Today I want to continue telling you about the amazing
ancient art of drawing on water – “ebru” (see the beginning of this story here).
From very beginning, I wanted my children to become engaged
with ebru. So, we bought a starter set. That includes a plastic tray for
tableware, size A4; basic colours and thickening powder. These days they make
acrylic paints for ebru, which can also be used for painting on natural fabric
such as silk, cotton, etc. Thickening agent is made from synthetic resins. In
the set of colours, it is necessary to have one bottle of white colour (better
to have two), as background patterns are traditionally made with pastel shades.
Instead of traditional used for applying the colours drop by drop, we use
fine metal knitting needles. We use the most basis office paper. We also use
paper tissues to wipe the needles clean after each movement.
We need to dissolve the thickener in clean water (we usually
take 1 liter of water per the A4 tray). Proportions are indicated on the
package of the thickener. We mix the powder in a vessel or right in the tray,
it needs to be mixed for 20 minutes without any haste, so that not to have any
clots there. Then we cover it with a newspaper to protect from dust and leave
alone for 6-8 hours (usually till morning).
In the morning, we filter the solution or mix it in a
blender and let it stand for 30 minutes so that there are no small bubbles.
Then we put a pilot drop of paint in that solution, preferably light in colour, to see how it behaves. If the drop drowns, possibly the solution (kitre) is too thick. In that case, we need to add a bit of water and mix it again. Then we put another drop. When the drop touches kitre, it must bloom like a flower, turning into a correct circle.
It is important not to make kitre too thin, as you
can’t reverse it! So, proportions are usually indicated for a thicker solution.
After you practice making kitre several times, you will know how it must feel
to the touch. Skills come through practice.
Then we put a pilot drop of paint in that solution, preferably light in colour, to see how it behaves. If the drop drowns, possibly the solution (kitre) is too thick. In that case, we need to add a bit of water and mix it again. Then we put another drop. When the drop touches kitre, it must bloom like a flower, turning into a correct circle.
There are numerous styles of ebru. All paintings on water
can be divided into two groups: textures (abstract background) and specific
images (mostly flowers). A separate category is ebru with inscriptions which is
more difficult and time consuming. They usually use decals for that.
Story by Ekaterina Ryazanova (KatyaCoil) (to be continued).
Translated by Eugenie (MulberryWhisper)
Very interesting posts..... Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHave a joyful week
Very interesting!
ReplyDeletegreat!
ReplyDeleteOMG, looks so interesting!
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