Stencilling walls

Several of my friends have asked about my "Fresco" technique. It is quite simple. First you paint or stencil a perfectly good image and then you mostly destroy it.



Stencil or paint image onto surface. Let dry. Mix 10 cups of builder's sand to one box of joint compound. With trowell scrape mixture over stencil, leaving a few spaces "open."

With plastic kitchen scrubber (the orange ball type) remove as much or as little of both the stencil and the joint compound for desired affect.

For best results, scrub hard. The sand helps. To enhance the antique look even further, mix a watery solution of beer and several colorants and apply to area with large natural bristle brush.



I believe that this image appeared in "House Beautiful" magazine, many, many years ago. Not only the stencil but the walls appear to have been treated in a similar technique as described above.

Gina

A Wall that is special

You know that a wall in my house is just not any wall

It is more effective if the walls have an "orange rind texture"

You will need 2 colors of latex paint. Use the brighter color for the first coat. Let dry and apply second coat. Use a large, almost dry brush. Apply in circular motion to achieve a "cloud like" appearance.


With a soft cloth apply, with a circular motion, a brown furniture oil stain. With acrylic paints stamp design onto walls in an irregular fashion. Last coat, stamp more leaf designs with bronzing powders or metallic paints. The thin lines are painted with a small brush in a twirling motion. My stamps were cut from old computer mouse pads.




Can you believe that this is the same wall as above?

This paint technique works well with other color combinations. Each coat of paint and each color contributes to the whole. The result? Your walls will always glow, no matter rain or shine, day or night, sleet or snow.

Gina