Marbleize familiar objects, and discover how the humble can be transformed into the extraordinary.

Don't let the intricacy and kaleidoscopic beauty of a marbleized design fool you. Those ripples of color may look hand-painted or machine-stamped, but they're actually created by liquid. Just take a closer look. You'll detect the telltale signs of motion: tiny waves, graceful swirls, and dappling reminiscent of raindrops falling on a pond. In fact, all marbleized patterns begin as paint floating on water. A gentle current is the true artist here.

Marbleizing dates to the twelfth century, when it was practiced in Japan and possibly China. Called suminagashi (which means "ink floating") in Japanese, the technique involved using absorbent papers to pick up ink from a water bath. Later, in Europe, the process of marbleizing was veiled in secrecy by close-lipped guild members practicing the art and selling their wares. In the mid-nineteenth century, however, their trade secrets were published, and marbleizing emerged as a popular pastime.

You can follow in this tradition and make your own rich designs. Marbleize paper to use as stationery and for crafts, and to add distinctive swirls of color to simple wooden objects, such as little boxes or bins. To do so, first coat what you select with a liquid mordant, which gives the paint something to hold on to. After it dries, fill a tray with water and a thickening agent; then speckle the surface of that liquid with paint.

By slowly moving the paint around, you manipulate the pattern. Finally, slip the object onto the surface of the water, then lift it up to capture the design. In doing so, you'll be witness to an age-old secret: Elaborate as it appears, marbleizing is easy. Marbleize familiar objects, and discover how the humble can be transformed into the extraordinary.

Making Marbelized Objects
To create marbleized designs, you'll need some specific supplies. They are inexpensive and readily available at art-supply and crafts stores.

Tools and Materials
1/4 pound alum (a mordant; makes paint adhere to paper)
Paintbrushes
Uncoated (nonglossy) medium-weight paper, or wooden objects, such as boxes
Clothesline and clothespins
Iron
1 bottle absorbent ground gesso (for priming wooden objects only)
Liquid acrylic paints
1/2 pound methyl cellulose (a thickening agent)
Whisk
Two shallow 14-by-16-inch baking pans (use larger pans if you are using larger sheets of paper) or Trays (such as photo-developing trays)
Knitting needle or skewer
Rake (see "Making a Rake")

Marbleized Paper How-To
1. Preparing the Surface
For paper: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of the alum in 2 cups of warm water. Use a pencil to mark one side of the paper, then brush that side with the alum mixture. (The pencil markings will indicate which side you prepared, as the solution will dry clear.)

Hang on a clothesline (about 1 hour) to dry; when dry, iron sheets on a medium setting to flatten. For wooden objects: It's easiest to marbleize only one side of a wooden object (the top of a box, for example), as multiple dippings can result in messy-looking corners; prepare that side only.

Brush the surface with absorbent ground gesso (if you want to paint the object first, mix the gesso with acrylic paint). Let dry, about 1 hour. Then coat with the alum mixture as described above for paper, and let dry.

2. Mixing the Marbleizing Solution
In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup of methyl cellulose with 4 quarts cold water, whisking to incorporate powder.

When the mixture is free of lumps, let it sit about 1 hour, stirring at 15-minute intervals until it is syrupy.

Pour the liquid into an empty pan. Thin paints, until runny, with small amounts of water. Dip a brush into your first paint color, and hold it over the tray; tap on the handle with a pencil, letting the paint speckle the mixture.

Continue to add paint (use up to five colors), covering as much of the mixture's surface as you like. Leave the speckles as they are, or move the paint as described in "Three Techniques" (below).

3. Embellishing the Surface
For paper: Hold the paper by two corners, and lower it (prepared side down) so it floats on top of the solution.

Let go of the corners, and smooth out any air bubbles with your fingertips. (Air bubbles are inevitable, so don't fret if a few remain.) Let the paper float for a few seconds, then gently lift it from the solution.

For wood: Lower the edge of your object onto the surface of the solution, and coat it in one fluid rocking motion.

4. Rinsing and Drying
Immediately after removing the paper or wooden object, place it in a pan, and pour water over it. Hang paper to dry; place wooden objects on paper towels to dry, marbleized side up.

Do not touch the paper or object until it is dry (most objects will dry within 2 hours, depending on humidity levels).

5. Keeping or Discarding the Solution
The same solution can be used several times. To change paint colors, lay strips of newsprint across the solution's surface, then remove; repeat with clean strips until the solution is clear.

You can store the solution in an airtight jar for about a week. Don't leave it in the tray, which could rust. If you have excess solution, do not pour it down the sink -- it may clog your drain.

Instead, pour the liquid into a resealable bag or plastic container, and throw it away. (There are no dangerous toxins to be concerned about.)

Three Techniques
For a "stone" pattern, speckle paint on solution. Move the paint in spirals using a knitting needle or skewer for a swirled design.

To make arches, draw the rake through the paint, first along the width of the tray, then across the length.

Making a Rake
You can buy a rake, but it's easy to make your own by sandwiching toothpicks taped at 1/4- to 1-inch intervals between layers of corrugated cardboard.

Project Ideas
Pencil Set: Take poetic license with a box of plain pencils, and dress them up in shades of pink, orange, and red.

Begin by marbleizing paper, then cut it into strips (about 1 by 6 3/4 inches). Brush a strip of paper with craft glue; affix one long edge of paper to the pencil, then roll against a hard surface to wrap the pencil and remove air bubbles. Sharpen the pencils once the glue has dried.

Picture Mats: Create handcrafted mats to enhance botanical prints or other pictures. We marbleized white papers in subtle greens, using stone and swirl patterns.

Coat a store-bought mat with adhesive spray, and affix it to the back of marbleized paper. With marbleized paper facing down, use a utility knife to cut around the inside and outside edges of the mat, and remove the paper "window."

Embellished-Edge Notepads: Dipped (on the three unbound sides) in a bath of color, Venetian-style notepads make wonderful gifts.

Begin by brushing the alum mixture on the edges, keeping the pages tightly closed as you work; let dry. Marbleize the edges, then rinse, and wrap the pad loosely in paper towels. Weight each notepad with a heavy book while it dries.

Cards and Gift Wrap: The dreamy curves of marbleizing lend themselves to a number of decorative paper crafts. Marbleized paper makes excellent gift wrap and cards.

Create a heart cutout with a Valentine wish. A gift tag, fitted with a grommet and twine, looks perfect adorning a package wrapped in paper with a swirl pattern.

Heart-Shaped Boxes: Marbleize the lids of inexpensive wooden boxes painted in pretty hues. Make one box, or create a set -- one with a rake pattern, another with a stone design, and still another with a swirled motif -- as we did. Fill with treats for someone special.

Desk Catchall: Upgrade your work space with custom desk organizers. We painted a wooden caddy, marbleized it with a swirl pattern, then touched up the sides with more paint. Fill with handmade marbleized stationery.

Magazine Holders: When you use only tiny amounts of paint, the color moves in free-form streaks on top of the solution. The result is a "veined marble" appearance. Use this method on a group of plain wooden magazine holders; we painted them pale green first and marbleized the fronts using the same pale green with reds and browns.