3
Decorative Techniques for Non-Painters
You don't have to consider yourself an artist or decorative painter to have an arsenal of techniques to
draw from when you want to add a little extra to a painted wood project.
Here are just 3 ideas for adding texture or depth to a painted area, especially a
background:
Start by painting your area a solid background color. Let it dry thoroughly. Then try out one of these
techniques or invent your own.
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Medical Gauze
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Cheesecloth
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Drywall repair mesh (sticky side in)
NOTE: The colors above were chosen for ease of viewing.
The technique is particularly effective when the colors chosen are more
closely related.
Everyone is familiar with sponging. It's still *king* of the easy paint techniques, but the same concept can
be extended beyond using sponges or crumpled plastic wrap to apply paint. In fact, just about anything can
be used to dip into paint and daub it onto a surface. Gauze type materials are particularly effective.
Just loosely wad up any kind of loosely woven gauze-like material, and use that instead of a sponge.
There's a wide variety of weaves, thread types, and textures of weave, so the same idea can produce a
wide range of results. Here's just a few possibilities:
medical wound gauze, cheesecloth, burlap, lace, even drywall repair mesh (sticky side away from the paint, if it
has it).
This is a good technique where you want a woven impression.
Always test the effect on scrap paper first, until you work out the amount of paint, pressure of touch, etc.
that will give you the effect you want.
The subtlety or drama of the effect will depend on the type of gauze itself, how closely related to the
basecoat color the pounced color is, and also on the consistency of the paint used for pouncing.
This watercolor technique is best used on smaller areas that can be kept wet, and will only work with
water-based paints. Also, you must be able to lay the area flat so that the paint won't run.
Mix up a wet wash of the color you want to paint over the background
color. Quickly brush this wash onto the area. Make sure it's very wet. The more absorbent your
surface is, the more wash will be needed to keep it
wet enough.
Then, while the wash is still wet, just take a salt shaker and shake salt all over it.
The more salt you use, the more dense the texture will be. The larger the crystals, the larger the
scale of the final texture.
Make sure not to move or disturb the project while it dries.
Once it's dry, gently brush or rub the surface to remove any remaining salt crystals.
This is an old technique that is best used on flat panels or small objects like boxes that can be held
easily above a candle.
It's easy. Try it out on a scrap first, just to get the feel of it. It shouldn't take more that a few
tries to get the knack of it.
(Always remember to handle fire safely.)
Light a small candle. Put an old butter knife into the flame sideways,
adjusting the position until you're getting a dense black smoke wisping up from
the flame.
Hold the surface in the smoke, adjusting position until the smoke marks the surface. Slowly move the
surface around so that the smoke marks the area until you're satisfied with the effect.
Finish up by spray varnishing to seal and protect it from smearing.
The result is subtle and can be quite sophisticated. It's never the same twice!
Each of these techniques can be used on their own, to add interest and depth to an otherwise flat color
area, or they can be used as the background for other decorative painting techniques that are applied after.
One of the great things about paint is that if you don't like your result, just paint over it! So,
experiment and be creative.
All Faux Grain & e-fg-zine material is
presented in good faith, but is for educational and informational purposes only. No warranties
or guarantees of any kind are expressed or implied. Read
the full disclaimer.
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