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Marbling

As with wood-graining, whole books have been written on the subject of marbling. Here, we show the step-by-step process for Carrara marble. However, by varying the colors and the shading, virtually any marbled effect can be reproduced.

MARBLING

With a natural material like marble it is of course very important to study the real thing - from life or from photographs - in order to make a realistic copy.

Simple Carrara Marble is created in two stages. First, laying and blending the background glaze, and second, adding the veins.

This effect is widely used on fireplaces, walls, plaster mouldings and in larger houses, columns.

You will need:

WHITE BASECOAT

ACRYLIC LACQUER

SCUMBLE GLAZE

COLORISERS

Tools:

WET AND DRY PAPER

FLAT FITCH BRUSH, SYNTHETIC BRUSH

4” POLYVINE STIPPLER

BADGER/SYNTHETIC SOFTENER

SMALL ACRYLIC ARTISTS BRUSH

1 Apply a white basecoat and allow to dry. Mix two dishes of glaze, one with Raw Umber and one with light grey, made by mixing white with a little Black Coloriser.

2 Apply the raw umber glaze in a diagonal flow with a flat fitch brush. Add light grey glaze in the same direction.

3 Stipple out the brush marks, maintaining the direction of the glaze.

4 Soften with a Badger/Synthetic Softener

first following the flow of the glaze, then

at right angles, then with the flow once more.

5 Add veins by double-loading a fine sable artist’s brush with both colored glazes (add a drop more Coloriser to darken). Hold brush loosely between finger and thumb, roll it along the work and allow the thickness of line to vary. Build up a network of main and secondary veins running parallel to, and dissecting, the directional flow of the layered color.

6 Soften a small area at a time, in several directions and allow to dry.

7 The finished work should be protected with 3 coats of lacquer, then cut back with wet and dry paper and polished to a sheen.