colouring granite

[tevj]

hi, is there some way to colour an unpolished granite sculpture..i have done a piece in sort of a grey blue granite, but want it darker almost black...can i paint it or stain it somehow for a permaneant colour change?
T :confused:

[jvc stone]

Is the stone close to the color you want when wet???
If so you can try a color enhancing impregnator on it. This is a type of sealer that gives a "wet look". You may be able to dye the stone -- some of the "black granites" being marketed for counter tops are actually gray stones that have been doctored, but I would really hesitate about painting the stone if you want to keep a natural stone look--although a lot of the ancient marble sculptures by the greeks, egyptians etc were painted in brilliant colors.
JVC

[tevj]

i would like to take it a bit darker than it is when wet...any ideas what i could use to 'stain' it permanantly?
T

[Stevem]

I just did a piece that was cultured granite and used a dye that goes in resin. I simply brushed it on and wiped off what I didn't want with a scotch brite pad. So far, very permanant.

[G. Murdoch]

Tevj,

Greetings, interesting question. A few years ago I was experimenting with painting on stone, pulling individual figures off the sistine cieling and painting them on sandstone. I started using acrylic paint, wasn't getting the desired effect. One day at my favorite art supply store I noticed a variety of pure mineral pigments, iron oxide, cobalt, umber, ochre, sienna, etc... I started experimenting with them, very interesting.

Perhaps take some of your off cuts and experiment with:
1) dry pigment rubbed into the surface.
2) pigment mixed with water.

I dont know which particular pigment will give you the desired shade you want, I found the best results by doing my "hard lines" with pigment & water, the shading done with dry pigment. It was really cool that, in absence of any industrial chemical wizardry, the pieces still had elemental force, that subtle yet very important quality that was lost whenever I used acryllic polymers and binding agents.

If I understand, you are hoping to darken the entire sculpture. Potential problems due to the nature of granite, composed of quartz, mica, and feldspar, each element having different hardness and porosity, thus absorbing the pigment differently. On the other hand this could work out beautifully.

Please post pics when finished. Good luck.

Graham