Faux Painting Finishes
By: Kathleen Wilson
Faux and Decorative Painting
Sponge painting
Sponge painting is great because it is easy, fast, requires little
paint and materials, and did I mention it was easy? It can be used on
walls, furniture, and accessories, and can give instant facelift to dull
objects.
Don't let anyone convince you that you have to go buy an expensive
sea sponge to do this. I've used plastic grocery bags, cloth diapers,
even old clothing (Ok, now its called ragging, same technique, more
subtle look.) But you can use a plain old kitchen sponge, and here's the
secret: tear away all the hard edges of the sponge, even tear chunks
from the center to give it an irregular appearance.
Now choose your paint, and sponge! Remember to sponge sparingly at
first, you can always add more later. Also, dab the paint off on your
plate first, you only need a little paint on the sponge, or it will be
too gloppy. Practice first on a paper bag, and remember to change the
direction of your hand occasionally, the idea is not to get a pattern
going.
Try combining sponge painting with stenciling or decorative painting,
tape off a border and use it just there, you can even sponge paint over
glassware with the new glass paints available at your craft store.
Marbleizing
There is a very simple technique to marbleizing that is popular in
the home decorating world today, and you wont believe how easy it is
until you try it.
Simply choose two to four colors of paint within the same color scheme,
one light, one medium, one dark.
Using a regular paintbrush, dip the brush into all the colors. Now
simply pounce the paintbrush over the surface to get a mottled effect.
It might help to keep a picture of a piece of marble nearby to refer to.
Use the different colors to add shading, or tone down an area you think
is too bright.
When finished with the surface, take a small artists liner brush, dip
it into either the lightest or darkest color you used, (thin with a
little water, if necessary) and paint veins by dragging the brush over
the surface, wiggling it as you go. Don't go overboard on the veining.
Remember also to bring the veins over the edges for a realistic finish.
I think sealing it with a gloss clearcoat or polyurethane gives the
most authentic look of polished marble.
Crackling
Crackling is very popular as aged finishes have become so much a part
of showcasing warmth and history in our homes. It can be done without
purchasing expensive crackling kits.
Crackled finishes are a simple chemical reaction. All you need are
two colors of latex paint, one a base coat that will peek through, and
one a top coat, that you will see the most of, and household glue.
That's right, direct from your kids art box.
Sand and prime your piece if necessary, then paint with your base
coat. Remember, this will be the color the will just peek through, so
its best if it contrasts with the top coat. Let dry.
Now mix household glue with equal parts water, and brush onto your
base coat. This can be done easiest with a foam brush. Allow the glue to
dry until just tacky, about 30 minutes.
Now for the reaction part. Brush on your top coat directly over the
glue coat. Don't brush over any one area more than once, you will ruin
the crackle effect in that area. You should start seeing the crackling
take place within a minute or so. The size of the crackles has a lot to
do with your technique in applying the top coat, so experiment a little
first. Long, smooth strokes tend to produce larger more dramatic cracks
than short strokes, and if you really want a subtle effect, try sponging
or ragging on the final coat. Allow to dry overnight.
If you wish to further antique your work, simply dab or brush it with
some wood stain, then wipe off. Repeat until you get the look desired.
You can seal with polyurethane or clearcoat, or coat it with common
furniture wax.
About the Author
Kathleen Wilson
is the editor of a free ezine and newsletter called The Budget
Decorator, dedicated to the "budget impaired" home decorator.
Visit her at http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com/
for more free ideas and projects, and for info on her workshop.
Article Source: Article
Hub
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