MARBLE mural wallpaper and prints by Nat Maks

The traditional Japanese Art of Suminagashi meaning "floating ink" involves colours being placed on a water surface, which then begin to expand on the water. They are only encouraged to move by air, nothing else disturbs the surface.
Now German-born designer and illustrator Natascha Maksimovic who set up Nat Maks based in the UK in the seaside town of Margate in Kent, is a master of Suminagashi a marbling technique.  As the colours move in an organic way, Natascha makes a print by placing and moving the paper on the water when a dynamic pattern has been formed.

The MARBLE mural shown above is hand-printed by way of the traditional Japanese Art of Suminagashi. Natascha loves the medium of wallpapers and wanted to take the Art of marbling to a much bigger scale. Each roll is unique. Instead of designing patterns Natascha creates individual rolls of 'paintings' which are in theory a one-off wallpaper print. Each roll is signed by the artist.

Every mural is made by Natascha, prepared and completed by hand, and freely reflect the artist's energy within its pattern, while the colours react differently every time, sometimes getting on in harmony, sometimes fighting for dominance.

An original marbled print of Acrylic colours onto
Artist paper created with the traditional Japanese Art
of Suminagashi,
meaning "floating ink."
Photos from Nat Maks.

Each mural therefore has its imperfections; the colour overlaps, there are clear water markings and gaps within these patterns. It's these imperfections Natascha finds so interesting, not just the marbling effect itself. 

Free Art Activity pack from Hello Print Studio; and visit Picasso and Paper virtually at the Royal Academy

Paper is a versatile and tactile medium for handicraft and creativity. Now Hello Print Studio in Margate, Kent (UK) has released a set of five characters arranged with wood block letters and type icons that you can print out onto A4 size paper and use as colouring sheets.

Hello Charlie - a colouring page on NatMaks.com

They have also released an assembly kit of wood block letters and icons which you can download, cut out, arrange however you like and create your own characters - faces, robots, animals and more.

These activity kits named "Hello Prints" are free to use and will be perfect for you and your whole family to explore and have fun with while self-distancing at home during the lockdown.

Characters above and below are created using woodblock icons and letters.

All available on their website: natmaks.com​
NAT MAKS is Natascha Maksimovic, a German designer & illustrator based at Resort Studios in Margate, Kent, UK.  After studying at Camberwell College of Arts, Natascha went on to work for Ridley Scott within the film industry and has since set up her own illustration and print studio working on various commissions, creating paper and homeware products, all made in England.

Meanwhile, to further immerse yourself in the world of paper, you may wish to join the Royal Academy website which is offering an insider virtual tour of their "Picasso and Paper" exhibition.

While the RA in London remains temporarily closed during the lockdown, it is putting a weekly dose of art online, delivering “a little bit of inspiration, escapism and creativity”
straight to patrons’ inbox”.

The RA's “Picasso and Paper” exhibition this week brings together more than
300 works on paper spanning the iconic artist’s 80-year career.

“For Picasso, paper was a material with limitless possibilities,” said the RA. The artist experimented with everything from newsprint and napkins to decorative wallpaper.

Through the virtual tour, in the comfort of your home, you can admire Picasso’s works, from studies for Guernica to a 4.8-metre-wide collage.

MARBLE Mural Prints and Wallpaper from Nat Maks reflect artist's energy.

An original marbled print of Acrylic colours onto Artist paper.

In addition to mural wallpaper, UK designer Natascha Maksimovic, based in Margate, Kent, has a range of prints also bearing a distinctive MARBLE design, available from Nat Maks.


Her MARBLE mural is hand printed by way of the traditional Japanese Art of Suminagashi, designed and made by Natascha.

As for her mural wallpaper, each roll is unique and bears the designer's signature as each roll is treated as a painting.
Natascha loves the medium of wallpapers and takes the Art of marbling to a much bigger scale.

The murals freely reflect the Artist's energy within its patterns. Even colours react different every time, sometimes getting on in harmony, sometimes fighting for dominance.

Each mural therefore has its imperfections; the colour overlaps, there are clear water markings and gaps within these patterns. It's these imperfections Natascha finds so interesting, not just the marble itself. She intends to create abstract paintings; expressing movement, imperfection and freedom.