My attempt at marbling paper.
In the spring, I started teaching myself how to make marbled paper. It wasn’t easy—my methylcellulose was always too thick to use. On top of that, high-purity λ-carrageenan isn’t available in my country, so I had to follow tutorials and try boiling Irish moss to extract the carrageenan. Fortunately, I was able to buy some moss from local breweries. The experiment was a success. Then I ran into another problem: I tried every type of paper said to be suitable for marbling. Whether it was sketch paper, watercolor paper, printmaking paper, or any other kind, the edges would curl within five seconds of coming into contact with the sizie , turning the sheet into a cylinder. It wasn’t until a handmade paper shop sent me six or seven different types of paper that I discovered a new direction. I discovered that traditional paper—especially handmade paper—is highly breathable and can float very gently on the water’s surface. However, most traditional Chinese papers are too thin, generally weighing around 35–50g. So I began a deliberate search for traditional paper that was thick enough, until I discovered something called “二层夹熟宣”。This is a type of traditional Chinese paper made by fusing two sheets of paper together using a special technique（二层夹）; its surface is coated with gelatin and alum（熟）. It is commonly used for Chinese ink painting. It comes in 4 varieties,单夹（60g），二层夹（90克，Thickness≈0.16mm），三层夹（120g，≈0.25mm），四层夹（150g）。This paper has good breathability and, when wet, lies flat on the water’s surface. At the same time, its two-layer structure combined with a water-repellent coating provides a certain degree of water resistance. Pigments applied to the paper do not bleed through to the back, and applying alum water does not soak the paper through, thereby preventing waste of the alum water. However, this is not a standardized industrial product; even though every manufacturer produces the same item, there are still variations in the details. Some manufacturers produce paper with a smoother surface, so brushing it with water does not make the paper rough; others produce paper where the opposite is true.Overall, I'm quite satisfied with this paper. It lies flat on the water's surface, which greatly reduces the risk of the edges not being dyed properly and minimizes waste. My only complaint is that this paper has a slightly yellowish tint and its color rendering is relatively poor, but it’s still within an acceptable range.I highly recommend that you give it a try. Or do you have any better suggestions? I really value the breathability of the paper.