We're on a Roll Now
Artist Suzanne Gailey demonstrates that it's all in the wrist when
it comes to applying paint with a small foam roller. Students tried
out techniques on 2-by-3-foot sample sheets; later, they would tackle
a full-size wall. Paint mixed with a glaze additive is applied in
sections on the diagonal, from left to right, top to bottom.
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Doing the 'shimmy'
A wad of cheesecloth is daubed into paint, then worked in an up-and-down
"shimmy'' movement to blur the edges and create the areas of dark
and light that will give the finished wall depth and richness. Gailey
does not use sponges, preferring the more subtle effect the cheesecloth
provides. "It's all about hiding your tools,'' she says. |
Diving in
Student Frank Espino of San Jose takes a dip. Gailey says the "parchment''
finish requires the painter to work quickly -- no breaks! -- to
avoid having the paint become too dry to work properly. For this
reason, she advises her students to get a painting buddy. "One
person works the roller, the other the cheesecloth and the brush,''
she says. "And it's more fun that way.''
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Practice, practice
Espino plans to use faux painting techniques in his San Jose Victorian-style
home. He quickly established himself as the class risk taker when
it came to applying paint and was eager to move from the sample
boards to the 8-by-8-foot drywall textured with joint compound:
"Once I do this wall, I know I could go home and do this.''
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Aging gracefully
Brushes used for faux painting are best when they have a few miles
on them, like this one that's been in Gailey's toolbox for years.
The splayed bristles help a painter blur edges. It's important to
stand back and look at the work frequently to see if paint is being
applied consistently, she says, but "once furniture and artwork
are back on your wall, you'll notice the inconsistencies a lot less.'' |
Drip, drip, drip
Gailey shows students another way of manipulating the finish, using
a brush to apply drips that are then "buzzed out'' with cheesecloth.
She suggests making a sample board before taking on an entire room;
tack it up to watch how light plays on the color palette. She also
stresses the importance of proper prep: "Those who bother most
about details tend to have the most successful results." |
A two-hue approach
The "distressed'' finish creates an old-world look. Rich-colored
base paint mixed with glaze is applied with damp cheesecloth; a
second paint in the same tonal range, but lighter, is mopped over
it. "This is the technique that usually gives people paint fright,''
Gailey says. "It's not for everyone.'' |
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Recipes
for Surfaces: Decorative Paint Finishes Made Simple
by Mindy Drucker (Fireside, 256 pp., $20)
Recipes for Surfaces II by Mindy
Drucker (Fireside, 192 pp., $22)
Professional Painted Finishes
by Ina Brosseau Marx (Whitney Library of Design, 282 pp.,
$45)
The Paint Effects Bible: 100 Recipes
for Faux Finishes by Kerry Skinner (Firefly, 256 pp.,
$29.95)
The Complete Book of Decorative Painting
by Tera Leigh (North Light Books, 258 pp., $29.99)
And here are some Web sites to check
out for techniques, classes and videos:
www.fauxconnection.com
www.fauxfilleddreams.com
www.fauxfinish.com
www.paintschool.com
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