Chapter III: Part 3

139. Marbles may be divided up into two great divisions, and even these are somewhat interchangeable, and it will depend upon the angle that the slabs have been sawed as to whether they should be placed in one or the other division. These two divisions are the striated marbles, which includes the veined and serpentine marbles, and the conglomerate, which includes most of the onyxes and marbles which show but little veining. As stated before this arbitrary division is sometimes misleading, as a striated marble will show up in chunky formation if sawed in a certain way, and again considerable veining will show in a conglomerate if sawed at the right angle. The placing them in one or the other of the two divisions applies only when they are sawed in the natural and customary way--squarely through the block where they show their character more fully. In some varieties, however, as in some of the onyxes, there is little regularity of formation and serpentine forms will be found bordered with large chunks of conglomerates, and the latter with more or less of well defined serpentine formation intermingled with it. This really is what makes the chief beauty of the onyxes. The students should study the forms taken by marbles thoroughly as possible in order to store up in their memory the innumerable variations of forms of all the several sorts of marbles which they come across.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXVI.

135. What is said relative to the imitation of marbles by ancient civilizations?

136. What uses of marble imitations are made of today?

137. To what parts of interior decoration are they best adapted to?

138. What is said of the irregularity of form in marbles?

139. In how many divisions can marbles be placed in?

LESSON XXVII.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR MARBLING.

140. Under the name of marble are included all variegated stones, and therefore the term "marbling," like that of "gilding," which is applied to gold, silver and all metal leaves means considerably more than it should. Truthfully speaking marbles are of lime formation, while granites and jaspers and many others are not. The coloring of the veinings are due to various causes; various substances being deposited and enveloped in the lime formation, some by infiltration of metallic ore beds above the lime formation, which found their way through some of the softer fissures of the imperfectly formed limestone and deposited there. Again, as in honeycomb limestone, substances which deposited along with the lime, but which being more soluble have been washed out of it, leaving the lime full of small holes, as the name indicates. These being subsequently filled up with colored deposits.

141. General directions will be given in this and subsequent lessons as to "how" the various operations used for imitating marbles are performed, and the student will be referred to them when the special description of the various well-known marbles and other stones are given. The same operations being used in nearly all of them, being varied to suit the peculiar needs of each as required.

142. There is no need of special brushes or tools for any of the operations about to be described, and the ones described as useful for the imitation of wood by graining will more than suffice as but few brushes are needed. For laying the grounds, some of the larger flat ones and some smaller flat ones to lay in colors in smaller groups, and dry ones to blend them. Some fitches or small bristle artists' brushes and some camel's hair pencils with a few wing and tail feathers for putting in some of the finer veins, and badger blenders are about all the tools needed.

143. As to material, white lead and zinc white will form the bulk of it, as it is used either as a base or by itself in all the marbles that will be described, with, of course, the exception of the black marbles. As there are so many colors used in imitating marbles, the whole list may be of use at some time or other, and it will not be necessary to name them all over at this time, as under each marble will be given the ones needed. Light varnishes are required in order to give the finished marble a uniform appearance and as a protection. This is the hardest part of all to procure, as the stronger ones are not fit to use over white or even upon some of the darker ones having white veins, turning them yellowish. Damar varnish is forced upon the marbler, so there is little wonder if many prefer to leave the work as it is without varnishing.

All the above applies to oil color marbling only as work done in distemper is never varnished. The colors needed in water color marbling are the same as for oil work, only they must of course be in the dry state.

144. The walls of halls are sometimes done in imitation of marble slabs, and one is then required to scaffold for it in order to reach them. As directions were given how to reach the walls and ceilings in Vol. II, or "Interior Painting," the student is referred to that for fuller details. For most work good step ladders will be found best, as they permit the work to be done with more comfort, the operator climbing up or down as needed without having to reach up or bend down too much.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXVII.

140. What is said regarding marble formation?

141. What of the general operation used in imitating marbles?

142. What are the tools needed in marbling?

143. What material is used in marbling?

144. What appliances are needed in wall work in order to reach their surfaces?

LESSON XXVIII.

THE OPERATIONS OF MARBLING.

