A lot of times things do not turn out as well as I would like.
Sometimes an art project turns out ugly. I thought I would share photos of a few failed marbled items and the number one reason they turned out poorly.
In case it's helpful, below are the topics covered in this post:
What I Did Right
Because I have done several successful marbled/hydro dipped projects before, I believe the following things I did were correct:
#1: I identified the items I wanted to marble.
There were a few tools I wanted to marble for fun. I have successfully marbled a variety of items in the past, so I figured doing it again would be a piece of cake.
Sometimes creating a marbled effect is unpredictable. I selected items I did not mind ruining. Most items I dipped were from a dollar store. Other items were part of a cheap set or old.
#2: I prepped the items.
I cleaned the items thoroughly with a cleaning wipe. Doing so removed any dirt, dust, or other particles that would interfere with the marbling process.
I then masked off parts of the items I did not want to get paint onto. I used duct tape, but most adhesive tapes like masking or washi tapes would have sufficed. There were a few items that I was able to take apart and thus did not need to mask any part of it.
#3: I prepared the supplies I needed to marble.
These were the items I set out for marbling various items:
Bucket of water
Marbling paints
Paper towels
Gloves
Scrap paper
Plastic tray
I like using Marabu Easy Marble paints because of its low odor. I still recommend using it in a ventilated area because there is still a slight odor, but it is not strong like using spray paints. I shook the bottles well in case some chemicals separated and settled.
I went ahead and removed the bottle caps. When working with marbling/hydro dipping, it is important to work fast before the paint thickens too much on the water's surface. Removing the caps is just easier for me.
The paper towels were to clean up any spills or paint splatter. The scrap paper was to clear any excess paint from the water's surface in between items. The tray was a space for the marbled items to dry after dipping.
The gloves protected my skin. I recommend wearing gloves, especially if you have sensitive skin or allergies. I am fortunate that I'm not allergic to the marbling paints I used. However, I forgot to wear gloves the last time I marbled items and stained my skin. It took several days for the paint to completely wash off.
#4: I dipped items for the marbled effects.
I shook paint colors over the water's surface. If I wanted, I could have used a pick or skewer to create a pattern, but I did not care to do that on this day.
I slowly dipped the items one at a time into the water at an angle. Once the part of the item I wanted marbled was submerged, I used the scrap paper to remove excess paints from the water's surface. This prevents "double-dipping" which could sometimes result in an undesirable effect.
Once the paint was removed from the water's surface, I pulled the item out of the water (speed did not matter at this point) and set it aside to dry on a plastic tray. I made sure the items did not touch one another. The paint remains sticky until it is fully dried. I removed the tape afterwards.
Why I Failed
I failed to prime the surfaces with primer or gesso for the paint to hold on to. This is the most crucial part of step two for prepping the items.
Most of the items I marbled were plastic. Plastic is typically treated with a protective topcoat. The protective topcoat is slick and does not provide paint to grip onto it well.
Had I used enamel paints for marbling the items, I would have had a higher success rate. However, the marble paints I used had nothing to grip on to. There were bare spots on most of the items.
I double-dipped a few items. This resulted in thick chunky bits of paint on the items' surfaces. The items were no longer smooth because of this.
A craft knife was helpful for scraping off paint from parts of the items I did not want painted. I waited until the marbled paints were fully dry before scraping off the excess. I do not know if it is better to start scraping before the paint fully dries. It is worth experimenting with.
There were a few items that had better paint coverage. The wooden handle of the paintbrush looked decent. The handle of a craft knife I previously covered with paper and decoupage glue also looked decent.
The best marbled effect were the handles of a pair of scissors I have owned and used for years. The handles were rough from frequent use for so long, the marble paint was able to grip onto it perfectly.
My Thoughts
Well, I messed up. C'est la vie. Will I marble random items again? Yes. I Failed and I'm OK With It. This was an experience I will learn from.
Not every artistic endeavor I attempt will be successful. Most will be poorly done or complete failures. While this may encourage some to give up, it only encourages me to try again to see if I can do better.
What's Next?
If you are interested in my monthly journal spreads, check back next Tuesday to see my design theme related to National Picnic Month in July!
Comment below to share your failed marbled/hydro dipped project and your takeaways from that experience.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam
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