Faux Painting Made Easy

Recently I was doing some new work with an old technique using a woolly. A woolly is a wool mitten used to apply glaze. It's simple and creates a beautiful finish in minutes.

Tools: tape, glaze, pigment or paint, woolly mitten, a 4" chip brush, damp rag.

GLAZE; can be either readily purchased at most local hardware and paint stores or you can make it. I mix my glazes in 3 equal parts of glazing medium, paint and water.

Do make a sample and test your glazing technique prior to working on your walls, so you get a feel for both the color and tools you're using.

STEP 1: Do any necessary repairs and touchups to your surfaces.

STEP 2: Prep your area using blue painters tape and drop cloths.

STEP 3: An eggshell surface makes it much easier to spread and manipulate your glaze. You can do one of two options, if you like the existing color of your flat wall just roll clear glazing compound over the surface which will create the eggshell sheen. Or you can change the base color of your wall with an eggshell paint. Let dry.

STEP 4: Staring in an upper corner, [if you're right-handed] begin on the left side of the wall so you can work using your right hand, opposite if your a lefty. Take you chip brush and spread the colored glazing mixture, about a 2 square foot area. Quickly using a woolly mitten begin to pat the glaze and spread around simultaneously. Avoid smear streak marks, you want it to be organic looking. If you wall has texture be sure to spread the glaze into the all the spaces. Have another 4" dry chip brush in your back pocket. Once you've evened out your glazing, take the dust lightly over any streak marks with the dry brush. Also try to fade the edges of your glazing area in order to blend more easily into the adjoining sections. Move downward making your way all the way to the floor, then go back up and across, try to make random angular patterns and not just squares of patchy faux work.

Options:

You're done, although you can go over again with the same glaze or another color. You can apply a colored wax over the surface or roll on a clear coat for different affects. Let your surfaces thoroughly dry at least 2 hours before attempting second coats.

For more ideas go to: www.venetianplasterdecor.com