SERPENTINE MARBLE.

159. This marble is probably but a variation of the verd antique, which it closely resembles in all its colorings. It contains more veinings than the other, although it, too, shows up clumps of conglomerate very much the same in formation; as a full description of verd antique is given in the subsequent paragraph, the student can vary from the directions given in so far as to introduce the veinings mentioned which the other has but few of.

VERD ANTIQUE.

160. Verd antique marble is really a modified Egyptian, being somewhat more blotchy than its cousin the Egyptian green marble. The ground should be made from Prussian blue and yellow ochre to make a brownish green, then dab some of each of the separate colors blue and yellow where the blotches are desired; then connect them by veinings and blend, touching up afterwards with fresh color parts which should show prominently, but be careful not to overdo this, as but little of the full tone of the yellow should show or it will make it look unnatural.

WHITE VEINED MARBLE.
BLACK VEINED WHITE MARBLE.

161. These two marbles are bracketed together, as with the exception of the ground color and the reversing of the color used in the veining they are so much alike that the same description will do for each of them. They are veined marbles, and many specimens show fissures which for the sake of naturalness and variety may be imitated but very sparingly, as really it is a defect.

The ground for these marbles should be white lead; for the white veined proceed to dab on patches of black with a small tool and blend the black with the white all over, but have the ground darker in parts than in others, varying from a gray to nearly true black, but of the latter sparingly. A few white blotches and main white coarse veins are left, and the white veins are put in with flake white, which will blend into the ground and serve to give the proper transparency. When dry the pure white veins must be touched in order to bring them out.

For the black-veined variety the white lead ground is gone over here and there, but not too much of it, with a touch of black which must be vigorously worked into the white to produce a few blotches of light, faint gray not prominent at all. The veining is gray of a trifle darker tone, which is called black by courtesy and as a contrast to the white of the ground.

162. The above comprise about all the leading varieties of marbles. There are many other varieties, chiefly of those described, and differing from them chiefly in their coloring, their imitation being the same excepting that.

ONYXES.

163. Onyxes differ from those stones which are known as marbles chiefly in that they are more transparent. The clumps or blotches of variously colored component parts of the conglomerate are much more diversified than can usually be seen in marbles and according to the angle at which they are cut present an endless variation. Sometimes whole slabs show the conglomeration cut across; again in others considerable blank space is found in close proximity and again serpentine waves of veins looking very transparent run around the clumps, etc. Nothing but a close study of the natural stone can give one a perfect idea of their vagaries of form. The general directions given in paragraphs 140 to 149 cover all that could be said here as to the manner of imitating them and the student who has carefully followed the descriptions which are specially given under each marble will find no great difficulty in imitating the variously colored onyxes.

GRANITES, PORPHYRIES AND JASPERS.

164. All the above are closely related and may be bracketed together in describing their imitation. According to their predominating colors they are known as red, gray, white, etc., and have usually the name of the countries from which they come given them in addition.

The ground color should consist of the leading or predominating color, and the rest of the spots are put in by sprinkling or striking the brush against a stick. When the colors have commenced to set, but before they have dried and while still partly wet, turpentine should be sparingly sprinkled upon the work, which will cause the spots to spread and run into each other, but it must not be overdone or a mess will be the result. A little fine flaked mica may be sprinkled upon the work after it is finished, also before drying has been completed; this will give more naturalness to the granite imitations; the porphyry and jasper do not need it.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXXI.

159. Describe the character of serpentine marble?

160. How is verd antique marble imitated?

161. How are white-veined black marble and black-veined white marble imitated?

162. What is said of other varieties of marbles?

163. How are onyxes imitated?

164. What is said regarding the imitation of granites, porphyries and jaspers?

FINIS.