Battal Ebru (Stone Ebru); Somaki Ebru (Porphyry Ebru)
"Battal" translates to "heroic" or "brave." It is considered the earliest form of Ebru and is now regarded as basic knowledge. The artist remains passive after applying the color and does not intervene further. The amount of paint and the way it drips from the brush determine the natural flow of the colors. Battal is the fundamental form of Ebru.
Floral Ebru (Flower Ebru)
Floral Ebru is named after its floral motifs (çiçek – flower). It typically begins on a Battal Ebru with green paint, which is shaped into stems and leaves using a needle. The color of the flowers is dropped at the end of the stem and formed into petals using needles. Two identical flowers decorate the front pages. Necmeddin Okyay and Mustafa Düzgünman are significant names in this category, known for their stunning tulips, daisies, poppies, carnations, violets, and hyacinths.
Hatip Ebru (Preacher Ebru)
In Islam, a Hatip refers to a religious speaker. The Hatip form was named after Mehmed Efendi, who passed away in 1773. He was the Hatip of the Hagia Sophia Mosque and the developer of this style. Through specific movements and decorations, various motifs such as flowers ("Necmettin Ebru"), calligraphy ("Akkase Ebru"), or shading ("Dalgalı Ebru") are created in Hatip Ebru. It is one of the most widespread types of Ebru art.
Muhayyel Ebru (Fantasy Ebru)
In Muhayyel Ebru, creativity and imagination are essential, as the artist must demonstrate their visionary skills. The flowers created in this style often do not resemble real flowers but rather serve as reflections of imagination. For this reason, Muhayyel Ebru is very popular among Ebru artists. A pioneer of this style is Alparslan Babaoğlu.
Taraklı Ebru (Comb Ebru)
In this style, fine needles are drawn in opposite directions through a Gel-Git Ebru. The pattern remains a linear design, but the colors form tiny, rounded shapes at the top. In Europe, this form of Ebru painting was particularly popular. To this day, this pattern is what people commonly refer to as the typical marbling pattern.
Bülbül Yuvası Ebru (Nightingale's Nest Ebru)
This variant is characterized by patterns that resemble spirals and spinning tops. The patterns are created as the artist moves the brush in circular, spiral motions from the outside in over the water. This form of Ebru painting is often combined with Battal, Gel-Git Ebru, or Sal Ebru.
Neftli Battal Ebru (Battal Ebru with Naphtha Variant)
Neftli Battal Ebru is created from Battal Ebru by mixing turpentine into the final color. This process results in characteristic "empty" spots. Neftli Battal Ebru is often used for framing and book covers.
Şal Ebru (Schal-Ebru)
Şal Ebru is an advanced form of Gel-Git Ebru. In this technique, the artist moves the brush in horizontal, vertical, or diagonal wavy lines across the water.
Hafif Ebru (Light-Colored Ebru)
Hafif Ebru is a form of Şal Ebru characterized by lighter (hafif) colors, which are achieved by using a greater amount of water and ox gall. Hafif Ebru is often used for calligraphy.
Gel-Git Ebru (Back-and-Forth Marbling)
This form of Ebru art is based on Battal Ebru but takes it a step further. The artist does not passively wait for the colors to mix. Instead, they gently move the water using a brush, creating linear decorations with a zigzag pattern. The artist must choose contrasting colors and ensure that the paint droplets are not too large. Otherwise, the colorful pattern would not stand out effectively.
Kumlu Ebru (Sand Marbling)
This form is often used as a base for calligraphy. Its unique feature is that less water is added to the sizing, making it thicker and preventing the applied paint droplets from spreading too much. After a certain resting period, the intended grainy texture appears. However, the most widely practiced form of marbling is Hatip Ebru, which plays a major role in Turkish art. "Hatip" is an Islamic term referring to a religious preacher.
Akkase Ebru (White Framed Ebru)
Akkase Ebru refers to a type of marbling where the border and the central area containing text have different colors. Areas that should not be marbled are either covered with an adhesive before marbling, as in Yazılı Ebru, or directly coated with gum arabic in the desired shape. It is common to use Hafif Ebru as the background for the text and a more vibrant marbling for the frame. In this case, the Hafif Ebru is created first, then the area reserved for the text is treated with gum arabic, and finally, in a second marbling process, the frame is created using more intense colors.
Wave Marbling
Creating wave marbling requires a bit more experience. One edge of the paper is placed on one side of the colors floating on the water and slowly moved in different directions. Meanwhile, the paper is gradually dipped into the water. These movements create three-dimensional patterns on the paper. This type of marbling is also known as Spanish marbling.
Tiger Eye Marbling
Tiger eye marbling requires the use of certain chemicals. A pre-prepared solution is added drop by drop into the ready-to-use paint. This paint is then transferred onto the marbling water using a brush or an awl. The transferred pigment initially begins to break apart like an orange peel. As more drops are added, the falling paint accumulates in the center, forming an eye-like shape. For a good result, the quality of the water used in the marbling tray is just as important as the dripping paint.
Neon Marbling
We introduced this type of marbling, which does not exist in traditional marbling. We know it may receive criticism. However, since it is a style that has gained a lot of attention in the country we live in (Germany), we did not hesitate to give it this name. The trend of people painting their bodies with these colors and glowing under ultraviolet light inspired us to name this technique accordingly.