Listed with UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Ebru is the traditional Turkish art of creating colourful patterns by sprinkling and brushing colour pigments onto a pan of oily water and then transferring the patterns to paper. This is a very unusual art form, using special tools and materials including brushes of horsehair bound to straight rose twigs, a tray, natural earth pigments, cattle gall and tragacanth.

The art of Ebru is believed to have been invented in the 13th Century. Seljuk and Ottoman calligraphers and artists used marbling to decorate imperial decrees, official correspondence and documents. It is often used as a background writing surface for calligraphy, and especially for book covers and endpapers in bookbinding. Part of its appeal is that each print is a unique monotype.

This workshop will be a learning experience, in which you will become acquainted with the art of Ebru, and produce your own Ebru artwork. You will learn, from an expert artisan, how to make Turkish Ebru art using traditional techniques, practice different techniques and understand the secret of rich patterns to create your own style. The IWI has partnered with a leading Turkish culture and travel company in Istanbul to bring you this exclusive workshop. This is a great opportunity to understand the processes that go into making the beautiful pieces that you see in local bazaars, and to bring out your creativity by giving it a try yourself. A truly Turkish experience, and one that we are sure will be unforgettable