145. The laying on of the proper colors for the ground is the first operation in the order in which they occur in marbling, and it is a very important one, too. It will be well to state here that the descriptions which are given is for marbling in oil, as that is by far the best way of imitating marble, therefore the proper allowance must be made for water color work of quicker drying, and therefore it will require considerable speed in conducting the marbling operations, giving the operator but little time to do his work in he cannot possibly produce as good work as he can in oil. Only rather plain figured marbles should be attempted by the students in distemper work. The ground is usually put on all over alike in oil, and usually it is put on with white lead. While that is fresh, if a parti-colored ground is desired, a little of the proper color is worked over it and blended more or less to suit.

146. If the imitation is striated, veined or serpentine marble, while the ground is still wet the main body of color and veining should be put in and blended. The blending in marbling constitutes a most important part, as by means of it veins and lines are made to disappear as it were into the ground gradually, which gives it transparency, and it will look as if it came from the interior and gradually becoming stronger toned as it reached the surface. These effects are all produced by proper blending.

If the imitation is a conglomerate marble the chunks should be put on with dabs of color suitable and of the right size, depending upon the blender to soften them into a gradual disappearance into the ground.

147. While the ground is still wet in veined or striated marble the deeper toned veins, or rather that portion of the veins which it is desired should appear as having reached the surface by a gradual ascent from below, should be touched with a little of the fresh color and left unblended. This is done with camel's hair pointed pencils or with the tip end of feathers for some of the finer lined ones.

In the conglomerate imitation the chunks can be touched with fresh color left unblended at what is desired should show as their surface point, so that the chunks will show as if they were gradually sinking away from sight to the interior of the stone.

148. It will be best after having formed all the character of the veining and having touched up the bright parts to let the work dry before attempting to put in the white veining and what may be called the "high lights," or the lightest parts of the colored veins or chunks in the conglomerates. If this was attempted upon the wet color and one should; undertake to finish the whole work at the one time, he will find that he cannot produce good white veins and that they mix up so much with the others as to become anything but _white_. Where it is desired to produce the impression of white veins disappearing into the rest of the work, however, it will be well to put in some and to blend them in to produce that effect, while the first color is still wet and when it has dried to go over them at what is intended for their surface points with some fresh color, which will greatly enhance their transparent effect. Now the light veins are put in without fear of their tones being destroyed by mingling with the wet ground colors, and all the finishing touches should be put in. Defects, if any, can be corrected and when the work is dry it may or may not be varnished.

149. The directions given above will suffice to give the student the manner of producing any kind of marble or onyx desired. The spots usually seen in granites are produced by striking a brush upon a stick at some distance from the surface which it is intended should be covered, the size of the dots being governed by this distance, and also by the kind of brush used. A fine spraying with turpentine afterward will cause them to spread sufficiently to run together at the edges and to look more natural than if left without this operation.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXVIII.

145. How should the grounds be put on in marbling?

146. How is the veining and blending done in marbling?

147. How is the veining made to appear as if coming up to the surface from the interior?

148. How are the finishing touches put on?

149. What is further said of marbles and how are granites imitated?

LESSON XXIX.

THE VARIOUS MARBLES.

AGATE.

150. Agate is a variegated stone, a conglomerate, and according as it is cut will sometimes show a number of veins usually circling around some center. The ground is white lead, and the various colors may be put in and blended over. This is followed up with touching certain parts with fresh color, which is left unblended to give a sharp edge. The colors vary very much in various specimens of agate, some being rather light and others very dark, so the student has a good range to choose from, from crimson lake, prussian blue and chrome yellow or ochre.

BROCATELLO.

151. The ground for Brocatello is made from ochre and white lead, or it may be put on with white lead and ochre brushed into it, leaving it darker in patches than in others. Then put on a thin glaze over it when dry made of raw and burnt sienna with enough whiting to make it rather transparent. When the color has set sprinkle it over with turpentine by striking a small brush over a stick it will cause it to spread the color and to show the yellow ground through. Then shade the larger blotches with a light yellow ochre to show the angular fragments and give it depth. Then vein with color made of vermillion and Prussian blue, being careful not to put in the dark lines through the blotches.

BLACK AND GOLD MARBLE.

