Sunday, June 13, 2010

Stuckmarmor - Stucco Marble Columns



Theresa Cheek wrote a fine article entitled "Scagliola and Pietre Dure" for her blog "Art's The Answer!" Stuckmarmor is one of many Spachteltechniken and so is Scagliola.


Marble columns made with Stucco technique.




More commonly known Spachtel (trowel) techniques are Tadelakt and Fresco, shown above. Frattazatto, Marmorino, Stucco-lustro, Rasata, Calcerasata, Stucco Veneziano, Stucco Rasante, Spatolato Veneziano, all fit into the lime based trowel techniques.





Tools of the trade. Mostly differently shaped trowels (Spachtel) cutting tools, polishing tools. Lime (calcium carbonate) mixed with organic powder pigments and kneaded. More colors added and stacked. Some cut into scheiben (slices) and then into cubes.




Large masses of colored stucco is applied onto a base. Smaller veins of conglomerates (cubes) are troweled onto and in-between applied stucco panels.



High spots are removed with special blade. Open areas are filled with stucco slurry. Numerous polishing procedures from rough to the very fine. Then a last coat of poppy seed oil and wax.



Staatsoper, Dresden

All photographs are taken from the book by Martin Benad entitled "Das 1x1 der Spachteltechniken".

The author and his wife, Ursula, live in Munich, Germany, where they often conduct workshops for decorative painters. You may contact them for additional information.


Gina


17 comments:

  1. Bet you wish you read German!

    I'd love to have that book- will have to search. The pictures make you want to get right in there!

    Have you ever seen the work of Istvan Torok? He does beautiful scagliola also. Do a search for him. For some reason, I can't get his website to load. Maybe he's returned to Europe.

    Hey- let's go to Walter's studio and take a class!

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  2. Hi Ann, I do read German. I purchased my book from

    Anton Siegl
    Fachbuchhandlung GmbH
    Kirchenstrasse 7
    81675 Munich
    Germany
    e-mail service@siegl.de

    I paid Euro 65.90, which included shipping.

    I will have to look up Istvan Torok.

    Thanks for your comments, it is always so good to know that someone is actually reading my blog.

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  3. I know what you mean,lol.

    You read German! Geez! I wish I read Italian and French...

    We're here! Keep on!

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  4. Hi Ann, It's not such a big deal, I spent my early years in Germany. I have a smattering knowledge of Italian and Spanish. Wish I could learn enough French to get by. However, it is difficult to teach an old dog new tricks.

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  5. I bow down to such greatness!!!!LOL!!!! Fantastic post. I spent over two hours today studying and viewing images of Stuckmarmor....thanks for continuing the passion for lime....!

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  6. Istvan Torok is a friend of mine on an art forum...thought you might want to sneak a peak at his work....phenominal stuff.

    http://artfusion.ning.com/profile/istvantorok?xg_source=profiles_friendList

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  7. Hi Theresa, What do you think? Would you give Stuckmarmor a try? I am so tempted. Just for the heck of it I might try using white clay and follow instructions as above. I love the idea of working a conglomerate vein into the process.

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  8. Hi Gina,
    thank you for the enlightenment about Misthaufen (hum...ok now i should confess that i did learn German at school but wasn't particularly good at it) and your briliant ideas!
    and honestly i think you and Theresa are just INCREDIBLE !! so much talent, knowledge and tutti quanti...
    i'd love to spy on you both in your respective workshops!
    Have a fabulous monday, dear!
    Lala

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  9. These techniques are so gorgeous, Gina! I would be tempted to try them but our house is not that style. In my condo, which I've since sold, I did hand painted finishes on most of the walls as they had a very rough finish and loved the effect. I could imagine I was in Venice! Hope you're having a great start to summer. – g

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  10. Hi Lala, Wouldn't it be great if all of us could get together and brainstorm a few new ideas. We might have to come and visit you in Spain. Your photographs, in your blogposts, are so inspiring I want to hop on a plane and follow you around.
    Have a great weekend, Lala.

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  11. Dear Georgianna, Interesting that you should mention your Condo walls. In your photographs, I have seen some pretty spectacular backgrounds. They look as if they were hand painted. And, if so, they were beautifully executed. Which begs the question, what can't you do?

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  12. Gina I missed this post from a year ago however Theresa has now sent me over!! I must at least try this!!

    Gorgeous!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    Be sure to enter my exciting Giveaway from the Artisans at Novica!

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  13. Hi Karena, Let me know how this very interesting method works for you. I was instantly interested when I first saw the process.

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  14. Gina the work you gave done on ceramics in appreciable. this was my first visit so not read many posts but I like to come back again. - Herman Swan

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    1. Thank you Swan, The process, described above is a very complicated process. Seeing the results is amazing. Thank you for your visit.

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  15. I really enjoy to reading your blog and will be waiting for your next update.I appreciate all the work you put into this site, helping out others with your fun and creative works.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Marble Mantle for visiting and your kind words. Sharing ideas is such an awarding process. We all learn from each other and blogging has made it possible.

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