PAINT AND DECORATE
A site devoted to Painting and Decorating Techniques
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SPECIALIST DECORATOR
Hand painted signs, furniture and murals.
INDEX OF PAGES
How to create decorative techniques:-
Answers to Your Questions:-
Students Work:-
HOW TO
CREATE DECORATIVE TECHNIQUES
SIENNA MARBLE
The
marble manufacturer working on the real marble, cutting and polishing,
must choose the best vein shapes and design for their aesthetic quality.
Some slabs of this marble may have large areas of very little veining
while others have masses of dark blue/violet veins. The marbler, when
choosing a model to imitate, must also consider the balance of colour and
veining.
Whichever
design is chosen the overall appearance should be one of large and small
areas of sienna clouded colour fused in a petrified liquid of violet
veins. The colour strength can change but if the colours, which will be
listed, are used it will always be recognized as Sienna marble.
First
attempts at imitating this variegated marble will produce similar shapes
and sizes but with practice and growing experience, shapes that are more
natural will be achieved.
The
ground coat must be a hard white eggshell finish without brush marks, nibs
or any undulations in the surface.
TOOLS
REQUIRED
Several
hog’s hair fitches of which one should be a No. 8 Flat.
MATERIALS
Oil
based white eggshell.
To
initiate any natural material the student must first acquire the skill of
copying. But just to copy is not what it is all about. The student
throughout the many hours of practice will acquire an inner sense, a
feeling for the material. This brings us to the most important aspect of
imitating marble and that is the sense of depth, which gives marble its
beauty and wonder. It is depth, a three dimensional appearance on a two
dimensional surface that is paramount.
First
with a piece of lint free rag about 300 mm square soaked in gilp (Gilp -
Two parts refined raw linseed oil and one part turpentine with about 10%
to 20% of the oil content in terebine dryers).
Wipe over the surface to produce a thin coating.
The
colours must first be mixed and checked against the sample of real marble
that is being copied. Enough colour should be mixed to complete the work,
if this is a large wall area then the colour can be kept in containers
with lids.
For
practice purposes a small amount can be mixed on a palette board.
The
surface must now be `clouded in`
with a mixture of Raw Sienna and gilp.
At
this stage the work should give a sense of depth.
The
colour for the veining can now be mixed.
With the Prussian Blue and the Indian Red, mix a colour, which,
when the brush holding the colour is wiped onto a clean white rag, it is
virtually black or very dark grey.
At
this point it must be noted that if a large job where to be undertaker
more than enough colour and gilp must be mixed to ensure completion of the
work. With the veining colour, and bearing in mind were the main veins are
going to be placed, a faint cloud effect is produced with the No. 8 flat
Fitch.
The
work is then softened with the hog’s hair softener. If too much colour
is applied to the surface the softener becomes laden with oil and the
colour will not soften, just smudge. To alleviate this problem on large
jobs use two softeners. When softened the surface will have no brush
marks, no hard lines of colour and will already appear translucent. The
colour can now be `opened out` by splattering with drops of turpentine or
white spirit on to the surface or with a natural sponge soaked partially
with turpentine and dabbed onto the surface keeping to the paler areas of
colour. A dry clean lint free cotton rag can be dabbed on the surface to
soak up any excess turpentine. A small amount of softening may be needed
at this point.
`Opening
out` - this is an expression used when drops of turpentine creep over the
surface from the centre of the drop pushing the colour with it revealing
the white eggshell ground.
The
initial veining is done with the No. 6 sable and the veining colour of
Prussian Blue and Indian Red. The veins follow loosely, the accidental
shapes created by the change in colour of the clouding. Do not follow
every shape but create some of your own. Charge your sable with some gilp
and mix with the veining colour, not too wet. Hold the sable across the
four fingers with the thumb on top and manipulate the brush to create a wide and thin vein, remember,
you are creating a painted line that does not look like it has been
painted with brush and paint. The veins must be kept, most of the time,
within the clouded vein colour (Prussian Blue and Indian Red) giving depth
to the veins.
A
secondary vein is created with the No. 4 sable and the veining colour with
additional Indian Red mixed in. This vein is kept to the confines of the
paler clouded areas and although follows mostly the changes in colour
sometimes has a mind of its own.
Some
of the clouded areas can now be wiped out. With a veining horn and a piece
of clean lint free cotton rag the colour is wiped out to expose the white
eggshell ground.
When
dry the surface must be protected with at least two coats of pale or white
varnish.
