Marbling
Marble is rock limestone which has been crystallized by pressure, intense heat and slow penetration of minerals over a period of thousands of years.
The wide variety of colouring in marbles is due to the penetration of minerals into the faults and cracks in the marble.
Eg: Copper deposits produce green and blue/green patterns
Iron deposits produce yellow, brown, red and pink patterns
Sulphur & Soda produce blue patterns
Magnesium procures black and grey patterns
Decayed Vegetation (peat) produces dark browns and blue/black patterns.
We imitate marble using paints and glazes over a painted ground. To do this we need a piece of the real marble as a guide to the colour and pattern.
You may also wish to produce a marble effect which harmonises with an overall decorative colour scheme, these marble effects are sometimes known as “fantasy marble finishes” because they do not nessarily look like a known type of marble.
Surface preparation is the same as for graining.
Ground colours for marbles
Select a ground colour to suit the marble being imitated.
Eg: Carrara – White
Sienna – White/off white
Vert-de-ver – Black
Black & Gold – Black/Charcoal
St Anne’s – Black
Serpentine – Black/Dark Green
Tools and Equipment
- Sea Sponge for the application of background colours
- Stipplers and/or stencil brushes for strippling or blending colours
- A glass palette for mixing colours
- Clean, lint free rags and cheesecloth used for softening effects or for removing colour to expose the background
- A range of small brushes including fitches and writing pencils for applying veins and other effects
- A badger and hog hair softeners used for blending and softening the applied colour glazes
- Goose feathers for applying or removing colours
- A rubber eraser with a chisel wedge point for removing colour
Backgrounds for Marbling
There are various methods of simulating marble backgrounds, usually done in this water colour. Make sure the ground has been abraded with 400 w/dry and rubbed with a damp rag dipped in whiting to prevent cissing.
Sponge Strippling
- Pick a sea sponge with plenty of pattern
- Put the water colour onto a glass palette
- Charge the sponge with the water colour
- Dab onto the surface unevenly across the area
- Whilst still wet, soften with a badger (in all directions)
- The process may be repeated if a stringer effect is preferred.
For more information about Marbling or any Painting and Decorating tasks please Call Bloomin’Good Sydney Painters on 1800 204 145.