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mrdarcy · 10-31-2004, 07:54 PM

I've been doing faux finishes for 26 years.

The basics have been pretty much covered here.

I might add:

Start in a corner. You will never be able to duplicate the exact look that you had when you started. If you start and end at a corner, the difference between start and stop will be much less noticeable.

Don't work small. If you concentrate on the pattern in a small area, it's hard to spread out and keep that same pattern. Instead, work over a much larger area and fill in.

As you work, your sponge will become more saturated, giving you a less crisp and more filled image. You will need to occasionally change sponges, or clean out the sponge now and then as you work.

Most of all, have fun. Most beginners make the mistake of using too much contrast between their colors. This can be a nice effect, but it is much more unforgiving.
Start out with hues that are close to one another, then move to more contrast as you get experience.

If, when you get finished decide that there is too much contrast, water down some of the base coat and apply it as a wash over everything. I use a sponge mop to do this. Let it dry and do it again if necessary. You can also get a great effect by doing this and then going back over it with another layer of sponge painting. This gives you a nice feeling of depth as the colors seem to fade into the background color.

Most of all, have fun. Play with it. Don't be afraid to take risks. You can always cover it up and start over.

10-31-2004, 07:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
mrdarcy Tilted Location: down the street from Graceland	I've been doing faux finishes for 26 years. The basics have been pretty much covered here. I might add: Start in a corner. You will never be able to duplicate the exact look that you had when you started. If you start and end at a corner, the difference between start and stop will be much less noticeable. Don't work small. If you concentrate on the pattern in a small area, it's hard to spread out and keep that same pattern. Instead, work over a much larger area and fill in. As you work, your sponge will become more saturated, giving you a less crisp and more filled image. You will need to occasionally change sponges, or clean out the sponge now and then as you work. Most of all, have fun. Most beginners make the mistake of using too much contrast between their colors. This can be a nice effect, but it is much more unforgiving. Start out with hues that are close to one another, then move to more contrast as you get experience. If, when you get finished decide that there is too much contrast, water down some of the base coat and apply it as a wash over everything. I use a sponge mop to do this. Let it dry and do it again if necessary. You can also get a great effect by doing this and then going back over it with another layer of sponge painting. This gives you a nice feeling of depth as the colors seem to fade into the background color. Most of all, have fun. Play with it. Don't be afraid to take risks. You can always cover it up and start over. __________________ [Insert pithy comment here]