|
Sponging, Rag-rolling,
stippling and paneling are a few of the decorative paint techniques
that can give your home unique charm and character. Beautiful dapple
colour effects can be achieved with minimal materials and the most
basic instruction. Start off with a simple, basic project and before
you know it you'll have the confidence to create your own design
ideas and bring these techniques into every room in the house.
Broken Colour
Techniques with Glazes and Washes
Most specialty painting techniques involve "broken colour," a term
that means applying one or more colours in broken layers over a different
base coat to create a mottled or textured effect. Most of the time
these techniques employ glazes or washes applied over a solid
coloured
background colour. Glazes are made of oil-based paints mixed with
linseed oil and are more transparent than washes. They give a sleek
glow to walls. They work best when the technique requires the paint
to remain open and workable for longer periods of time. Washes are
simply acrylic paint that has been thinned with water to produce
colour
that appears fresher, purer and more delicate than that of a glaze.
Washes, unlike glazes, will also show brush marks which adds a greater
sense of depth and texture. They are also easier to make, modify
and clean up which makes them the best choice for beginners.
Dragging:
Dragging techniques
are most often used on smooth surfaces like six-panel doors, so
good surface preparation is essential. If doors are your intended
project, remember they get constant use so a high quality 100% acrylic
gloss paint is a good choice. High quality gloss alkyd paints
also work well; however, they will have higher odour and take longer
to dry.
Follow these
steps to achieve a beautiful effect - predominately the colour of
the topcoat, with hints of basecoat showing through:
- Prepare
the door - fill cracks, sand and clean
- Paint with
two layers of base coat, allowing to dry between each.
- Dilute
the top coat (greens and other bright colours work well) with
one part paint to one part glaze (if using acrylic paint, use
a acrylic glaze; if using alkyd paint, use an oil based glaze)
- Using a
dragging brush (or long haired paint brush), apply a thin layer
of the coloured glaze/topcoat mixture. Work with long vertical
strokes, drawing the brush from top to bottom, maintaining even
pressure and keeping brush strokes as parallel as possible.
- To avoid
obvious brush marks at the point where dragging begin, use your
free hand to hold the bristles firmly while starting this technique.
<<TOP>>
Distressing
 To
create an aged look, use this technique for furniture, cabinets,
vanities and more.
Step 1
Choose two colours that complement your existing colour scheme.
Apply the base colour and let dry (1 -2 hours for acrylic paint and
2 - 3 hours for alkyd paints - alkyd paints may still be tacky).
Step 2
Using 100 grit sandpaper, lightly sand off patches of paint, letting
the surface below show through. Clean surface and let dry 24 hours.
Step 3
Repeat the above process using the second colour. Let dry 24 hours.
For extra protection of the distressed look, apply a coat of clear
lacquer. Be sure to use a acrylic or water based lacquer if you have
used acrylic paints in your project; alkyd lacquer if you worked with
alkyds paints.
<<TOP>>
Marbling
 Marbling
results can vary as much as the marbles you are trying to imitate.
It’s a good idea to have a piece of marble you like before
starting your project to mimic its colours and veining. Choose base
coats and top coats to match the desired base marble and the textured
effects respectively.
Steps to achieving
a white marble effect:
- Prepare the
surface - clean, sand, fill imperfections; remove all residues
- Apply two
coats of white basecoat, allowing each to dry thoroughly. Mix
raw sienna colour with one tablespoon each of white spirit and
oil glaze. If using acrylic paints, mix the sienna colour with acrylic
glaze. Apply sparingly with an artists brush.
- With a small
cloth, wipe away varying amounts of wet glaze, allowing patches
of light and dark to form.
- To create
the "veins" of marble, use a thin artist brush to apply
the sienna glaze in lines, varying thickness to achieve desired
look.
<<TOP>>
Sponging
 Sponging
On is a quick and simple technique that begins with the application
of a solid base paint colour. After the base coat dries, a wash or
glaze is applied on top with a dampened sponge to create a mottled
look. More than one glaze or wash colour can be applied but each
layer must be allowed to dry thoroughly before the next application.
Beginners may want to try neutral tones of beige and grey or different
values of colour in the same family for a tone on tone damask effect.
Lighter colours are typically applied over darker ones to create
depth, but the opposite can be done for more definition and texture.
Sponging Off is accomplished by applying a uniform glaze coat over
the solid base with a brush or roller. Before the glaze coat begins
to dry, use the sponge to remove some of the glaze to expose the
undercoat. When sponging always use a natural sea sponge instead
of a synthetic household type for a more varied and interesting
texture.
<<TOP>>
Ragging
and Rag Rolling
 These
techniques give walls the dramatic effect of crushed velvet, parchment,
chamois leather, watered silk or brocade. Begin with the application
of a solid colour base and allow it to dry. For "ragging on," dip
a crumpled cloth in a glaze or wash and blot on the wall. "Ragging
off" involves lifting off part of the glaze coat to reveal the under
coat. "Rag-rolling on" requires the painter to roll the cloth into
a sausage shape of varying tightness. Lightly dip the roll into
the glaze and apply to the base coat with a rolling motion. For
"rag-rolling off" roll a slightly dampened rolled cloth through
the wet glaze coat to reveal the undercoat. Different fabric will
create different effects. Popular materials include linen, lace,
and burlap, but almost any natural fiber material will do as long
as it is clean and lint-free. Layering glazes works well with this
technique as long as each layer is allowed to dry thoroughly.
<<TOP>>
Stippling
This technique
achieves more subtle results than rag rolling or sponging and can
be best described as suede-like. The process starts with the solid
base coat which can be either a light or dark tone. After the base
coat dries, the painter begins working from one side of the wall
to the other, applying a different colour topcoat (either paint or
a wash) in 300mm wide strips from ceiling to floor. Working quickly
before the paint begins to set, the painter stabs at the wet paint
with a large soft-bristled brush, removing dots of paint. To keep
the brush absorbent, the painter should periodically blot the excess
paint from the stippling brush. This process breaks up the wall
colour into a mass of very small dots which lends richness to the
finish. Usually stippling involves just two topcoat colours of paint
or wash. Additional colours can be incorporated into the colour scheme
by stippling the paint or wash on, rather than off. To do so, simply
stab later colours on with a soft-bristled brush.
<<TOP>>
|
In
all instances it is best to practice on a cardboard box or another
surface before beginning to apply the technique on your walls. Get
a sense for how much glaze to remove and what level of firmness
you need to achieve the results you want. When you're confident
you have the technique down, begin on your walls.