152. As the name indicates this marble's chief tone is black with blotches of yellow. It is a conglomerate marble. The ground should be put on with black paint and lightened up in parts by working in a little white in spots, as it should not be uniform in tone, but the lightest parts should be as dark as a dark slate. Dab on the yellow spots where they belong and connect a few of them by veins, then blend to produce transparency; then touch up with some of the light color, which should not be blended. Let dry and put on a very few high lights on some of the yellow and with ivory black used as a glaze correct any glaring mistakes by covering them over which will then appear as belonging to the under parts.

DOVE MARBLE.

153. This marble is one of the easiest to imitate on the whole list. It is a veined marble and chiefly a warm gray with white veining. The ground should be made from white lead, lamp black and warmed up with a little vermillion. Put in the white veins and blend; after blending touch up parts of veins you will wish to show as coming to the surface, but do not blend. When dry emphasize such parts as desired with white.

EGYPTIAN GREEN MARBLE.

154. This is a conglomerate marble which presents many varied forms according as it has been cut. Under certain cuttings it presents a mass of crystalline matter of great beauty, and somewhat more difficult of execution than the more ordinary forms of it do. By a little practice, though, the student will find no great difficulty in representing it correctly. It is a marble which presents in any of its forms a beautiful appearance, and one which the operator is pretty sure to be called upon to reproduce, therefore he should spare no pains to study it well and to practice what he has learned in order to be ready for any emergency. The ground is an invisible green made of black with a trifle of yellow added. When dry put on a suitable green glaze, dabbing on here and there the black masses and put in the green network of veining with a feather, touching them up with a camel's hair pencil with the same color to give it character and transparency. It will be noticed that according as it is cut a mass of crystalline bodies seem to show through the semi-transparent stone, and this will test the skill of the marbler to reproduce naturally.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXIX.

150. Give a description of the marbling of agate?

151. How is Brocatello marble imitated?

152. Describe how black and gold marble is imitated?

153. Give a description of how dove marble is done.

154. How is Egyptian green marble imitated?

LESSON XXX.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS MARBLES--CONTINUED.

ITALIAN PINK MARBLE AND SCARLET MARBLE.

155. Really this marble and the Italian scarlet marble are only variations of sienna marble, and as the variation consists altogether in the coloring of the marble and not at all in its veining and other forms, there will be no need of telling "how" it should be done, as that is related under the heading of sienna marble in the following paragraph. For color venetian red lightened up to a pink with white lead is used instead of that described, and in the scarlet variety vermillion toned down with venetian red.

SIENNA MARBLE.

156. This marble is more extensively imitated than any of the others, with the exception of white marble black veined, and there is no wonder that it is so with its wealth of forms. No matter what one may fancy or do it is pretty sure to look like some specimen of it has done before if the same character is kept up to the end. It is true some forms are more pleasant than are others, and that is true really in all marbles, so that the student should not spend much time in trying to do something which is considered an inferiority in the sienna marble itself. The most pleasing forms are clumps of darker color overrun with veinings and intervals of lighter tone also veined, but usually with much lighter toned veins than the set occupying the darker clumps. But some of the light as well as the darker ones usually trespass some upon each other's ground, and in some specimens clumps of very fine dots extend over some of the light areas instead of veins.

The ground should be put in with white and the larger clumps put in with raw sienna and blended. Then some of the intervals may be connected with lighter toned and smaller clumps, also made with the raw sienna upon the still wet ground. Proceed afterward to put in darker broad veins with the artist's bristle brushes and blending them. After the blending, put in the white veining, which, of course, will mix with the still wet ground, but that will give it the transparent effect if when the work has dried they are touched up here and there with flake white to give them their character. The darker veinings should also be touched up in order to emphasize them and make them look transparent. Variations galore will suggest themselves to the student who has made a study of these marbles from natural specimens.

FLORENCE MARBLE.

157. The ground for this marble is a neutral tone of red made with white lead and Indian red. The veining should be put in with burnt umber and a second set with burnt sienna, a few of each running in every direction without any regularity. This veining must be done while the ground is still wet in order that the ends may blend in with it and seem to disappear into it. Sometimes the veining runs out of clumps and seems to break forth, leaving some parts nearly free of veinings, and then suddenly to spring up into a network as intricate as seen upon a nutmeg melon.

TENNESSEE MARBLE.

