag GmbH. Stuttgart. 1999. 48 pages.
The following additions to this list can be credited to:
* Allison Smith, https://asmithmarbling.substack.com/
If I’m missing a text you think should be on here, add a comment.
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