Decorative Finish: Marbleized

Decorative Finish: Marbleized
"Marbleized" decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Marbleized

Artist: Tobey Renee Sanders

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Marbleized

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Paint basecoat color, OC-65 Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore. Let dry.

2 | Trowel on 2 skim coat layers of untinted Venetian Plaster. Let dry.
(Photo 1)

3 | Burnish Venetian Plaster with plastic trowel to a beautiful sheen.
(Photo 2)

4 | Prep Marbleized stencil. Spray back of the stencil with stencil adhesive spray. Let dry 20 minutes.

5 | Place stencil over burnished Venetian Plaster surface. Stipple over stencil with White Veil, White Gold, and Bright Silver Metallic paint. Blend all 3 colors across the stencil at the same time. Pull stencil carefully and let dry.
(Photo 3)

Here’s the final texture.
(Photo 4)

Featured Products
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly-polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint
Water based, interior acrylic paints highly pigmented with iridescents to produce strong metallic effects.
SHOP NOW

About the Artist
Tobey Renee Sanders is an accomplished Decorative Artist, Design expert and Tv personality born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Tobey Renee has more than 20 years of experience in Interior Design & Decorative Arts and is widely recognized for her custom faux finish techniques and stunning line of contemporary art. In 2003, She launched FauxDécor Design Studio, a super talented decorative painting company, providing residential spaces, commercial property and celebrity clients with uniquely designed and custom faux finishes. Tobey Renee specializes in rich high-end Plasters, such as Glassello and Marmorino. She is mostly known for her popular GlamRock Mica Finishes and Diamond Glass technique, that adorns the walls of Hollywood’s hottest A list celebrity homes. Her client list includes design firms and developers in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC, as well as entertainers and athletes across the nation. She has also been featured on HGTV’s Smart Home, Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and Vh1’s K Michelle’s: My Life. Her faux finished rooms have been showcased in numerous publications such as, People Magazine, Black Enterprise and The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

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Decorative Finish: Croc

Decorative Finish: Croc
"Croc" decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Croc

Artist: Tobey Renee Sanders

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Croc

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Roll on basecoat color, 1599 Marina Gray by Benjamin Moore. Let dry.
(Photo 1)

2 | Create Venetian Plaster mixes for the croc texture:

  • First Mix: Venetian Plaster mixed with Titanium White Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic, and
  • Second Mix: Venetian Plaster mixed with Carbon Black Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic.

(Photo 2)

3 | Spray Crocodile pattern stencil with stencil adhesive on back. Let dry for 20 minutes.

4 | Place stencil on surface. Double load plaster trowel with both Venetian Plaster mixes. Trowel both colors overs the crocodile pattern stencil and blend colors together. Remove stencil carefully and let the surface dry.
(Photo 3)

5 | Prepare toning layers for Croc finish:

  • First Mix: Soapstone mixed with Carbon Black Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic, and
  • Second Mix: Metallic Texture Pearl Tint Base with Titanium White Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic.

(Photo 4)

6 | Load trowel with both toning colors and trowel on a skim coat over the croc texture. Blend colors softly until you are happy with the balance. Let dry.
(Photo 5)

Here’s the final texture.
(Photo 6)

Featured Products
Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics
Water based acrylics, formulated with extended open time for faux and decorative painting techniques. Excellent for tinting glazes.
SHOP NOW
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly-polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Soapstone
A unique “cousin” of Venetian Plaster that exhibits a subtle movement of color across the surface with little to no sheen.
SHOP NOW
Metallic Texture
With a base color of Gold or Pearl, use on its own or have tinted on-demand. Produces a soft, metallic sparkle with varied sheens.
SHOP NOW

