Paint has always been used for
two entirely different functions. On the one hand, it is a
covering used to bring solid color and life to otherwise
boring surfaces. Home exteriors and room interiors are the
typical examples of this treatment, though you may also
hear painted furniture and powder-coated vehicles included
as well. On the other hand, paint has traditionally been
used as the indispensable medium for art, creating the
illusions of depth, representation and abstraction on
flat, blank canvases. Somewhere in between the two lies
the concept of faux painting, an umbrella term that refers
to any number of innovative room-painting techniques.
Why “faux”? The term makes reference to the fact that
painting this way often implies depth and texture where
there is none. Some have even gone so far as to say faux
painting is the art of “drawing” something that doesn’t
exist – be it fabric, metal or a third dimension. Most
experts categorize fax paint finishes under a few main
flags – sponging, dragging, stamping, marbleizing and so
on. Although a few require exotic materials, most simply
demand household items and concentration. Thankfully you
hardly need to be an artist to master techniques such as
these – for the most part, they require little more than
patience and repetition. The benefits can be spectacular –
dazzling forms and unexpected contours that lend every
room a more inviting and stylish sheen.
Of the major techniques, ragging may be the most common.
In it, you apply a base coat in your color of choice, wait
for it to dry, and then use a blotted rag to achieve
secondary texture over the first. Most experts advise
practicing with your glaze before you hit the actual
locale, as details such as pressure, rotation and
saturation can make all the difference. Once you are
comfortable with the look, you simply need to repeat the
same motion as needed, rotating when necessary, to achieve
a mottled appearance akin to fabric. You may also want to
experiment with cotton versus polyester, as the material
you use may affect the clarity of the print. Some advanced
painters have even been knows to affix chamois cloth to a
traditional roller to expedite the process!
Sponging works much like ragging, but with markedly
different results. Instead of crumpling to create a
repeatable shape, sponging makes use of the holes that
naturally arise in a porous sea sponge. That means the
texture you get is far finer and subtler, closer to
pointillism than illustration. The steps are essentially
the same – apply a base coat, pick your glaze, practice,
blot and apply. But one of the nice things about sponging
is that you need to look closely at the wall to discover
the technique – from afar, it simply looks like a blended
texture. A number of designers even recommend sponging
more than once with subtly different colors to build up
depth and complexity and reduce the uniformity you might
otherwise see from such a fine-grained technique.
Another popular choice, usually called combing or
dragging, involves precisely what you may expect –
vertical or horizontal streaking techniques to create a
“grain” in the glaze itself. The difference here is that
you want to apply a full base coat and a full coat of
glaze before you begin the technique. Generally the glaze
coat is then “combed” using a stiff brush to apply subtle
parallel lines over the length of the room. Many painters
apply blue tape or a guide to ensure all the motions are
parallel and perpendicular to the lines of the room.
Different brush types and bristle gauges can offer finer
or coarser grains depending on your preference, and the
amount of time you give the glaze to set may alter the
appearance as well. Experiment with a small section of
wall or wood until you get precisely the aesthetic you
want.
Of course, faux painting can also include advanced
techniques such as crackle glazes, metallic finishes and
more, so do not limit yourself without speaking to a pro
at your local home wars store first. Anyone who has
visited an art gallery can vouch for the fact that nearly
any material can be “faux’ed” with paint, so be sure and
let your imagination free before it’s time to commit. |