158. This is an American marble. It is usually of a mauve or bluish violet tone, and of a medium between dark and light, some specimens being rather dark. As it is plentiful and cheap much of it does not show up at its best, but there are some specimens which are very beautifully marked. As all other marbles, it has an infinity of showings. Its general character is an all-over veining. Some specimens, however, showing a few patches of plain white of considerable extent, and in all the better ones some large thick white veins with a number of smaller ones running in a wild way radiating from them, but with a distinct tendency to run in the same direction as the large white veins spoken of. Then there is another set of smaller veining of the same tone as the ground, but much deeper scattered nearly all over it. The ground should be put on with white paint and color made from Indian red deepened with Prussian blue, dabbed on nearly all over it and blended into the white, leaving a few patches of white and the larger fissure veins where desired, although these can be put on after the ground has become dry. Much of the smaller veining should be put on before the ground is dry in order to mix with it and give the transparent effect so much desired. Afterward the stronger high light effects in the large white veins and in some of the parts of the smaller ones should be touched up with flake white, and the darker veins should be touched up here and there also with the darkest color.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXX.

155. Describe how Italian pink and Italian scarlet marbles are imitated?

156. How is sienna marble imitated?

157. How is Florentine marble reproduced?

158. What is said concerning the imitation of Tennessee marble?

LESSON XXXI.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS MARBLES, GRANITES AND PORPHYRIES--CONTINUED.

SERPENTINE MARBLE.

159. This marble is probably but a variation of the verd antique, which it closely resembles in all its colorings. It contains more veinings than the other, although it, too, shows up clumps of conglomerate very much the same in formation; as a full description of verd antique is given in the subsequent paragraph, the student can vary from the directions given in so far as to introduce the veinings mentioned which the other has but few of.

VERD ANTIQUE.

160. Verd antique marble is really a modified Egyptian, being somewhat more blotchy than its cousin the Egyptian green marble. The ground should be made from Prussian blue and yellow ochre to make a brownish green, then dab some of each of the separate colors blue and yellow where the blotches are desired; then connect them by veinings and blend, touching up afterwards with fresh color parts which should show prominently, but be careful not to overdo this, as but little of the full tone of the yellow should show or it will make it look unnatural.

WHITE VEINED MARBLE.

BLACK VEINED WHITE MARBLE.

161. These two marbles are bracketed together, as with the exception of the ground color and the reversing of the color used in the veining they are so much alike that the same description will do for each of them. They are veined marbles, and many specimens show fissures which for the sake of naturalness and variety may be imitated but very sparingly, as really it is a defect.

The ground for these marbles should be white lead; for the white veined proceed to dab on patches of black with a small tool and blend the black with the white all over, but have the ground darker in parts than in others, varying from a gray to nearly true black, but of the latter sparingly. A few white blotches and main white coarse veins are left, and the white veins are put in with flake white, which will blend into the ground and serve to give the proper transparency. When dry the pure white veins must be touched in order to bring them out.

For the black-veined variety the white lead ground is gone over here and there, but not too much of it, with a touch of black which must be vigorously worked into the white to produce a few blotches of light, faint gray not prominent at all. The veining is gray of a trifle darker tone, which is called black by courtesy and as a contrast to the white of the ground.

162. The above comprise about all the leading varieties of marbles. There are many other varieties, chiefly of those described, and differing from them chiefly in their coloring, their imitation being the same excepting that.

ONYXES.

163. Onyxes differ from those stones which are known as marbles chiefly in that they are more transparent. The clumps or blotches of variously colored component parts of the conglomerate are much more diversified than can usually be seen in marbles and according to the angle at which they are cut present an endless variation. Sometimes whole slabs show the conglomeration cut across; again in others considerable blank space is found in close proximity and again serpentine waves of veins looking very transparent run around the clumps, etc. Nothing but a close study of the natural stone can give one a perfect idea of their vagaries of form. The general directions given in paragraphs 140 to 149 cover all that could be said here as to the manner of imitating them and the student who has carefully followed the descriptions which are specially given under each marble will find no great difficulty in imitating the variously colored onyxes.

GRANITES, PORPHYRIES AND JASPERS.

