This section is from the book "Cyclopedia Of Painting", by George D. Armstrong. Also available from Amazon: Cyclopedia of Painting.
The ground of Sienna marble is white lead; the work is then to be evenly gone over with white paint mixed with equal quantities of turpentine and oil. After this, mix two light tints, the one consisting of yellow ochre and white lead and the other of vermilion and white lead, both mixed with equal quantities of oil and turpentine, and with separate tools dab patches on the white paint whilst yet wet, and with a brush well soften the patches together, great care being taken not to allow the red tint to be too dominant.
On a palette, on the side of which is placed a tin dipper containing turpentine, place a small quantity of blue black, the oil colors sold in collapsible metal tubes are the best for marbling, and a small quantity of purple lake; then with a sable pencil dipped in turpentine take a thin wash of the blue black and vein on the wet work, and soften; then work up the veins further with more blue black, so that the color may be a little darker, but still thin; after this, with a flat camel's hair fitch dipped in turpentine, and a small quantity of the purple lake and blue black mixed, apply very thin washes in some of the open spaces, and soften lightly. When dry, put in whites, with white lead mixed with turpentine, using a sable pencil, and subsequently softening the work with a badger. When the paints are quite hard, apply a light varnish.
Over a white ground apply a coat of white paint as in the last case, compound tints of ultramarine and white lead and vermilion and white lead, each being mixed with equal quantities of oil and turpentine, and with these dab patches, as already described, and soften. On the palette place some Indian red and with a small pigeon feather dipped in turpentine and some of the Indian red, work the pattern and well soften. When this is dry, mix some white lead mixed rather thinly with turpentine, and flat the whole of the work; then with a feather dipped in turpentine scumble over the work and subsequently put in whites with white lead and turpentine. When the work is perfectly hard it is to be varnished.
The ground of Verde antique is either black or dark green, the marbling colors being dark brown and green. Scumble over the work with these, then with Brunswick green and white lead scumble over again and soften with a badger; next with a fitch paint masses of white of various shapes, squares, irregular triangles, etc., and similar masses of black.
The painter may here be reminded of the difference between scumbling and glazing. In the latter the colors are thinly mixed so as to be transparent; in the former, the color is mixed thick and thinly spread or rubbed on it with a hard brush.
This marble in color nearly resembles the Verde antique; it is superior serpentine, and there are several sorts, which are called by different names, which would be of but little service to the painter, as they are all for his purposes comprehended under the above title. Egyptian green differs from Verde antique in the form of the veins, which run in a more horizontal direction, having a greater quantity of small fossil substances mixed with it, and the dark veins frequently running in streaks which often appear as if broken by violence.
The same kind of marble, though not so variegated in vein or color, is found in Germany, Russia and England. It is called serpentine from its supposed resemblance to the skin of a serpent and in its rich variety of color and almost indestructible hardness, and is therefore eminently suitable for architectural ornaments.
The green is generally the cold color of the leek, but varies in shades, some appearing in the darkest olive. The veins which appear black sometimes run in a horizontal direction, and then suddenly break and appear nearly upright; in other cases they seem to have undergone a violent concussion, and become broken and shivered to small pieces. It is the business of the geologist to explain the cause of this appearance in one of the most solid of minerals; it is sufficient for the painter to note the character, so as to reproduce it as far as possible by means of his art.
It is not so bright or so varied as the precious; the dark shades of green are much broader, and the light veins not so fine and reticulated, and consequently the fossil remains that are white show more distinctly in small, long, square pieces of various sizes and forms. The black vein is so mixed with the darkest shades of green as to be scarcely perceptible in some instances, and this renders the marble somewhat dull and not fit for ornamental painting.
The mode of producing all the green marbles, both in oil and distemper color, must be the same as that directed for Verde antique. The ground must in all cases be black and the different shades of green may be formed by scumbling the white over the black, more or less thickly according to the variety of shade required, and, when the whole is finished, glazing with green according to the tint of the marble.
The ground for this marble is white, Indian red and black, mixed together to form a very light reddish neutral tint. The veins are umber or burnt sienna; they are laid on very irregularly, while the ground color is wet; sometimes they are very close together, and then seem to break suddenly into the forms of rocks or ruins, an effect which must be studied from natural specimens and must be imitated by hand.
 
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