One of the most unique and beautiful forms of Turkish art is Ebru, or
water marbling. Ebru is formed by drawing designs with dye on top of
water, and then carefully placing paper on the surface of the water in
order to absorb the dye.
The earliest examples of Ebru are found in the Topkapi Palace in
Istanbul, and are dated 1539, but the detail and quality of the work
suggests that Ebru was present long before this time in the Ottoman
Empire. Ebru has traditionally been rarely signed, and therefore many
great artists remain unnamed. Modern day students may study for more
than 10 years before being considered master marblers, learning how to
make the perfect dye, water bath, and design. Since each dye bath can
only be transferred to paper once, every original piece of Ebru is
unique.
The first step in Ebru is getting the perfect dye. Dyes are created
from various organic substances. Soil from Istanbul, white lead, indigo
from Pakistan, and red ochre are used to create the perfect color.
24-karat gold may be added to the dye in order to provide shimmer and
shine. The dye is mixed with ox-gall, and water, an art form in itself,
since each dye is unique depending on the time of year collected, its
age, and its fineness. Ebru artists often spend years simply learning
the art of mixing dye, before ever attempting their first marble.
The next step in Ebru is getting the perfect water bath in which to
place the dye. White kitre, a gum like substance, must be place in the
Ebru water in order to keep the dye design in place and in order to
allow the design to stick to the paper. Fresh kitre is available in
herbal shops during the fall, and every marbler buys enough kitre to
last an entire year. The density of the kitre, along with the type of
water being used, requires the marbler to make many attempts before
getting the correct stickiness. Too little, and the design spreads
before it can be finished and won�t adhere clearly to the paper. Too
much, and the paper becomes difficult to remove, again smearing the
design. Once the correct balance of kitre and water is achieved, the
mixture is left overnight, with occasional stirring. After four days of
settling, the water mixture is poured through a cloth bag, and is then
finally ready to be used.
Next, the marbler gathers her homemade horsehair brushes for detail
work, needles for dropping dye onto the water, and homemade combs for
drawing the dye through the water. The water is placed in a tray, only
slightly larger than the paper to be used.
Now, the creative portion of the work begins. Using only a mental idea
of the finished product, the marbler drops dye onto the water surface
with the needles, spreads the dye with the handmade combs, and uses the
brushes to draw a design. Flowers, birds, geometric designs, and
calligraphy are common choices for the Ebru artist.
Ebru is often used for bookmarks, inside the bindings of books, for
wall hangings, and to surround both Arabic and Turkish calligraphy. The
next time you visit the beautiful bazaars of Istanbul, make sure that
you don�t consider leaving without picking up a beautiful piece of
Turkish culture, a totally unique, handmade Ebru.