164. All the above are closely related and may be bracketed together in describing their imitation. According to their predominating colors they are known as red, gray, white, etc., and have usually the name of the countries from which they come given them in addition.

The ground color should consist of the leading or predominating color, and the rest of the spots are put in by sprinkling or striking the brush against a stick. When the colors have commenced to set, but before they have dried and while still partly wet, turpentine should be sparingly sprinkled upon the work, which will cause the spots to spread and run into each other, but it must not be overdone or a mess will be the result. A little fine flaked mica may be sprinkled upon the work after it is finished, also before drying has been completed; this will give more naturalness to the granite imitations; the porphyry and jasper do not need it.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXXI.

159. Describe the character of serpentine marble?

160. How is verd antique marble imitated?

161. How are white-veined black marble and black-veined white marble imitated?

162. What is said of other varieties of marbles?

163. How are onyxes imitated?

164. What is said regarding the imitation of granites, porphyries and jaspers?

FINIS.

INDEX

Agate marbling--how done 145

Applying the rubbing in colors in graining 50

Ash graining--general remarks on 93

Ash graining--how grounds are made for 93

Ash graining--how grained in distemper 95

Ash graining--how grained in oil 94

Ash graining--how overgrained 95

Ash graining--Hungarian--how grained 96

Badger haired blenders--their uses 28

Bird's-eye maple--how grained 101

Black and gold marble--how imitated 145

Black veined white marble--how imitated 150

Blending distemper graining 62

Brocatello marble--how imitated 145

Brushes used for laying grounds 25

Brushes used rubbing-in color 25

Burled growth of woods 75

Burled Walnut--how to grain 122

Burled Walnut--how to overgrain 123

Camel's hair pencils used in graining and marbling 30

Champs--how wiped in quartered oak graining 41

Check rollers--how to use 53

Chestnut graining--general remarks on 156

Chestnut graining--how to grain it 157

Cherry graining--how to prepare grounds for 109

Cherry graining--how to grain it 109

Colored crayons--used in fine veinings 71

Colors used in preparing grounds in graining 21

Colors used in graining in distemper 22

Colors used in graining in oil 23

Combination oil and distemper work in oak graining 36

Curled maple--how grained 100

Davis rubber rollers used in graining 32

Description of material used in graining 23

Dove marble--how imitated 147

Egyptian green marble--how done 149

Fan overgrainers--their uses 28

Flakes--how wiped in quartered oak graining 85

Florence marble--how imitated 148

General remarks on Ash graining 92

General remarks on Bird's-eye maple graining 100

General remarks on Chestnut graining 97

General remarks on Cherry graining 109

General remarks on Burled Walnut graining 122

General remarks on graining operations 38

General remarks on preparing grounds 41

General remarks on preparing megilps 43

General remarks on preparing graining grounds 41

General remarks on preparing graining colors 43

General remarks on Mahogany imitation 112

General remarks on Maple (plain) imitation 98

General remarks on marbles, imitation 130

General remarks on Oak graining 79

General remarks on Quartered Oak graining 84

General remarks on Rosewood graining 133

General remarks on Satinwood graining 110

General remarks on Sycamore graining 104

General remarks on making tints 42

General remarks on tools used in graining 31

Glycerine--to retard drying of distemper colors 48

Graining colors for oak 80

Granites--how imitated 160

How to do the combing in distemper 58

How to do the combing in oil 58

How to blend distemper work 62

How to do the wiping with rags 57

How to grain Ash 93

How to grain Ash (Hungarian) 95

How to grain Bird's-eye Maple 99

How to grain Curled Maple 99

How to grain Cherry 100

How to grain Chestnut 97

How to grain Mahogany 112

How to grain Maple (plain) 96

How to grain Rosewood 127

How to grain Walnut 116

How to grain Walnut (curled) 118

How to grain Satinwood 113

How to grain Sycamore 108

How to marble Egyptian green marble 148

How to marble Florentine marble 152

How to marble Italian pink marble 150