About the Artist
Tobey Renee Sanders is an accomplished Decorative Artist, Design expert and Tv personality born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Tobey Renee has more than 20 years of experience in Interior Design & Decorative Arts and is widely recognized for her custom faux finish techniques and stunning line of contemporary art. In 2003, She launched FauxDécor Design Studio, a super talented decorative painting company, providing residential spaces, commercial property and celebrity clients with uniquely designed and custom faux finishes. Tobey Renee specializes in rich high-end Plasters, such as Glassello and Marmorino. She is mostly known for her popular GlamRock Mica Finishes and Diamond Glass technique, that adorns the walls of Hollywood’s hottest A list celebrity homes. Her client list includes design firms and developers in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC, as well as entertainers and athletes across the nation. She has also been featured on HGTV’s Smart Home, Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and Vh1’s K Michelle’s: My Life. Her faux finished rooms have been showcased in numerous publications such as, People Magazine, Black Enterprise and The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

More from this artist

Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Woodward

Decorative Finish: Woodward
"Woodward" decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Woodward

Artist: Robin Belisle

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Woodward

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

NOTE: All mixed colors below will reference a Benjamin Moore paint color where needed to guide you while you are mixing your colors. They are for reference only.

1 | Start with a clean dry surface that is at least
primed any color.

2 | Mix the Weathered Granite to a color close to Benjamin Moore 1599 Marina Gray using Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics in Van dyke Brown Hue, Phthalo Blue (Green Shade), and a small amount of Carbon Black. You’re just looking for a basic mid-tone cement color.

3 | Trowel all areas with a combo of the above mixture and a small amount of untinted Weathered Granite. Apply them both to your trowel and cover the surface. This provides more interesting areas to work around in the next steps.
(Photo 1)

4 | Mix a custom color glaze with the Glazing Medium and Raw Sienna, Van Dyke Brown Hue, and small amount of Purple Dioxazine. (The Purple Dioxazine is very strong, use sparingly). It produces a warm faded color tint. Keep a bit aside for use later. Using your chip brush, lightly brush in vertically in some areas just to add some color. This is random spacing but shoot for approximately 10% coverage over your surface. Some areas should have larger areas tinted than others. Let dry.
(Photo 2)

5 | Dip your sea sponge into the Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint in Roman Gold and dot it into some of the tinted surface areas from previous layer. If necessary, flatten and smash into crevices with trowel. Let dry.
(Photo 3)

6 | Mix 3 separate 1/3 cup batches using the Venetian Plaster in the following colors:

  • Benjamin Moore1530 Senora Gray using the Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics in Raw Sienna, Raw Umber, Titanium White, and very small amount of Carbon Black
  • Benjamin Moore1550 Cumulus Cloud using Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics in Van Dyke Brown Hue, Titanium White, Phthalo Blue (Green Shade), and a small amount of Carbon Black
  • Benjamin Moore 1592 Blue Springs using Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics in Phthalo Blue (Green Shade), and a small amount of Dioxazine Purple, Van Dyke Brown Hue, Titanium White, and Carbon Black.

7 | Using 2 of the mixed colors from Step 6 — not mixed together but separately on your trowel at the same time — begin troweling around the texture and color pockets you created previously with the color glaze and Roman Gold Metallic Paint. Start by dotting onto your surface to offload your trowel and as you near being empty on them, use the remaining plaster to dot into your previously created pockets. (You shouldn’t avoid the pockets, but you don’t want to start dotting in a pocket with a fully loaded trowel as this will fill in too much).
(Photo 4)

Once your trowel is offloaded, smooth down or flatten the plaster by pulling with the trowel horizontally and vertically. Continue in this manner until all areas are covered, changing between the 3 plasters randomly, any two in a combination on your trowel. Fill in areas of your pockets until they are pleasing in composition. Let dry.

8 | Reapply mixed color glaze and/or the Roman Gold Metallic Paint to taste, as well as another pass on the plasters, applying in the same manner as above until you are satisfied with the look. Let dry. Note that some of these areas will crackle on their own.

9 | Fresco: I wanted a fresco type look so I taped off an area along the bottom and used the tinted glaze from Step 4 to fully fill in the area below the tape line.
(Photo 5)

Terry towel to soften, lightly mist with Windex, count to twenty and blot with terry towel and immediately start to lightly pull in all directions with the sponge applicator. It will pull off where the Windex has bitten in but keep in mind you are not going for complete removal.
(Photo 6)

You are trying to have a very weathered effect. Let dry and then stencil with the Art Deco pattern with the color glaze, using a small amount more of Raw Umber and Van Dyke Brown Hue. Lightly blot and fade with terry towel and pull stencil carefully. Clean up any edges and let dry.

