Verde, Sienna, White Marble-Table Top

Some of my favorite verdé marbles are verdé  Acceglio, verdé  San Denise, verdé Giada, verdé  Tinos and verdé  Larissa.  These are some of the more exciting varieties, displaying dramatic white veins and unique color accents.  Imitating these marbles well can be quite challenging and requires at least some innovations, skill and experience, not to mention patience and the proper tools.  Most will require a minimum of one overglaze, others perhaps five.

Since there are may varieties of verdé (green) marble, there are an equal number of approaches to its imitation.  One of the easiest is to execute is a form of frotting.  A dry eggshell or satin-sheen white base is coated with a clear glazing medium made of about 40% retarder or extender, 60% glazing liquid and a dash of water.
 

Mix two colors: 1) -  5 parts Ivory Black one part Phthalo Green
2) 10 parts  Ivory Black to one part Phthalo Green. Add perhaps 10% glazing medium to each.  Fold and blend  both colors into the clear glazing medium on the surface.
 

Apply each glaze to the general areas or give them a marble like flow, blending both with each other and the wet base. Some areas may occasionally have a stronger pigment.  More clear glazing medium can be added to make these more transparent.
 

Lay plastic wrap onto the wet, glazed surface.  The thinner cheaper plastic is preferred since it permits a more active and interesting texture.  Remove the plastic to reveal a marble like texture.

 

Reverse the plastic and repeat the process by letting the plastic fall, this time in flowing folds, onto the surface.  Tuck slightly on one end to create vein textures.
 

To break up some of the denser areas, use crumpled up plastic and dap it lightly into the glaze being careful not to overdo a good thing.  The finished product should be active, yet harmonious.

 

Bold quartz veins can be added with a goose feather or striper and alcohol.  Since alcohol dissolves acrylics, it should be used sparingly in this technique.  Dip the back edge of a feather in the alcohol, then remove any excess alcohol with a clean, dry cloth.  Now apply the feather to the surface, thereby removing the medium and creating a vein.

Finer, negative veins are created in the same manner with the fine front tip of the feather.  Here you must e sure that only a hint of solvent is used.  Some frotted veinlike images may be extended so the look is more complete.

Now you may want to add some dark green and black veins.  Most harmonious are those that run in the direction of the general flow of the whole texture.  However, one vein or a few minor veins may run against the stream.

The finished texture should be active yet harmonious.  It's best when given the illusion of depth and transparency.