Marble Effect Tables
The technique of painting non-stone items to resemble stone is an ancient art dating back to Pompeii. Painting items to look like marble, in particular, is the most favored of all faux stone painting techniques, thanks to the long history of associating cultured, polished marble with refined taste and tradition. Using the technique to create marble-effect tables is a way to add style to any room in an economic yet beautiful manner. Does this Spark an idea?
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Prepare the Surface
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Prepare the surface of the table for the marble effect by cleaning it thoroughly with a damp rag. If need be, you can scrape off any paint that's peeling or sand the surface if there is any roughness. This will help make sure the paint adheres to your table.
The First Stage
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Apply eggshell paint to the table and allow the paint to dry overnight. The next day, apply a layer of linseed oil. The linseed oil acts as a decelerator, slowing the time that the eggshell paint dries, which allows you to manipulate it. Mix a little eggshell paint with black paint until you create a grayish hue. Use a brush to dab it randomly on the table. Mix more paint to create another grayish hue, and add that to the table as well to create a curvy, swirly pattern.
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The Second Stage
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Use a dry brush to soften the edges of the colors on the table. If there is excess paint, you can remove it carefully with a dry rag. Go over the paint again with the dry brush.
The Third Stage
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Mix more eggshell and black to create a gray that's not too dark and not too light. Use a thinner brush to add a pattern that looks like the veins in marble. When you look at marble, you'll see that the veins run diagonally across the surface. The veins are not all the same length or thickness. Try to replicate this with your paintbrush. If you need to take some of the paint off, dip your brush in white spirit and carefully pass it over the area of paint you wish to remove. Use a dry brush go over the areas from which you removed the paint.
The Fourth Stage
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Add fine veins to the table with a feather. Dip the feather in white spirits and brush it across the surface of the table backwards to separate the veins on the table still further. Mix the eggshell paint and black paint to create a charcoal color. Add thin, curvy lines to create fine veins. Add even lighter veins by dipping the feather into light paint or white spirits. Then use a badger hair brush to brush the entire surface of the table.
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