Here’s the final texture.
(Photo 7)

Featured Products
Weathered Granite
Ready-to-use, granite-like acrylic material that contains a crushable, colored aggregate in a warm-white base.
SHOP NOW
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly-polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Glazing Mediums
Translucent acrylic glazing mediums for wood graining, marbling, aging and toning any painted surface. Can also be tinted with universal colorants.
SHOP NOW
Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics
Water based acrylics, formulated with extended open time for faux and decorative painting techniques. Excellent for tinting glazes.
SHOP NOW
Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint
Water based, interior acrylic paints highly pigmented with iridescents to produce strong metallic effects.
SHOP NOW

About the Artist
Robin Belisle, owner and Decorative Artist at Faux Couture, is a self taught artist who began her decorative painting career in 1998 after an extraordinary encounter with a faux finishing class. From there, she made a pointed decision to become the best decorative painter she could be and searched out award winning designers and builders to work with. She has traveled to Italy, Paris, many times to Morocco and all over the world leaving her mark on homes and hotels in need of artistic interpretation. This in turn has helped her hone her craft and create many signature finishes based on her travels. She has been featured in magazine articles, trade shows and the local news as trends to watch. She began teaching in her own studio and then taught many classes across the US. She joined the Board of Directors for the International Decorative Artisans league (IDAL) as education chair. As that chapter drew to a close, she knew she would eventually be teaching more. She has since joined other instructors on THE PAINT HIVE teaching online decorative painting classes.

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Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Melded Crystal

Decorative Finish: Melded Crystal
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Melded Crystal

Artist: Jason Rosales, Artisan Factor

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Melded Crystal

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

NOTE: This finish is excellent for canvas artworks and small focal spaces. It showcases a lot of cool textures that add dimension and interest, and can be any variation of your preferred Golden Paintworks color and texture combinations.

1 | Prime and paint – the primer was tinted slightly with Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Phthalo Blue to help with coverage. Two coats of the Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Reflection were then applied.
(Photo 1)

2 | Mix a bit of Glazing Gel with Slow Drying Fluid Acrylic Dioxazine Purple. Add a few drops of the Carbon Black for a deeper shade. Apply randomly onto your trowel along the flat area and press, rub, pop and smooth out in a random, vertical manner. Let dry. The Glazing Gel will have a smooth, glossy textured look.
(Photo 2)

3 | Mix Sandstone with Dioxazine Purple and Carbon Black and apply with your trowel in the same way, leaving some heavier areas for added interest. Let dry.
(Photo 3)

4 | Mix Glazing Gel with Metallic Paint Tint Base Pearl and apply with trowel and/or brush in order to create a random, vertical waterfall effect. Use a small brush to lightly feather out random areas in a vertical fashion. Hold the brush at a low angle for a lighter touch. Let dry.
(Photo 4)

5 | Mix Glazing Gel with Metallic Paint Tint Base Copper and apply with a trowel (or brush) in the same way, creating depth and texture. This finish is forgiving and creative so dip back into a previous color as needed. Let dry.
(Photo 5)

6 | Mix Glazing Gel with Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics Chromium Oxide Green, Burnt Umber and a dash of Carbon Black for a deep, dark green. Apply as little or as much as you like in the same way as before. Let dry.
(Photo 6)

7 | Mix Glazing Gel with Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Reflection and add a few drops of light yellow tint or colorant for a more turquoise look. Apply and let dry.
(Photo 7)

8 | Mix Glazing Gel and Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Raw Sienna and apply. Let dry. Also, mix Venetian Plaster with Metallic Paint Tint Base Pearl for a brighter white and apply sparingly. Let dry.
(Photo 8)

9 | Apply these previously used colors, letting each one dry in between: Purple Glazing Gel from Step 2 and the Turquoise Glazing Gel from Step 7. Finish off by mixing Glazing Gel with Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Carbon Black and applying tiny hints here and there to accent. Here is the final finish.
(Photo 9)

