| Painting with Templates |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-103 |
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Q: I'm tired of painting techniques like sponging and glazing, and am ready to venture into something more exciting. What should I try?
A: (Nancy Golden, Ask DIY Decorating expert) There is a new technique you can use, painting with a template such as the diamond pattern available at craft stores and made by Decorator Products. Here's how it works. Materials:
Diamond template, available at craft stores
Painter's tape
Torpedo level
Paint roller
Metallic glaze in gray/umber/brown tones
Chamois patterning tool
Acrylic copper metallic paint
Circular sponging tool
Fleur de lis stamp
Brown paint
Metallic gold paint
Water-based polyurethane (optional)
Safety alert: If paint fumes bother you, make sure the room you're painting is well ventilated, or wear a dust mask. Use a respirator if your paint has toxic fumes, or better yet, don't use that kind of paint, because you really don't need it.
- Find the center of your wall -- that's where you'll start making marks for the diamond pattern.
- Tape the grid portion of the template to the wall with painter's tape (figure A). Use a torpedo level to make certain that the template is level on the wall, and then use the template to mark a grid on the wall in pencil. This will tell you where to place the diamond-shaped stencils before you paint. Remove the grid portion of the template.
Working smarter: Stencil adhesive will make the templates lay flat against the wall without damaging the paint. - Tape the second portion of the template -- a diamond-shaped stencil -- to the wall, lining up the top point of the diamond with a cross mark you made using the grid template.
- Using a roller, paint over the diamond stencil with metallic glaze in an elephant-gray/umber/brown shade. The paint has a soft sheen.
Nobody's perfect: Before you paint, tape off moldings, trim and ceilings. - While the glaze is still wet, daub it with a chamois patterning tool -- first dipping the tool in more glaze and dabbing off the excess on a paper towel. This will create a crinkled, almost leathery look in the diamonds.
Web extra : If you prefer not to purchase the patterning tool, crinkle some plastic wrap or a plastic grocery bag to create one. - Finish the wall's worth of diamonds, and then use dots of acrylic copper metallic paint to connect them to one another where their points meet. Apply the paint with a circular sponging tool (figure B). The dots will also help hide any flaws in the diamond corners. Overall, you don't want the paint to look too perfect. Instead of a uniform, wallpaper look, strive for a hand-painted effect.
- If you like, use a fleur de lis stamp (figure C) to imprint more patterns between the diamonds. Paint the stamp with brown paint, add a little gold around the edges and then press it firmly on the wall. This treatment also works well by itself on a wall. Make sure to space the stamps about a foot apart, to keep the pattern from looking too busy, and to save work for the painter.
- After all the paint dries, if you'd like a sheen finish, seal the walls with water-based polyurethane.
More questions for Nancy:
Q: Is there any special prep work I need to do to avoid getting the paint on other walls?
A: You should use drop cloths, and use painter's tape to mark off your millwork and baseboards -- anywhere you don't want paint.
Web Site resources for decorative paint: DecoratingPlus.com's information FauxLikeAPro.com's information MichaelHoligan.com's Painting Technique page TheDecorativePainter.com's Tips & Techniques on Glazing and Color Shaping WinsorNewton.com's Decorative Painting on Wooden Furniture With Acrylic Colors Books: Paint Ideas and Decorating Techniques
By Better Homes & Gardens, 2000
Meredith Books
Meredith Corporation
11766 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025-0653
Phone: 310-479-2022
Step-by-Step Decorative Painting
By Peter Knott
1997 Meredith Books
Meredith Corporation
11766 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025-0653
Phone: 310-479-2022
Sunset Book: Decorative Paint & Faux Finish
By Editors for Sunset Books, 1999
Oxmoor House: Sunset Books
820 Tom Martin Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35211
Phone: 800-633-4910
Web site: www.oxmoorhouse.com/
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