Faux Painting Techniques for Walls

There are many ways to create faux painting. Basically the faux painting techniques are divided into two categories. One is positive and the other is negative. Both can be used to create some interesting looking faux textured walls. In the positive technique paint is added on to the walls to create a faux painting, while in the negative one, the opposite is done, which is removing the paint to create textures.

Faux Painting Techniques

Sponging: This is the simplest of techniques. Just dip a sponge in paint, and keep pressing it in random directions to create prints. Cover the entire wall, without overlapping, then let this coat dry before applying a new one.

Ragging: For this faux finishing: faux painting technique, one needs to paint a tinted glaze over the base painted walls. Apply a good wadded up dry rag or twist the rag in a cylindrical form and then use it. Keep dabbing the rag in different directions to remove the glaze.

Color Washing: This technique involves application of tinted glaze mixture over the base paint coat in a circular motion, as if you were washing the surface of a car. To create this circular patterns you can use a rag for a soft velvety look or use a natural sea sponge for a more well-defined textured wall look.

Strie: To create an aged texture onto the wall, use this technique. With a roller apply a tinted glaze over the paint base coat, then use a wallpaper brush to make fine lines from top to bottom. For this technique, you need to have the glaze which is darker than the base coat, so that it allows the lighter base to be seen through the fine lines.

Combing: To learn faux finishing technique, apply a glaze using a roller. Then with a quick hand, run a comb through it to create vertical stripes, or horizontal stripes. Or you can even create a crisscross pattern by working fast. Also, with a little wavy motion you can create a wavy pattern.

Crackling: To try out these faux painting ideas, first apply the paint with a roller. Then let it dry for four hours. Then apply a second coat by using the roller in the same direction, without overlapping the earlier strokes. Immediately, you will see the tip coat will have crack like pattern.

Marbling: Here are some marble faux painting techniques and tips. Clean the wall, and then paint it with an eggshell paint and leave it to dry overnight, next day morning apply a thin layer of linseed oil. Then black oil paint is mixed with a bit of eggshell to create a gray shade,and then added a bit here and there over the linseed oil layer. Then dab a rag on the wall to break up the color, and get rid of excess paint. Then soften the surface further to soften it. Then with an artist's brush add some veining pattern of medium gray shade. Make sure they are in a diagonal pattern and never even. Then finally with a feather dipped in white spirit, apply it backwards to separate the bits, and create a fine veining texture.

So, use the above do it yourself tips for faux painting and create interesting looking wall textures. If this is your first time creating these textures, then first try out the technique on a large piece of cardboard, and then work on the walls.