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Faux Painting
Techniques
Faux Painting Methods to Provide Texture and Old School Character to a Room
By:
Mark J. Donovan
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Faux painting is used to inexpensively imitate other
types of surfaces such as stone, marble, brick, and
other common surfaces often seen in much older
homes. Most faux painting techniques take a little
practice however they’re great DIY projects as they
are so forgiving. If you don’t like the look you can
simply paint over your work and start over. They can
be a bit tedious, however, and with some methods you
have to work in small sections and fast.
Faux painting techniques fall into two major
categories, additive and subtractive.
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Additive fake painting techniques involve adding color to
wall surfaces, whereas subtractive faux painting methods involve immediately
removing paint or glazing after it has been applied. Also, with subtractive faux
painting techniques glazes are most often involved. Common faux painting methods
include sponging, ragging, frottage, stippling, color washing, dry brushing,
striping, and strié.
Sponging is one of the most common faux painting techniques. It is an
additive faux painting method and as the name suggests it involves using a
simple sponge, and more specifically a sea sponge. Unlike a manufactured sponge,
a sea sponge has unique texture and patterns which give that randomness when
creating your faux painted surface. Sponging is ideal for walls with
imperfections as sponging adds wall texture and can easily hide wall blemishes.
Sponging can use either paint or glazing to create either an additive or
subtractive type painted surface.
If using a glaze keep in mind that there are two types, latex and oil based.
Water based latex glaze is easier to work with and clean up. Oil based glazes
however have longer working times. As a general rule, however, I recommend the
use of water based glazes.
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The ragging faux painting technique
involves dabbing a rag over a freshly painted wall
surface. Typically a darker tinted glazing is
applied over a lighter base wall paint. Either bunch
up or twist the rag into the wet glazing to remove
some of the freshly applied wall glazing. Ragging is
a subtractive faux painting method. When ragging you
should work in small sections at a time to make sure
the glazing does not dry before you have a chance to
work the rag on it.
Color washing also involves using either a rag or
sponge, however it is an additive faux painting method.
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After applying a tinted glazing over the base
paint layer, immediately wipe the rag or sponge over
it to create circular and/or swept wash marks on the
wall surface.
Strié is a negative faux painting
technique and is used to create an aged wall
surface. A wall paper brush is vertically swept over
freshly applied tinted glazing. The glazing is
applied over a base painted wall surface and should
be of a darker color than the base paint.
Frottage faux painting involves applying
tinted glazing or paint and then quickly covering it
with sheets of plastic, and then immediately
removing the plastic sheets to create a marbled
looking wall surface.
Striping, as the name suggests, involves
adding striping to the wall surface. This faux
painting technique can be a little tricky due to
trying to keep straight striping lines. The use of a
straight edge can help with this problem. Also, you
can use masking tape and apply it to the wall. With
masking tape, after applying the paint or glazing to
the entire wall surface you can go back and remove
the masking tape while the paint / glazing is still
wet.
Finally, dry brush faux painting involves
actually painting creative patterns over the base
wall paint.
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