Pietro Accardi: Fabric, Paper, and Metallics Marbling

Workshop Description

During these three days, students will learn and practice all the basics of paper and fabric marbling. They will learn how to prepare metallic paint and create beautiful overmarbled paper/fabrics.

The first day we will talk about all the materials and preparation needed to successfully marble on paper. Students will learn the most famous historical marbling patterns and will have ample time to practice. Each person will have their own marbling tray and 12-15 sheets of primed paper on which to express their creativity.

The second day will be dedicated to talk about how to marble on fabric. We will also discuss more complex marbling patterns and talk about applying ideas of color theory in marbling. Each student will marble 12 sheets of two types of cotton.

The third day will be dedicated to incorporating the metallic paint into the marbling patterns and to demonstrating some simple ways to produce complex overmarbled papers. Both paper and fabric will be used during this last day.

Materials/Equipment to be Provided by Students

• Apron
• Comfortable shoes

See Materials Glossary for definitions and images

Materials/Equipment to be Provided by Instructor

• Primed paper
• Primed fabric
• Carrageenan
• Drying racks
• Trays for marbling

Instructor Biography

Pietro is native to the northwestern Italian city of Turin where his father Gaetano founded and operated a commercial printing press. His youth spent in the press led him to paper marbling, restoration, and bookbinding. After coming to the USA he started teaching paper and fabric marbling at the San Francisco Center for the Book and at the Nevada Museum of Arts in Reno. Together with his wife Vanessa he founded Accardi Book Arts: a book arts studio and bindery in Gardnerville, Nevada, to follow his passion of marbling fabric/paper and to preserve the tradition of handmade books and boxes.