123 Remodeling.com

Aged Plaster Faux

Aged plaster is a faux painting technique used to create an Italian, "Old World", look to your decor. This faux painting effect can be accomplished on water based painted walls (paint must have some degree of sheen such as: eggshell, satin) or on lime washed walls. One or several scumble glazes (warm colors like:burnt umber, burnt sienna, raw sienna, and yellow ochre) are applied to create areas of light and dark. Other techniques like stippling, color washing, color rubbing, frottage, a faded mural, or faux exposed brick add to the illusion. Plaster can be used to accent a wall or texturize an entire room. Create that "Old World" look in your wine room with a plaster reveal or maybe a textural plaster covered with antiqung glazes. Artist, muralist, Emily Smith displays faux painting, fine art, decorative finishing, murals, trompe l'oeil, and plaster faux painting work.

Sponging

Sponging is a quick faux painting technique and an easy way to freshen up a space. This faux painting finish can be done with water-based (mixed with acrylic scumble glaze) or oil-based paint (mixed with mineral spirits or oil scumble glaze). Choose 2 or 3 colors which are tonally similar. The base coat should be a semi-gloss for water-based paint and an eggshell base coat for an oil-based paint. The last color will be the dominant color. Emily Smith specializes in faux painting, fine art, decorative finishing, trompe l'oeil, and murals. She displays samples of her sponging faux painting work.

Crackle

Crackle is a faux painting finish produced by using two varnishes having two different drying times which work against each other to produce a crazed, crackled, effect. The first coat of varnish is applied and left to dry. While the surface is still " tacky ", the second application of varnish is applied. Emily Smith displays examples of her crackle faux finish work.

Gold Leaf

There are two types of gilding, water-based and oil-based. Oil gilding is less difficult. A transfer gold leaf is used in oil-gilding. The transfer leaf is applied to an almost dry, gold sized, surface. The gold sizing comes in different drying -time formulas. Oil-gilding cannot be burnished or polished, but varnishing gives it a nice high gloss. In water gilding fine leaves of gold leaf are applied to a finely, gesso surface. Sometimes the gesso is colored. All surfaces must remain completely dust and dirt free, it is then painted with a mixture of denatured alcohol, water, and size. The gold leaf is applied to the surface, and when dry it is burnished and polished to a high gloss. Gold leaf and transfer leaf are great base-coats for a tortoiseshell finish. Emily Smith displays examples of her golf leaf faux finishes.