Decorative Know How - Faux Marble In Six Easy Steps
Six easy steps to creating your own marble effect
paint finish.
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 decor. 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.
Article Author - Louise Alderson
Louise Alderson combines her hands-on
experience as a real
estate developer with her love of interior design and
textiles,
and is the author of a number of popular articles on home
decor
and home accent tips. Visit
The
Tapestry House online at:
http://www.thetapestryhouse.com/
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