Featured Products
Metallic Paint Tintable Bases
Interior iridescent acrylic paints that produce strong metallic effects. The four base colors can be used on their own or tinted on-demand.
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Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics
Water based acrylics, formulated with extended open time for faux and decorative painting techniques. Excellent for tinting glazes.
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Sandstone
A versatile acrylic texture with a sandy, slightly course, uniform aggregate that can be left rough or troweled smooth, depending on the desired finish.
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Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly-polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Glazing Mediums
Translucent acrylic glazing mediums for wood graining, marbling, aging and toning any painted surface. Can also be tinted with universal colorants.
SHOP NOW
Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint
Water based, interior acrylic paints highly pigmented with iridescents to produce strong metallic effects.
SHOP NOW

Jason Rosales

About the Artist
Artisan Factor is a professional cabinet refinishing & decorative finishing company servicing the Central Florida area in the residential, commercial and hospitality fields. With over 15 years of faux and decorative finishing experience. Jason Rosales provides a wide range of looks on cabinetry, millwork, interior/exterior walls, and ceilings using glazes, paints, plaster, texture, wood graining, marbling, gilding, stenciling and embossing. He has a commitment to quality that shows in every step of a project, from his product selection and surface preparation to the final finish results. As a problem solver and a hands-on type, he has helped many find the best solution for their space while staying within budget. Creating a beautiful and stylish environment for his client is a passion and doing so with a commitment to care and an eye for detail only comes naturally.

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Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Summer Confection

Decorative Finish: Summer Confection
Summer Confection by Carmen Lomax
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Summer Confection

Artist: Carmen Lomax

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Summer Confection

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Mix the Venetian Plaster with the desired Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics Magenta coloration you like, keeping in mind that Venetian Plaster dries lighter. I would go just a shade darker than what you think you will need. Then, proceed with two coats of the Magenta Venetian Plaster as a base. Let dry.
(Photos 1-2)

2 | Mix three values of Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics into the Glazing Medium in three separate containers. I decided to use two values for the Magenta (a medium and a dark with a bit of Carbon Black) and then a Yellow Oxide coloration.
(Photo 3)

3 | Take a damp cloth and lightly dampen the Venetian Plaster base before starting to blend in your glaze colors, blending with a dabbing motion as well as side to side blending.
(Photos 4-5)

4 | Let dry while you prepare your stencil or template.
(Photo 6)

5 | At this point in the process, a stencil or vinyl could be used, but for sample purposes, I cut my own stencil. I lightly dabbed in the color glazes from Step 2, off loading on a separate towel if the color got too heavy.
(Photo 7)

6 | Once the graphic pattern was finished, I went back over the entire sample with more magenta and yellow glaze just to set the pattern back a bit. Here is the finished texture.
(Photo 8)

Featured Products
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly-polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Glazing Mediums
Translucent acrylic glazing mediums for wood graining, marbling, aging and toning any painted surface. Can also be tinted with universal colorants.
SHOP NOW
Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics
Water based acrylics, formulated with extended open time for faux and decorative painting techniques. Excellent for tinting glazes.
SHOP NOW

About the Artist
Carmen Lomax specializes in creative wall finishes for home decor, children’s rooms and commercial and residential spaces. She works directly with homeowners and business-owners, as well as help develop projects for interior designers, architects, and commercial developers. Design options range from wall finishing and texturing to thematic murals, ceilings and three-dimensional artwork. Absolutely any hand-painted technique can be incorporated, from loose and whimsical to fine art detail and photo-realism.
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Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Wave

Decorative Finish: Wave
Wave by Arteriors
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Wave

Artist: Arteriors

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Wave

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

Introduction: Iridescent blue waves play with light and pattern in this finish made from decorative plasters and metallic paint. This is an advanced finish, but if you love a good challenge that yields beautiful results, give this a try! If you do not know how to trowel, watch the Golden Paintworks tutorials on application methods for Venetian Plaster on their website.

