Italian marble with inlay work, Office stationery, size 3''. Italian marble are softer stones, more porous in nature and can easily catch stains and hairline cracks. Very good for decorative pieces. Inlay covers a range of techniques in sculpture and decorative arts. Inlay work begins with a design that is cut out on a brass sheet, which is then placed on marble and drawn. Next, the marble is carved out, using the most basic of tools - a set of chisels and a set-square. Slices of coloured stones (precious and semi-precious) are then delicately laid into the marble with adhesive.