The idea
![Hands in foam with marbled ink](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make-marbling233.width-340.jpg)
Want to make some marbled paper?
We'll show you how to use shaving foam and ink or paint to create swirly patterns and prints!
You can use paper to print onto, or even your hands!
Inspiration
![](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/.width-340_aXyouiz.jpg)
Gerhard Richter
Abstract Painting (809-3)
(1994)
ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland
German artist Gerhard Richter is well-known for his abstract works. In these paintings, he scraped paint across the canvas. Underneath this top layer of paint, Richter sometimes paints a detailed composition, which sometimes peeks through.
In this activity we will scrape the foam off the paper to reveal our artwork!
Let's get started
![materials for making marbled paper laid out](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make_marbling002.width-340.jpg)
You will need:
- Shaving foam
- A baking tray or dish
- Cocktail sticks or wooden skewers
- Washable inks, paint, or food dye
- White paper
- A spatula
- A plastic ruler
![a baking tray filled with shaving foam](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make_marbling005.width-340.jpg)
1. Fill your tray with foam
![smoothing the foam down with a spatula](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make_marbling007.width-340.jpg)
2. Smooth the foam with a spatula
![dropping ink into shaving foam, a pattern of dots across the surface in different colours](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make_marbling021.width-340.jpg)
3. Drop ink onto the foam
![swirling the inks together using a stick](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make_marbling022.width-340.jpg)
4. Swirl the inks together using a stick
![Swirly ink in shaving foam](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make_marbling024.width-340.jpg)
5. Keep swirling!
![Hand about to pull paper off the foam](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate_kids_make_marbling036_1.width-340.jpg)
6. Place paper on top of the foam. Push it down with your fingers. Leave for 1 min.
![peeling back to reveal](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate_kids_make_marbling042_b_1.width-340.jpg)
7. Slowly peel back the paper
![Scrape off the foam with a ruler](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/gif-scrape_0.width-340.png)
8. Scrape off the foam!
Your marbled paper!
![A piece of marbled paper](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make-marbling251.width-340.jpg)
Use your hands!
![hands in the foam](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/finger-in-the-foam.width-340.jpg)
![hands down in foam](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/hands-in-foam_static.width-340.jpg)
Place your hands onto the foam
![palms up](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate-kids-make-marbling233_2.width-340.jpg)
Now look at your hands!
![hand prints to scrape](https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/tate_kids_make_marbling237_2.width-340.jpg)