Elevator Pitch

The Motley Kids are learning ancient paper arts! In this craft-along we’ll be making marbled paper and talking about at-home paper art. 

This Craft Makes: 

The Motley Kids are learning ancient paper arts! In this craft-along we’ll be making marbled paper and talking about at-home paper art. 

This is also a messy craft (we’re using dye), so cover up your workspace and your crafting clothes!

Supplies: 

You will need:

• Optional: plastic gloves so your fingers stay clean
• White paper or cardstock to dye (sturdy art paper or watercolor paper is best but printer paper works just fine.)
• Shaving cream (get the kind that’s all foamy, not the fancy gels or creams)
• A baking pan (we use a half sheet cookie sheet), 9×13 inch casserole dish, or other large-ish flat container that won’t fall apart when it gets damp
• Food coloring in your desired colors
• A chopstick, pencil, or other stick for stirring colors
• A spatula for scraping with
• Paper towels or kitchen rags to clean your spatula with 

Steps to Make It

1. Fill your tray with shaving foam — you need a thick enough layer that the tray doesn’t show (about half an inch)
2. Use your spatula to flatten the foam out (doesn’t have to be perfect), wiping as needed. 
3. Drip food coloring onto the foam (this works best if you don’t pack it too tightly, so leave an inch or two between drips)
4. Use your stick to swirl the colors together. Be enthusiastic but remember that too much swirling will give you brown muddy spots.
5. Lay the paper onto your design and gently pat it down on to the shaving cream.
6. Let it sit for a few seconds before picking it carefully up. Set it on your workspace dyed side up.
7. Carefully scrape the excess foam off the paper. Wipe between each scrape.
8. You can dye multiple pieces with your foam. You will get a slightly different design each time.

Notes for Setup/Teardown

• This is a MESSY CRAFT so you want your workspace covered with something that can deal with something wet and covered in dye placed on it.