1 | Prime the surface and allow to dry completely. Mix Venetian Plaster to Benjamin Moore Seaside Blue 2054-50, or color of your choice. Venetian Plaster colors can be tinted by your local Golden Paintworks retailer, or simply by tinting your own to taste. Trowel the plaster in a relatively thick layer.
(Photos 1-2)

2 | In up to 2′ x 2′ sections using a rubber wood graining comb, create a pattern by dragging the tool through the wet Venetian Plaster. Be creative and experiment on a separate board with wave shapes. Wipe excess plaster from the tool with a rag as you work. Move to the next section and repeat. Try to keep a wet edge between sections. Let dry.
(Photos 3-4)

3 | Wearing a dust mask, sand lightly with 220 grit sandpaper.
(Photo 5)

4 | Mix Venetian Plaster to Benjamin Moore Caribbean Blue Water 2055-30 or color of choice, and trowel over entire wave surface, filling in all the grooves left from the first combing layer. Scrape the surface with the edge of the trowel to keep the high points of the combed layer showing through the first layer. Let dry.
(Photos 6-7)

5 | Wearing a dust mask sand lightly with 220 grit sandpaper.
(Photo 8)

6 | Mix two parts Glazing Gel with one part Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Reflection.
(Photo 9)

Paint over the entire surface with a brush.
(Photo 10)

While paint is still wet, scrape the entire surface with the edge of the trowel, wiping it off with a damp rag occasionally, to expose high points of wave pattern. Let dry completely.
(Photo 11)

7 | Wearing a dust mask, sand the surface with 220 grit sandpaper to expose the pattern.
(Photo 12)

If using a power tool, be gentle and do not sand too much at once or too fast. Using a sander with a vacuum attachment such as Festool Dust Extractor with a HEPA filter is the best kind of tool to use. Then sand lightly with 400 grit sand paper, then 600 to smooth and shine the high points. Burnish with a trowel. Wipe off surface. You are finished! 

Here is the finalized texture.
(Photo 13)

Featured Products
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly-polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Glazing Mediums
Translucent acrylic glazing mediums for wood graining, marbling, aging and toning any painted surface. Can also be tinted with universal colorants.
SHOP NOW
Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint
Water based, interior acrylic paints highly pigmented with iridescents to produce strong metallic effects.
SHOP NOW

About the Artists
Amiel and Stephanie Mesner are a husband-and-wife team of fine artists who turned their love and knowledge of the fine and decorative arts into a company with over thirty-five years of experience, creating custom surface designs for the architectural and interior design industry. Arteriors, based in Natick, MA, handles professional design projects from idea and design creation through to finished application in a versatile, detail-oriented, expert manner. Dedicated to using eco-friendly decorative paint and plaster materials that are not only beautiful when applied, but responsible, Arteriors applies water-based paints and lime-based plasters, such as Venetian plasters, and American clay surface finishes which are safe, natural, and sustainable and can improve indoor air quality. 

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Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Mosaic Gold Leaf

Decorative Finish: Mosaic Gold Leaf
Mosaic Gold Leaf by Aliya Riaz
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Mosaic Gold Leaf

Artist: Aliya Riaz

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Mosaic Gold Leaf

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Base a coat of primer and let dry. Using a trowel apply an even layer of Soapstone and allow to dry. I like using Soapstone when I need a non-absorbent smooth surface with a flat finish.
(Photos 1-2)

2 | Tint the Venetian Plaster with enough Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Carbon Black to make an agreeable shade of light gray. Remember that the plaster will dry about 30% lighter. As a reference guide the wet plaster can be matched to Benjamin Moore Silver Lake 1598 or Sherwin-Williams March Wind 7668.
(Photo 3)

3 | Spray the repositionable adhesive over the back of the stencil and allow to dry for a few minutes. Now position the Mosaic & Leaf Stencil over the Soapstone and push the tinted Venetian plaster evenly through the pattern.
(Photo 4)

4 | Remove the stencil carefully and clean. Allow the tinted Venetian Plaster to dry for at least 6-8 hours. Burnish the dried Venetian plaster using a stainless steel trowel placed at a low angle to bring a soft sheen to the plaster.
(Photo 5)

5 | Use the repositionable adhesive behind the second layer of the leaf stencil. Allow to dry for a few minutes before positioning the stencil over the mosaic pattern. Using the blade, push Soapstone into the leaf shapes. Remove the stencil and allow to dry.
(Photo 6)