How to marble Italian scarlet marble 150

How to marble Sienna marble 150

How to marble Serpentine marble 145

How to marble Tennessee marble 153

How to marble Verd antique marble 156

How to marble white veined and black veined marbles 157

How to imitate Onyxes 158

How to imitate Granites 160

How to imitate Jaspers 160

How to imitate Porphyries 160

How to use the Davis graining rollers 65

How to use the Ridgely graining tools 65

How to use the colored crayons 72

How to use the wax in finishing 80

Italian pink marble--how imitated 148

Italian scarlet marble--how imitated 148

Jasper--how imitated 160

Mahogany--how to prepare ground for 109

Mahogany--how to grain 112

Mahogany--how to make the featherings 115

Maple, plain--how to prepare the ground 99

Maple, plain--how to grain 99

Maple, bird's-eye--how to grain 101

Maple, bird's-eye--how to put in the eyes 104

Marbling--general remarks on 130

Marbling--imitation of agate 145

Marbling--imitation of black and gold marble 146

Marbling--imitation of Brocatello marble 147

Marbling--imitation of Dove marble 148

Marbling--imitation of Egyptian green marble 148

Marbling--imitation of Florence marble 152

Marbling--imitation of Italian pink marble 150

Marbling--imitation of Italian scarlet marble 150

Marbling--imitation of Serpentine marble 152

Marbling--imitation of Tennessee marble 153

Marbling--imitation of Verd antique marble 156

Marbling--imitation of white and black veined marble 157

Marbling--imitation of Onyxes 158

Marbling--imitation of Granites 160

Marbling--imitation of Porphyries 160

Marbling--imitation of Jaspers 160

Material used in graining 21

Mottlers--their uses 29

Mottling--how done in distemper 73

Oak graining--general remarks on 79

Oak graining--how to grain 84

Oak graining--how overgrained 86

Onyxes--how to imitate 160

Old varnished work--how to treat it for graining 41

Old woodwork--how to treat for graining 40

Overgraining--the use made of it 62

Overgraining--how to use the four overgrainers 63

Pencilling the veining in distemper 61

Pencilling the veining--how done 61

Porphyries--how imitated 160

Practice boards--to study graining upon 77

Quarter-sawed Oak--general remarks on 84

Quarter-sawed Oak--grained in distemper 88

Quarter-sawed Oak--how the dark flakes are put on 96

Quarter-sawed Oak--how the checkroller is used 91

Quarter-sawed Oak--how overgrained 91

Quarter-sawed Oak--how wiped out 89

Quarter-sawed Oak--how finished 95

Rags--their use in graining 37

Ridgely rubber graining tools 34

Rosewood graining--general remarks on 126

Rosewood graining--how to make the grounds 127

Rosewood graining--how to grain it 128

Rosewood graining--how to overgrain it 129

Rubber graining rollers (Davis) 32

Rubber graining combs 35

Rubbing in color in oil in graining 49

Rubbing in color--how applied 52

Satinwood--how grained 100

Serpentine marble--how imitated 146

Sienna marble--how imitated 150

Stippler--its use in graining 27

Stippling--for walnut--how done 119

Stippling--general rules for 55-75

Sponges--their use in distemper 74

Steel graining combs 35

Varnish brushes used in graining 30

Varnishing--how it should be done 81-87

Verd antique marble--how imitated 156

Walnut graining--general remarks on 116

Walnut graining--grounds for 118

Walnut graining--how to stipple for 119

Walnut graining--how grained in oil and distemper 120

Walnut graining--how overgrained 121

Wax used in preparing megilp 22

Wax polish--how applied 82

Whiting--its uses in preparing megilps 23

White veined marble--how imitated 149

Wiping out--what it means 56

Wiping out--how done 57

Woods--how classed 83

* * * * *

Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:

bevelled to a sharpe edge=> bevelled to a sharp edge {pg 36}

are two short for use=> are too short for use {pg 77}

no dofficulty=> no difficulty {pg 94}

is a synonim=> is a synonym {pg 104}

most fastiduous=> most fastidious {pg 122}

has sufficied to confine=> has sufficed to confine {pg 126}

prefering a plain wall=> preferring a plain wall {pg 131}

should be attemped=> should be attempted {pg 140}

General remarks on preparing meglips....43=> General remarks on preparing megilps....43 {pg iv}

Marbling--imitation of Brocatella marble....147=> Marbling--imitation of Brocatello marble....147 {pg vi}

End of Project Gutenberg's Graining and Marbling, by Frederick Maire