Malachite

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Malachite

Malachite is a semi precious stone. Gemstones come in the precious or semi-precious variety. A semi precious stone is obviously the lesser of the two classifications. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds are considered precious stones.

Base Coat

Prime the surface as needed with an appropriate primer (Zinsser Coverstain or 123 Bullseye) allow to dry and sand smooth. After vacuuming and tacking (use oil less tack rags) you may apply your base coat. Use a blue green color similar to the swatch above. The base coat paint should be a satin finish, either oil or latex. Apply the base coat smoothly with brush or spray.

Technique

Malachite is usually done on small items - it is a gem stone so you wouldn't do large sections of wall with it, but rather a jewelry box or music box or as an inlay or banding in another larger finish.

Since Malachite is rendered on small items a latex glaze works well with this finish. Use a dark blue green satin sheen latex similar to the above swatch and mix with Modern Masters Extender (about 1 part Extender to 3 or 4 parts tinted latex paint) or latex glaze of your own preference.

click on image to enlarge

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Real Malachite veneer will usually be spliced together in a mitered design on an actual item made with Malachite.

Mitering requires masking off every other piece with blue masking tape (3M 2080 will give you clean edges without bleeding), and finishing those pieces and then masking off and finishing the opposite pieces after overnight drying.

Mosaic style of mitering

Mitreing in a specific design

Mosaic mitering may require a third round of masking and finishing depending on your mosaic design.

Cardboard piece cut to size - before serrating bottom edge

Malachite is best done using negative removal methods. With A negative removal method you will apply your dark green glaze to one of your mitered sections and then remove it using a removal "tool'.

The "tool" used for removal of the glaze is simply a piece of cardboard of different lengths - depending on the size of your mitered sections, you want a piece of cardboard that will span an entire mitered section so that you don't have to do two overlapping passes. To achieve randomness and variety, use different pieces of cardboard for each of your sections of Malachite. One of the nice features of using cardboard is that you can make as many different "tools" as you'd like.

The type of cardboard that works best is the type of cardboard that you would find on a box of cereal for example. Corrugated cardboard does not work as well.

To create your removal tool from your pieces of cardboard, tear one side - the side that will be making contact with the surface of your project to create a jagged toothed edge. Try to tear in as straight of a line as you can do free handed, this will enable good surface contact along the whole length of your tool. The torn serrated edge will remove the glaze in lines of random thickness - perfect for Malachite.

Try out and pre "ink" your cardboard removal tool first by doing a small section on a scrap piece of poster board, this will allow you to see the effect your tool will produce and will break in the tool so that it does not wipe too cleanly as it would without inking it first. Apply some glaze to your scrap poster board and remove it with your cardboard tool. If the effect is pleasing your are ready to move on to your project. If you have areas of skips or areas of harsh removal - you will need to straighten out you torn edge by re-tearing the portions that are protruding out too far. After a little trial and error, you should have perfected your removal tool to produce the desired effect.

Cardboard piece cut to size - after serrating bottom edge

Removal of the glaze is done in looping arcs of different widths and done with hesitation here and there.

Once your project is complete a clear coat of a non-yellowing finish will protect and give your faux Malachite the sparkle and shine of a real gemstone. Minwax Polycrylic is a good choice for a non-yellowing finish. Polycrylic comes in satin, semi-gloss and gloss sheens.