The art of marbling - Stuart Spencer

Throughout history, decorative painters have captured the magic of marble in paint. Nowhere was this more evident than during the Renaissance where many grandiose schemes required the effect of marble but the weight and form of the natural stone made it impractical. For many people today the painted illusion of marbling represents a practical way of introducing colour, elegance and atmosphere into their surroundings. Marbling is a discipline that combines a thorough knowledge of the natural stone and the medium of paint with a painstaking attention to detail; a matter of suggestion and illusion, of attempting to capture the essence of the polished stone - abstract qualities of solidity, cloudiness, depth, translucency and motion - in paint. The intention is for the illusion to be convincing, and not necessarily authentic. The traditional techniques are there to be mastered but not slavishly obeyed. Bend the rules, experiment with colour and don't be afraid - a new start is only a coat of paint away.