Try traditional Turkish art
You’ll need
- Tables
- Something to protect surfaces (for example, newspaper or tablecloths)
- Scissors
- Cocktail sticks
- Device with access to the internet
- Printer (optional)
- Used plastic tubs at least 20cm by 20cm
- Slow-drying spray paint
- Water transfer paper
- Washing line or string
- Digital thermometer
- Access to warm water
- Clothes pegs
- PPE for painting including gloves, safety goggles and spray paint respiratory face masks.
What's Ebru?
Ebru is the traditional art of paper marbling that originates from Turkey. The process involves sprinkling and brushing coloured pigments onto water and transferring it onto paper. Traditional designs include flowers, foliage, mosaics and moons. It was traditionally used for the art of bookbinding.
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.
Setting up the painting area
- Print off or find some examples of Ebru painting to show everyone before you get started.
- Have protective equipment ready. You'll need gloves, safety goggles and spray paint respiratory face masks.
- Let everyone know that you’ll be doing some painting in the next session. Ask them to wear clothes that they don’t mind getting some paint on.
- Try to get as many colours of spray paint as you can, so everyone can make their work unique.
- You could contact local hardware stores or suppliers to see if they've any spare or returned paint that you can buy at a discounted price.
- Cut your sheets of water transfer paper in half, so that they’re A5-sized. You’ll need enough for everyone in the group. It’s a good idea to have some spare, too.
- Wash out your tubs and check that a sheet of your A5 water transfer paper comfortably fits inside each one. You could layer the inside of your tubs with cling-film if you want to reuse them.
- Set everything up outside on tables covered with old sheets of newspaper.
- Lay a groundsheet underneath the activity area.
- Put out the tubs, cocktail sticks and water transfer paper in spaces in advance.
The art of Ebru
- Introduce Ebru painting, a traditional form of painting that originated in Turkey. They should show everyone some examples and everyone should talk about the colours and technique they use.
- Show everyone the area they’ve set up outside.
- Everyone should split into groups of no more than four people. Each group should choose three paint colours to use in their art.
- Each group should stand by a plastic tub.
- Someone should fill each tub three quarters of the way up with warm water. The water should be between 20C and 30C - you could use a digital thermometer to check this.
- Everyone should put on gloves, safety goggles and spray paint respiratory face masks.
- Take it turns to shake their spray can and spray into the water. They should hold the can about 30cm from the surface of the water and they should only use one can at a time.
- Once their colours are in the water, everyone should use the cocktail stick to swill them around and paint their picture.
- When they’re happy with the pattern, everyone should drop the water transfer paper into the water and push it down slowly so that it’s submerged.
- Everyone should displace any paint that’s settled around the outside of the paper near the edges of the tub with the cocktail stick.
- Everyone should carefully remove the paper from the water and hang it up somewhere to dry.
- Someone should replace the water and wash out any leftover paint from the tub before the next person has a turn.
Reflection
This activity gave everyone the chance to learn about a traditional art form from Turkey.
Pictures like these often featured in storybooks, which were handmade and bound by some of the finest craftspeople in the world.
What did everyone make by swirling their paint? Was it easier or harder than painting with a brush?
Could anyone tell a story by making a series of Ebru pictures? Groups could arrange their work to see if they can create a story from the four pictures.
Ebru-style painting in this way could be used to decorate items, such as vases and cups, as well as books.
Did anyone try the extension in this activity and do this? How did it turn out? What will they do with their item? It could make a great gift, for example.
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Spray canister products
- Look at the advice on COSHH (Control Of Substances Hazardous To Health) and check the manufacturer’s advice. You may need to include controls, such as good ventilation, using a face mask and gloves, and avoiding use near ignition sources.
- Glue and solvents
Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using glue and solvent products. Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation. Be aware of any medical conditions that could be affected by glue or solvent use and make adjustments as needed.
- Chemicals
This task involves the use of potentially harmful fluids or chemicals. Make sure you follow all relevant safety guidance. Make sure you dispose of them appropriately too, in line with safety guidance.
Ebru-style painting can be applied to other objects, such as cups or boxes.
If anyone has a neutral-coloured object they’d like to paint they could bring this along.
Bear in mind that you’ll probably need larger tubs, more paint, and a spray sealant to maintain the design once it’s complete.
Make sure everyone has suitable safety gear that fits properly and is fit for purpose.
If anyone would prefer not to use the spray paint they could direct someone else to do it. They could still choose their colours and make a pattern with a cocktail stick.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Once your paper has dried completely, consider using it to create something else. This could be part of a picture, collage or part of a book.
The activity allows everyone the chance to create their own designs.
For more opportunities, allow everyone the opportunity to choose their colour spray paint from the retailer and to gather all of the materials for the activity.