It is common for a creative person to search for new ways of self-expression, for example, such as non-traditional techniques of suminagashi and ebru - drawing on water. Both of them came to us from the depths of centuries and were originally folk “inventions”. Thanks to similar technologies, ancient masters imitated various textures in their works and created intricate abstractions. In this article we will look at where the ebru technique (drawing on water) and its various types, tools and materials necessary for work came from, and also whether it is possible to do it all yourself.
What it is?
Ebru is an old graphic technique that allows you to get a colorful impression from the surface of the water in one go. As a result, a unique pattern remains on the surface of the fabric or paper. In traditional Turkish water painting techniques, painting elements and techniques typical of prints are combined and complement each other.
When and where did the ebru appear?
Among modern scholars of this drawing technique, there is still debate about where and when it appeared. They are only one in one: this is the oldest type of folk art that has developed over the centuries and has oriental roots. According to one version, ebru - drawing on the water, appeared in India, and then through Persia came to the Ottoman Empire, as Turkey was called before. Proponents of another theory consider Bukhara to be the birthplace of this artistic technique, from where it spread further.
What does ebru mean?
As with the history of origin, the origin of the name of this art is also not clear. Some scientists believe that it came from "ebri", meaning "cloud" in translation from Farsi. Others suggest the presence of a linguistic ancestor in Chongai or Arabic. In the countries of the Old World, the art of ebru - drawing on water, appeared only in the 16th century, and the peak of its popularity came in the 17th – 19th centuries. Since the equipment was brought from Istanbul, Europeans most often call it “Turkish paper”.
Types of ebru
Modern artists widely use in their practice various types of this technique of drawing on water. Briefly dwell on the most common:
1. Akkase Ebru - when several layers of paint are applied alternately on the same paper sheet as they dry.
2. Waves or Gel-Git. Even a beginner will not have much difficulty making such an ebru. The technique is simple: paint is sprayed on the prepared water surface, after which parallel lines are drawn along it with an awl or a pointed bamboo stick.
3. Battal ebru - the most traditional and simple technique, in which the artist is only required to spray paint on the surface of the water, and then, without making any changes, transfer the drawing to paper or fabric.
4. Ebru technique Khatib, was invented by the Islamic preacher (imam-khatib) Mehmet Effendi at the beginning of the XVIII century. This technique served as a transition, from abstract drawings obtained in battalion, to images of flowers. In addition, thanks to the khatib ebru, drawing on the water got the opportunity to create an ornament.
5. Images of flowers, better known as ebru Nejmeddina, so named after its inventor. This technique is based on working with an awl on concentric circles of various sizes.
Water solution preparation
Unlike the Japanese suminagashi, which uses ordinary water, the Turkish ebru technique uses an aqueous solution thickened with a special plant extract. A thickener is obtained from the prickly plant Astralagus (geven), which grows in the mountainous regions of Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, which is cut in mid-summer, and the resulting resin is dried in the sun. As a result, they get a petal chitra, insisting that for two weeks, you can get a solution of the desired consistency. Today, there is a ready-made, powdered extract on sale, which is infused for only a day. Our compatriots mastering ebru, drawing on water, use a thickener thicker in our country - agar-agar, obtained from red seaweed and widely used in the cosmetic and food industries. To create a homogeneous aqueous medium, the solution thickened with agar-agar must be filtered through nylon or cheesecloth, and then covered with a newspaper or thick paper. In this way, you can collect all microscopic bubbles and get a homogeneous working composition.
It is useful to everyone who wants to learn the Turkish technique of ebru, a master class on preparing the water base:
1. If you are lucky and you were able to buy a powdered extract of gevena, put it in water, mix thoroughly and leave for a day.
2. The settled solution must be passed through cheesecloth or nylon, covered with a newspaper and left for several minutes.
3. We remove the newspaper and begin to work.
Other materials
In addition to the thickened aqueous solution for drawing on water using the ebru technique, other materials will be required:
- All-natural paints are made up of colored pigments, animal bile and water. Outwardly, they are very similar to ordinary tinted water.
- A flat tray in which you will create compositions on the water.
- Set of natural hair brushes, column or squirrels.
- An awl or some long and pointed object from one end, for example, a wooden skewer or a bamboo stick. By carefully working with colors on a dense surface, you can create original color transitions and visual images.
- Scallop. Folk craftsmen make a special tool, however, you can use any cheap plastic comb to get the scales in the picture.
Ebru workshop
After all the materials and tools have been prepared, the aqueous solution is infused, you can begin to work:
1. Place a few drops of paint on the water surface with a brush.
2. Using a comb, awl or tools to replace them, try to give the drops the shape you intended. This is quite difficult, since it is very difficult to predict where the paint will move.
3. When you consider that the drawing on the water is completely ready for you, take thick paper or plain fabric.
4. Put it very carefully on the surface of the water. As soon as the sheet lies flat on the entire drawing, carefully and smoothly remove it.
5. As a result, you should get a sheet of paper with a unique pattern and a clean surface of a thick base. If small traces of paint remain on the water, gently clean them with a newspaper.