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Desert Varnish What Is It? How Is It Used In Stone Carving? by Ron White
Desert Varnish is the dark coating on rocks originally thought to be found only on stone in arid regions. Actually it occurs worldwide and in many environments, varnishes may even exist on Mars as suggested by observations on both the Viking and Mars Pathfinder landing sites. Desert Varnish occurs in many different colors and densities, from a glossy black, all shades of brown and some with orange tints. How is the varnish made? What is it composed of? How do I use this knowledge in my hand carved stone wall art?
Initially it was thought that the varnish was created by substances being drawn out of the rock, a weathering of the stone or a chemical reaction changing actual surface of the stone. Further investigation shows however that the varnish has high concentrations of clay which could only come from the outside of the stone. The clay then catches additional substances that have a chemical reaction under the heat of the sun along with a little moisture from the air mixed in to make the all different colors of varnish that is found. In the end the varnish becomes a light coating, typically less than half a millimeter thick, of minerals, clay and bacteria deposited on the stone surface.
Desert Varnish is made up of three major elements. The first is clay that adheres itself to the surface of the stone. Next let us look at the minerals which are the second part of the recipe. The region where the varnish is created greatly affects the color layered on the stone. If the region has a high concentration of manganese oxide in its mineral composition the varnish created in that area will generally be a dark color more on the glossy black side. A region that has a high concentration of iron oxide will produce browns and varnishes with an orange tint. These minerals blow around in the air with the dust and attach themselves to the clay. Add a touch of moisture, like morning dew, and combine with the heat from the sun to create the finally ingredient, bacteria. These ingredients plus anywhere from 50 to over 100 years time and you will start to see the beginnings of a coating of Desert Varnish.
Many ancient stone carvings, or petroglyphs, are found where this varnish has coated the stone surfaces all over the world. I had to take all this information into account when figuring out to recreate Desert Varnish in my studio to help perfect the creation of my wall art. When I first started stone carving I collected all the stone myself. The stone was naturally aged and many pieces did have some patina or Desert Varnish on them. When I started purchasing the stone for my carvings direct from the quarry there was no aging and therefore no contrast when I went to carve on them. I realized I needed to educate myself about how Desert Varnish is created naturally in my quest to continue stone carving.
I studied the aspects of Desert Varnish in nature and in an attempt to recreate the recipe. I also had to figure out how to hurry the whole process up. After many failures and much trial and error I found a recipe that is working well. As usual it is an ongoing experiment and holds the promise of only getting better and better outcomes. The result at this time are wonderful pieces of hand carved stone wall art that have the look and feel of Desert Varnish but the patina did not take 50 to 100 years to create.
Ron White, stone carver and entrepreneur, has been carving stone since 1993 and is shown in more than 40 galleries across the US. Prior to beginning his work with hand carved stone Ron has worked extensively with leather, wood cabinetry and even jewelry. Learn more about Ron White, his work, or purchase your own selection at www.derivedfromnature.com.
Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Desert-Varnish-What-Is-It---How-Is-It-Used-In-Stone-Carving-/1036459
