Ebru

Imagine a tray of quiet, sleepy water. Now, see a little drop of bright blue paint land on top. Bloop! It opens up like a flower. I swirl and I float. I am a rainbow that you can touch. Artists use special sticks, like little combs, to make my colors into wavy lines and pretty shapes. I am a magical painting that dances on water, a happy, colorful secret waiting to be shared. I love when the colors wiggle and giggle together on the water before they find their home.

My name is Ebru. I am the art of paper marbling. A very long, long time ago, back in the 15th century, some clever artists in a land called Turkey found me. They learned how to mix special paints from dirt and plants so the colors would float right on top of the water. They used their sticks to guide my colors to look like pretty tulips or fluffy clouds in the sky. It was like they were drawing a picture on the water. Then, very, very carefully, they would lay a piece of paper right on top of me. It was like giving the water a gentle, quiet hug.

Then came the best part. When the artist lifted the paper, surprise. All my dancing colors came with it. The paper held a special painting that could never, ever be made the same way again. People used my beautiful patterns to make important books and letters look extra special. They were treasures. Today, artists and kids all over the world still love to play with me. I show everyone that making art is a fun surprise, and that every picture is special and different, just like you.