How to Paint Marble Columns

Ok. Ok. I know I am pushing the limits of blog posting here but I wanted you to know that in addition to the dining room, there are also a couple of columns I am adding a fantasy marbling technique to.

   I thought I would post a couple of pictures to see if guys have some interest in learning How to Paint Marble Columns

What I’ll be showing to you can be a cost effective way to “do something” with those columns  if you are faced with this scenario.

No one likes “boring columns“

One of the most important aspects of marbling techniques is to be able to both identify and understand marble structure. Consider in your mind that  if you don’t understand the subject then how can you expect to capture the realism through  faux work?

There are two basic styles of painted marble.  One is the Italian style and the other is French.

Both are different marbling techniques but what you need to know that one is not easier than the other to paint. I will go more into the details and nuances of each on a later blog but this gives you all a little incentive to do some research in the meantime.  For now we are going to talk about the fantasy marbling technique which is really an American way of executing a marble finish that basically insults the European purist artists to put it bluntly.  So with that being said,  here’s a couple of photos of the ones I will be finishing up this week.

As you can see this is the start of the structure of the veining which gets more refined as the project progresses.

The first step is to bring in the drifts with a quick glazing to create a sense of movement and form which I show you in detail during

the instructional DVD. This step is really is a quick and simple process if you do it abstractly, without trying to make it look like anything. One of the main mistakes most make because of thinking with the right side of their brain.

The two pictures below are showing a bit further along in the process where the veining is much stronger. This is achieved by changing your color value. Please remember this is only a one color fantasy marble where you are just using some of the basics when executing this marbling technique.

Changing color value is critical. I have always liked using this system to keep in touch with my marbling techniques and it actually improves my ability to render the finer and rare marbles which are far more complex and intricate.

There are many finer points and details to understand about the nature of  marble just as there is about wood graining, murals,  and the other various forms of decorative painting. The key is to master one and practice them all as often as you can to keep adding to your marbling techniques.

Replicating nature is where decorative art obtained its roots and therefore certain rules must always be observed, otherwise you will end up with something that looks like a “barber’s pole”  which I have seen so much of starting in the early parts of 2000 when the housing industry was starting to lean towards the “flipping craze.”  Not only were the ones executing the finishes  educated enough in the decorative arts, but the ones who were flipping the properties for profit didn’t care. They were focused on the increase of  “return” rather than the quality and splendor of art form itself  so it didn’t matter what it looked like, as long as it could be stated that the house has “Faux Finishing” to increase the homes value.  I often regret using the word “Faux” in my business name because it is such a contradicting word when it is associated with the common words like “painting” and “artist.”

To the well educated I probably look like a buffoon when you look at the phrase in English and realize it means “false painter” or “fake artist.” It also doesn’t help your case when you are trying to reach out and convince these  high profile / high end clients that can actually afford to allow you to really showcase your talent, knowledge and artistic mastery…

What do you guys want to know about marbling? Do you think I should do a start to finish video? Does anyone have any

marbling stories to share?

For more on How To Paint Marble Columns check out these links

Faux Finishing (Marble Painted Columns)

Faux Onyx Marble On Columns

Another Faux Marble On Columns

How to Faux Video “Fantasy Marble” A Testimony