Color in Motion: Suminagashi & Ebru Marbling with Linh My Truong
In this 4-part seminar, explore the history and techniques of Japanese suminagashi and Turkish ebru marbling.
Course Description
Discover the magic of marbling with artist Linh My Truong, creating colorful, psychedelic designs on paper and fabric. Traversing the globe, we’ll cover two main types of marbling: the delicate, flowy imagery of Japanese suminagashi marbling using inks and sumi brushes, and the vibrant patterns of Turkish ebru marbling with paint. Along the way, we’ll experiment with different substances and additives to warp our marbled visions even further and discuss DIY and found tools for marbling. We’ll also learn how to mordant fabric and paper to make our unique art prints last. By the end of this course, you’ll not only have a deeper understanding of the history, cultural context, and elements of each approach to marbling, but also several completed paper and fabric pieces—along with the tools and techniques to continue marbling on your own.
Syllabus at a Glance
This course includes four total sessions, each lasting 2 hours on four consecutive Wednesdays beginning April 17.
Session 1 (Wednesday, 4/17, 7-9:00 PM ET)| Introduction to Marbling: Approaches to marbling, traditional suminagashi techniques, and mordanting
Session 2 (Wednesday, 4/24, 7-9:00 PM ET)| Modern Japanese Suminagashi Marbling: Experimental techniques with various additives and colors
Session 3 (Wednesday, 5/1, 7-9:00 PM ET)| Turkish Ebru Marbling: Tools and patterns
Session 4 (Wednesday, 5/8, 7-9:00 PM ET)| Turkish Ebru Marbling: Experimental techniques
Between Sessions
Outside of class, students will be expected to spend between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours each week continuing to practice techniques learned in class or preparing materials for the next session.
Course Materials
Students will be required to have or purchase the following supplies (estimated cost around $70) prior to the first class:
- Vat
- Inks & paints
- Brushes
- Surfactant
- Alum & carrageenan
- Eye droppers
- Paper and/or fabric to print on
- Stylus like a T-pin or toothpick
- Drying rack
- Kitchen scale
Pricing Options
In addition to full-price tickets, a limited number of no-pay spots are available for this course. Please note that these tickets are reserved for those who would not otherwise be able to take this course and who expect to attend all sessions. No-pay spots are distributed via a randomized drawing two weeks before each course begins. For more information and to apply for a no-pay spot, please click here. To learn more about our pricing model and randomized selection process for no-pay spots, please visit our FAQ page.
Community Guidelines for Students
Please take a moment to review our community guidelines for students, which aim to share our classroom ethos and help set the stage for the best possible learning experience.
Atlas Obscura Online Courses
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Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite that will provide access to each class meeting. Please save the confirmation email as you’ll use it to access all sessions of your course via Zoom.
Linh My Truong is an interdisciplinary artist and educator working with textiles, video, and electronics. Through her exploration of the Japanese marbling art of suminagashi and her penchant for hard geometric forms, her work finds a place between chaos theory and an ordered universe. Her application of technology allows for the usage of light to create immersive art installations, bringing traditional art forms into the 21st century.
This is an interactive, small-group seminar that meets over Zoom. Students may be encouraged to participate in discussions, work on assignments outside of class, and workshop projects with their instructor or classmates. Due to the interactive nature of this course, we strongly recommend students attend as many live sessions as possible. Within 72 hours after each session meets, students will receive access to a recording of the live session, which they can watch for up to two weeks after the course concludes.
Instructors may use Google Classroom to communicate with students outside of class. While students aren’t required to use Google Classroom, instructors may use this platform to post resources, discussion questions, or assignments. This platform also offers a space for students to connect with one another about course material between sessions.
We provide closed captioning for all of our courses and can share transcripts upon request. Please reach out to us at experiences@atlasobscura.com if you have any questions, requests, or accessibility needs.
There are 23 spots available on this experience.
