# I had to re-awaken my marbling muscles



## thepm4 (May 18, 2020)

I thought I was walking into a "painted plates" job with the current standard of white Carrara (planned for a couple hours or so with clear coats) and it ended up being more fun (charging by the hour btw).



















It's so fulfilling for me to figure out layered color and mimic a look. There were only 2 plug covers to match.

I scuffed and Stixed as prep, used eye-tinted Scuff-x as base and made a core glaze from Ben Moore's acrylic glaze, which I generally don't like but needed its dry time, and used Mixol colorants for more-on-the-transparent side glazes. Three light coats of Stays Clear...

I discussed durability with the person paying me (not homeowner..new build) and was told iit it needs touch up on the future, so be it.

Side fact: the electrical box and plate(the plate is magnetized and needs a utility blade to pry off because it's flush with the marble backsplash) run about $350 per box and plate. 🤔


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Great match!
Reminds me of being hired to faux finish a light switch @ fashion designer Valentino’s Manhattan apartment to match some upholstered fabric walls. It ended up costing just under $1,000 being it was a 6 hr round-trip commute requiring two trips. I was then asked at a later date to do a receptacle in the same room….


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## thepm4 (May 18, 2020)

Redux said:


> Great match!
> Reminds me of being hired to faux finish a light switch @ fashion designer Valentino’s Manhattan apartment to match some upholstered fabric walls. It ended up costing just under $1,000 being it was a 6 hr round-trip commute requiring two trips. I was then asked at a later date to do a receptacle in the same room….


Wow..great story and thx Redux...wait.... Valentino's people didn't fly you in?? 
I imagine it would be over 2k for the same project these days.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

thepm4 said:


> Wow..great story and thx Redux...wait.... Valentino's people didn't fly you in??
> I imagine it would be over 2k for the same project these days.


No Sikorsky…just a luxury coach bus!


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## Holland (Feb 18, 2011)

Marbling is almost a lost skill set these days. What paints are you using, I see the mixol colorant.


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## thepm4 (May 18, 2020)

Redux said:


> No Sikorsky…just a luxury coach bus!


Nice! As it should be!

Or wait....was that what you called your work vehicle back in the day?? (Kiddin' ya)


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## thepm4 (May 18, 2020)

Holland said:


> Marbling is almost a lost skill set these days. What paints are you using, I see the mixol colorant.


Because of the small surface area to be done, I just used the Mixol tints and BM acrylic glaze. In general, I've most always used colorants to make my colors. 

I tend to use what I got as far as paint(with the colorants giving me flexibility to use what I have), which was mostly BM. Others use artist oils/acrylics...more than one way to do it.

As far as types of brushes on this job, I used art brushes from a what would could described as a common set of art brushes and 2" chip brushes.


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## fromthenorthwest (May 2, 2012)

thepm4 said:


> I thought I was walking into a "painted plates" job with the current standard of white Carrara (planned for a couple hours or so with clear coats) and it ended up being more fun (charging by the hour btw).
> 
> View attachment 113739
> 
> ...


Way cool! I've never done anything like that.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Although not remotely as refined or as skillfully done as @thepm4 ‘s work….the following was a pretty fun pro-bono project the summer I started my business.



















Below is link to a New York Times article about the project…I’m one of the painters pictured in the article working on the balustrade, having spray primed and Impervo’d 440 balusters the day the photographers were shooting the space. We also did the calligraphy mentioned in the Famous Alice’s section, although the calligraphy was misidentified as being stenciled. That room was photographed on press day and appeared on the cover of the New York Magazine along with a multi-page spread on some of the rooms we did.

IN THE HAMPTONS, GENTILITY REGAINED (Published 1988)


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## Holland (Feb 18, 2011)

Are you painting the handrail?


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Holland said:


> View attachment 113762
> 
> Are you painting the handrail?


No, the handrail remained untouched…I think we were prepping for primer when the photograph was taken.


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