Most people are familiar with this traditional marbled pattern called Nonpareil (which is French for “without equal”). It was quite the popular pattern used in endpapers in 19th-century books. In the technical world of marbling, a Nonpareil is made with a tool called a “comb” and the spacing of the teeth in the comb is 1/4” or less. I have a Nonpareil comb with teeth spaced at 1/8”…but I’ve seen some marblers’ with combs even closer than that! And some marblers even make their own Nonpareil comb where they will vary teeth spacing for their own personal signature mark!
Image courtesy of Einen Miura from the book, The Art of Marbled Paper
And while the Nonpareil is one of the “basic” foundation patterns in marbling, there is nothing basic about it. The pattern will look very different not only by mixing up comb sizes, but by changing the way it is made: starting with Stones vs. Boulders vs. Bull’s Eye, using a Waved Gelgit vs. a regular Gelgit or a full Gelgit vs. a half Gelgit, or doing it in a shallow bath vs. a deep bath.
Nonpareil as an Overmarble.
With so many options and possibilities, whatever your mood is, marbling will meet you there.
There is just one spot left in my all-day Beginning Marbling class on Saturday, June 24. If you'd like to learn how to make this, and other, elegant patterns, shoot me an email at Cheers "at" BarbSkoog "dot" com.