6 | Using a small artist’s brush, apply the water based size to the now dry leaf shapes.
(Photo 7)

7 | When the size reaches tack (follow the manufacturer’s instructions) apply the Dutch Metal Leaf to the sized leaves.
(Photo 8)

8 | Rub the leaf with a soft muslin cloth and remove any skewing that may have got caught in the “grout”. Here is the finalized texture.
(Photo 9)

Featured Products
Soapstone
A unique “cousin” of Venetian Plaster that exhibits a subtle movement of color across the surface with little to no sheen.
SHOP NOW
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics
Water based acrylics, formulated with extended open time for faux and decorative painting techniques. Excellent for tinting glazes.
SHOP NOW

About the Artist
Aliya Riaz is the creative force behind Portfauxlio Inc. She started the company in New Jersey in 2000 with the firm conviction that a great service backed by trust, accountability and putting clients first would gain a foothold in an often haphazard industry. Portfauxlio Inc. has built a reputation for excellence, integrity and unsurpassed designs. Aliya creates signature custom finishes for surfaces to meet the color and design preferences of her clients. These hand painted or applied finishes include authentic plasters and textures, faux marbles, exotic wood grains, gilding, decorative patterns, gorgeous glazes and custom hand painted wallpapers. 

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Decorative Finish: Natural Beauty

Decorative Finish: Natural Beauty
Natural Beauty decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Natural Beauty

Artist: Debbie Hayes

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Natural Beauty

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

ARTIST NOTE: Scale is everything with this finish. For example, on a focus wall, the scale should be quite large, versus on an art canvas. So adjust the size of the stencil scale accordingly.

1 | Roll on 2 coats of primer. Let dry between coats.

2 | Mix 2 basecoat texture colors in 2 containers. Use approximately 1 part Burnt Sienna to 10 parts Weathered Granite, then 1 part Red Oxide for the other. Adjust color as needed.
(Photo 1)

3 | Use a chip brush for each color. Tap on a heavy coat of Red Oxide in artful drifts. Then use the Burnt Sienna mixture to fill in.
(Photo 2)

4 | Let dry for a few minutes. With the stainless steel trowel, knock down the peaks. Some of the white basecoat will show. Let dry.
(Photo 3)

5 | Apply and secure the stencil. Use a Japan trowel to apply the Venetian Plaster, being careful not to let it seep through the design.
(Photos 4-5)

6| Let dry to crackle naturally. Here is the final finish.
(Photo 6)

Featured Products
Weathered Granite
Ready-to-use, granite-like acrylic material that contains a crushable, colored aggregate in a warm-white base.
SHOP NOW
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics
Water based acrylics, formulated with extended open time for faux and decorative painting techniques. Excellent for tinting glazes.
SHOP NOW

About the Artist
Debbie Hayes earned a BA in Fine Arts, concentrating on painting, and has spent 95% of her career as a full-time artist. She is a book illustrator, graphic artist, art director, photographer, stylist, website designer, writer, faux finisher for 20 years, and DIY tutorial blogger. Many decorative painters know her from events like the annual ArtFusion Event and IDAL Decorative Artisans League where she has been an instructor, teaching various faux finishing techniques using the products and stencils she loves most.

More from this artist

Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Abstract Circles

Decorative Finish: Abstract Circles
Abstract Circles decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Abstract Circles

Artist: Debbie Hayes

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Abstract Circles

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

ARTIST NOTE: Scale is everything with this finish. For example, on a focus wall, the scale should be quite large, versus on an art canvas. So adjust the size of the scale accordingly.

1 | Roll on 2 coats of primer. Let dry between coats.

