Decorative
Know How - Faux Marble in Six Easy Steps
By: Louise
Alderson
Home decorators
looking for something a little different are often faced with
expensive products and time consuming solutions, making many of us
opt for more everyday options like wallpaper and basic paint
finishes. However one lasting favorite offers an inexpensive
solution that can be used almost anywhere and mimics that most
ancient and noble of finishes - marble.
With the right approach, and a little patience, you can recreate marble on almost any surface using basic paints and glaze.
Tools for the job
For a pale marbling effect you will need:
1) Undercoat or eggshell paint for the background (dependent on surface)
2) Artists oil paints in umber and varying shades of grey (for the veins seen in
marble)
3) Translucent glaze to create a natural sheen for the finish
4) Brushes - household paint brushes, a soft flat artists brush, soft makeup
brush, natural sponge, lint free rags
5) Glass paper and white spirit
Mixing the paint
The marble effect is created by applying layers of tinted glaze, veins and mottling
over a white or pale basecoat. You then work in gradual variations
of tone to the background color by dabbing on artist's oil paint or
tinted eggshell paint. Use the brushes and natural sponge to break
up the color of the basecoat.
You need to mix the paint in the appropriate ratios. For an opaque
glaze, good proportions to work with are:
- Three parts oil based scumble
- Five parts of white eggshell
- Two parts white spirit.
Mix the paint with the glaze then add the white spirit to give a creamy consistency.
You can create a more translucent glaze by tinting it with stainers
or oil paints and then add equal amounts of white spirit.
Six easy steps
1) Rub down the surface to be decorated and apply undercoat (on wood or metal) or
eggshell (on walls) in a suitable color. A well-prepared surface
will be free of splinters or flaking paint. The paint effect will
look better if you take care over this stage.
2) If necessary, apply a further coat to act as a base coat for the decorative
finish. Tint it slightly with grey oil paint and use a sponge to
create lightly mottled areas.
3) Using artists’ oil and an artists brush start to create a random trellis of
diagonal veins across the surface. Traditional colors to use
are burnt sienna and dark grey on pale marble and whites and greens
on black backgrounds.
4) Strengthen some
of the veins with darker colors, and then soften the effect by
brushing over the surface with a soft feather or soft brush.
5) Use a natural
sponge to create variations in tone, lifting off color or applying
more color where needed.
6) To create the
natural luster of marble apply a translucent glaze, with a light
umber tint. In some patches, add extra coats of glaze for a natural
effect. Finish by applying a coat of clear gloss varnish
followed by a coat of satin varnish to give the surface added sheen
and greater depth.
Luxurious
and opulent
Creating your own
marble effect is as easy as following the directions above. The cost
of the paint is minimal but creates an expensive looking effect.
Marble has long been used as a luxurious and opulent building
material, leaving a unique finish that can be easily mimicked with a
little effort.
The real beauty of
this technique is that because the materials are inexpensive it
allows you to try different colors and finishes to match your
décor. Experiment with different shades and tones and try varying
the depth of the veins to really bring the work alive. With a little
practice, and some patience, you might be amazed at the results.
Copyright © The Tapestry House, all rights reserved.
http://www.thetapestryhouse.com/
About the Author
Louise Anderson is one of the founding partners of the Tapestry
House, retailers of quality
wall tapestries and wall hangings.
Article source: ArticleFever.com
 More Decorative Painting Articles:
Decorative Know How - Faux Marble in Six Easy Steps
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