How to: Marbling With a Feather

The veins in natural marble are inconsistent, which should be mimicked.

Faux marbling is a popular technique for painting pottery, columns and walls. It is designed to look like old marble buildings and rooms without the cost and difficulty that real marble entails. You can use many techniques to create a faux marbled look, including sponges, artist brushes and feathers. A natural feather is desirable because it creates a vein or line in the paint that looks natural, unlike that of a brush stroke. Feathering is the last step in the faux marbled painting process because it adds detail to the look.

Things You'll Need

• Two colors of water-based paint
• 3-inch paintbrush or sponge
• Large white or non-dyed feather
• Container for paint
• Water-based glaze
• White water-based paint

Instructions

1. Paint the area with your two colors of choice, using the paintbrush or sponge. With marbling, it is messy and unorganized, so you can be creative with the look, making it look like natural marble. Apply the paint to the wall in an "X" pattern with the brush and then apply the second color next to the first section. Slowly integrate the two colors until you are satisfied. Only paint within an area you can work in before the paint dries -- if it is an entire wall, paint in sections.

2. Paint the entire surface using this paintbrush technique and let dry. This is the main look and the other techniques, like using a feather, add the detail to the wall. This is why you can paint the entire piece before using the feather.

3. Mix the white paint with glaze. The glaze to paint ratio should be 4 to 1. Glaze gives the paint a translucent look, providing a natural marble look.

4. Dip one side your feather into the glaze mixture. Your feather should be white or without any artificial coloring, as dye will bleed into the paint. Remove any excess paint by wiping the feather on the paint tray two to three times.

5. Paint with the feather randomly to create "veins" or weathering looks to the piece you are working on. Wipe the feather downward or to the side, or swipe it back and forth along the wall. The veins can be prominent in some areas and faint in others, it is up to you. Step back and look at the wall/column/pottery piece as a whole while adding the feathering technique. This will help you decide if you need more or less.

Tips & Warnings

• Glaze takes longer to dry, so if you make a mistake, use an old towel and some water to wipe off the glazed area.

References

• Decorative Faux Painting: Marble Faux Painting
• Hot Lead: Advanced Painting - Texturing Marble
• Do It Yourself Help: Mixing Faux Painting Glaze