Painting marble illusions

Chemical Basis of Marble Colours

 Marble colours are derived from various minerals within the crystal structure of marble. It is rarely pure white. the pure white value of the stone isderived from limestone or dolostone which has very few impurities.

The red, brown, yellow and orange colours that streak and stain the white marble was caused over millenia due to the presence of iron oxides (hematite); while Green marble (such as Carrara marble - verde antique), is causd by serpentine, with impurities like chromium oxide.

By contrast, gray, blue and black marble is caused by the presence of graphite, pyrite or bitumin matter.

Painterly rendering of marble colours and patterns in egg tempera painting has readily use all of the mineral pigments anciently used in the artists palette.

Mary McGillivray learns how to paint fictive marble using traditional earth-mineral pigments

Mineral earth pigments

Serpentine green marble

Coloured marble - based on Giotto, Ognissanti Madonna c.1300

Lapis Lazuli: stages of painting (Pigments: Ultramarine blue, Oxide black, and Titanium white)