Faux and Decorative Painting
By Kathleen Wilson
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.
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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 it's 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.
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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.
Marbelizing
There is a very simple technique to
marbleizing that is popular in the home decorating world today, and you
won't 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 kid's 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 it's best if it contrasts with the top coat.
Let dry.
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.
Kathleen Wilson is the editor of The
Budget Decorator, a free ezine and newsletter dedicated to the
"budget impaired" home decorator. Visit her at http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com
for more free ideas and projects, to learn about her workshop, and to
sign up for the free newsletter.
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