2 | Trowel on 2 coats of Venetian Plaster. Let dry between coats.
(Photo 1)

3 | Pour a bit of Red Oxide and Burnt Sienna onto a paper plate. Press a styrofoam cup into the paint. Apply the cup to the surface to make a pattern. Let dry.
(Photos 2-3)

4 | Brush a mix of Titanium White and Raw Umber paint onto large bubble wrap. Press it onto the surface and remove. Let dry.
(Photos 4-5)

5 | Pour some Red Oxide and Hansa Yellow Opaque paint onto a piece of wax paper. Use a roller to mix the paint slightly, leaving colors blended and unblended. Flip the wax paper onto the surface and burnish with your hand.
(Photos 6-7)

6 | Remove the paper. Let dry. Repeat as you like.
(Photo 8)

7 | Dip a pencil eraser into Carbon Black and make a series of dots on the surface. Let dry.
(Photo 9)

8 | Use a foam brush to create 1 freeform square using WundaSize. Let come to tack. 
(Photo 10)

9 | Lay a piece of gold foil onto the WundaSize. Burnish with a soft brush.
(Photo 11)

Here is the final finish.
(Photo 12)

Featured Products
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly polished, marble-like finish.
SHOP NOW
Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics
Water based acrylics, formulated with extended open time for faux and decorative painting techniques. Excellent for tinting glazes.
SHOP NOW

About the Artist
Debbie Hayes earned a BA in Fine Arts, concentrating on painting, and has spent 95% of her career as a full-time artist. She is a book illustrator, graphic artist, art director, photographer, stylist, website designer, writer, faux finisher for 20 years, and DIY tutorial blogger. Many decorative painters know her from events like the annual ArtFusion Event and IDAL Decorative Artisans League where she has been an instructor, teaching various faux finishing techniques using the products and stencils she loves most.

More from this artist

Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Geometric

Decorative Finish: Geometric
Geometric paint decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Geometric

Artist: Beth Warnecke

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

Geometric

Downloadable PDF
HOW-TO

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Basecoat with two coats of Benjamin Moore Dove Wing, and let dry. Mix Venetian Plaster with Cashmere Metallic Paint, adding just enough paint to soften the stark white of the plaster down to a warm creamy white.
(Photo 1)

2 | Make a sketch of the wall of how you want your random geometric shapes to look. I mimicked a wallpaper pattern that had a wide and loose harlequin pattern filled with swirls and other random marks. Draw directly on the wall with a pencil where you want your line patterns to go as this will be covered up. Trowel on a random thin to medium thickness of the Cashmere Venetian Plaster mixture. Using the torn edge of a cardboard box, scrape through the plaster where your lines were placed. Now continue to scrape any other designs you would like inside the squares (i.e. swirls, more random lines, etc.). Use sea sponges to make interesting patterns in the plaster areas. Once you have the design all etched out, let dry overnight.
(Photo 2)

3 | Using the 5-in-1 tool, scrape off any large nubbies of dried plaster. You do not want the wall smooth, but the large chunks of plaster will get in the way.
(Photo 3)

4 | Skim tightly a coat of Metallic Texture Tint Base Pearl with 100% coverage, giving a tone-on-tone look. Keep it light. Let dry.
(Photo 4)

5 | Mix Glazing Gel and Cashmere Metallic Paint (4:1) and very tightly skim trowel. Let dry.
(Photo 5)

Here is the final finish.
(Photo 6)

Featured Products
Venetian Plaster
An easy-to-use acrylic plaster. Applied by trowel in thin layers then burnished will produce a highly polished, marble-like finish.
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Metallic Texture
With a base color of Gold or Pearl, use on its own or have tinted on-demand. Produces a soft, metallic sparkle with varied sheens.
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Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint
Water based, interior acrylic paints highly pigmented with iridescents to produce strong metallic effects.
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Glazing Mediums
Translucent acrylic glazing mediums for wood graining, marbling, aging and toning any painted surface. Can also be tinted with universal colorants.
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About the Artist
Beth Warnecke is the owner and artist behind Classic Creations Painting, providing beautiful wall and ceiling finishes for commercial and residential spaces in the metro St. Louis, MO area. She has a passion and love for fine finished furniture and cabinetry, which comprises half of her business. Always immersed in the latest design trends and gorgeous pictures, she considers staying up to date with the latest design trends one of her top priorities when bringing timeless beauty into clients’ homes.

Learn more about Beth in our Behind the Texture artist feature series.

More from this artist

Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.