The size in the body of fluid that the marbling colours are floated on . It is of a consistency thicker than water, but not too thick. A consistency like that of cooking oil, or olive oil is ideal. Several sizes were formerly used. However, only one size is used today, by almost all professionals, carrageen moss.
Carrageen, or Irish moss, is a type of red alga, which releases a sort of jelly-like thing called mulicage when boiled in water. Now, it used to be prepared by taking the dried moss, and boiling it for up to half an hour with borax and hot water.The modern marbler need not suffer this, as a extract of carrageen moss is readily avalible.
To make the size, take ......
1 ounce of the extract,
1 quart of hot water.
There are 2 ways of proceeding from hence.
The more common method involves whirring the ingredinents iin a blender, and the resulting foamy mess is then left to settle overnight .
The second method involves taking the ingredients, and whisking them in a bowl till all the extract is dissolved. In either case, the sollution is left to cool and diluted, till the desired concictency, as it is often found to be too thick .
The amount of size that you make must be enough to fill your through to a deph of at least three fingers.
Other sizes were ( and sometimes are) also used, and they will be covered in a subsequent post.
Thank you, Matthew!
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