Nail Polish Marbling: Techniques

critter2 · 09-10-2008

Does anyone know of a tutorial for using nail polish to create marbled backgrounds? I just bought some really cool colors of polish at the dollar store and am dying to try this out. My first attempts tonight were less than stellar.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

kristyk71 · 09-13-2008

Is this what you are talking about?

Nail Polish Background

1. Fill a large container with water.
2. Submerge a piece of dark cardstock. Using Salley Hansen’s clear nail polish (other brands may work as well but this is what I've used), place a drop of nail polish on top of water. It should spread out and make a beautiful rainbow of colors. (You may need a toothpick to make is separate out a little bit.)
3. Then lay out your pieces to dry. Dry on newsprint and weight or iron to flatten.

You can do the same type of thing with your chalks. Water in a shallow container, scrap some of your chalks into the water (they float), then lay the paper on the top. Submerge a little then lift out.

I have no idea where I found this technique -- I saved it in a word doc with no identifying info. HTH!

critter2 · 09-14-2008

Thanks!!!!
I goofed around a little with this on my own and the polish formed a skin on top of the water. Maybe that's why you submerge it and then pull it up through the water(?)
Or maybe the secret is a drop of clear polish.
I was searching on line for marble techniques with nail polish and found one for doing nails (not paper) by a manicurist and she said to use warm water or the polish dries too fast in the cold water.

I'm a little wound up from the Stamp and Scrap Expo in Vegas (new toys to play with!!!!) So I'll print this and try it later. TFS it's much appreciated.

ruthyoung · 09-18-2008

Hey has anyone posted a card wth this technique? I would love to see it.

vikkijo · 05-23-2009

Someone mentioned this technique at Micheals today and that they had seen it here on SCS...
I wanna see samples!

jemur · 05-25-2009

bump. I'd like to see a sample too!

vanislandwoman · 05-25-2009

Years ago, in the age of dinosaurs, we used to do marbling using oil based paints floated onto water. I think the nail polish is the same kind of thing. Both people above have given instructions for the two ways we did it:
1) have a fairly large container of water, dribble the colours into it (they float on top) and use a toothpick or something similar to pull the colours into each other. Slide your cardstock into the water from one side, positioning it under swirls. Lift the paper up from underneath, capturing the paint swirls on your cardstock. Carefully set aside to dry.
2) Once you have the colours swirled how you want them, carefully hold the cardstock by two edges and lower it on top of the water. Lift carefully, flip over, and set out to dry.
I haven't done this for years, but it was always a lot of fun. We used to do it on fairly large sheets of drawing paper, and use it for the inside cover of homemade type books, or for making slip covers for our school textbooks.

Basically your working with the 'oil and water don't mix' principle- your colours spread on the water and adhere to the paper. The water is there to float the colours and let you gently mix them into interesting designs that resemble marble, hence the name of the technique.

auntangie · 05-26-2009

This sounds like fun. THe only marbeling I have ever done was with shaving cream and reinkers.

hauvie · 05-26-2009

I just did a search and found this blog using this technique:
http://imuststamp.blogspot.com/2008/...ackground.html

MariLynn · 05-26-2009

I am glad I saw this thread today. It sounded so interesting that I just had to try it. Here is the paper that I made:

Nailpolish paper

And here is the card that I made using that paper:

Nailpolish Heart Card

missiowa81 · 05-26-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by MariLynn

I am glad I saw this thread today. It sounded so interesting that I just had to try it. Here is the paper that I made:

Nailpolish paper

And here is the card that I made using that paper:

Nailpolish Heart Card

Wow! That's awesome! Good for you for trying something new and hitting a home run on the first shot.

SilverDragoness · 06-01-2009

I think my favorite for this technique is dark paper with the clear Sally Hansens because it goes all rainbow oil slick like.

punchaddict · 06-05-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanislandwoman

Years ago, in the age of dinosaurs, we used to do marbling using oil based paints floated onto water. I think the nail polish is the same kind of thing. Both people above have given instructions for the two ways we did it:
1) have a fairly large container of water, dribble the colours into it (they float on top) and use a toothpick or something similar to pull the colours into each other. Slide your cardstock into the water from one side, positioning it under swirls. Lift the paper up from underneath, capturing the paint swirls on your cardstock. Carefully set aside to dry.
2) Once you have the colours swirled how you want them, carefully hold the cardstock by two edges and lower it on top of the water. Lift carefully, flip over, and set out to dry.
I haven't done this for years, but it was always a lot of fun. We used to do it on fairly large sheets of drawing paper, and use it for the inside cover of homemade type books, or for making slip covers for our school textbooks.

Basically your working with the 'oil and water don't mix' principle- your colours spread on the water and adhere to the paper. The water is there to float the colours and let you gently mix them into interesting designs that resemble marble, hence the name of the technique.

I still have one of the "dinosaur kits" for this that QVC sold, Magic Dip. The water had borax added to it to make the product work better. I used a big ice cream bucket to do the marbling in. I marbled everything from paper to tennis shoes!