With the current trend of home decor being shabby-chic, its no wonder everyone loves the look of crackle finishes. Crackle finishes can change not only the look and feel of everything from flower pots, to picture frames, to various pieces of furniture, but they can also change the dynamics of the walls of a room by creating the illusion of depth.
Crackle finish is a faux painting technique, which is used to give walls or pieces of furniture an aged, peeling-paint look. This technique is easy to do and can be accomplished by most beginners. The entire project can be completed in about four easy steps. Whether you are a professional or a beginner to the world of painting, you can master the art of crackle finishing.
The numbers of materials needed for this type of project are very few. The only limit to this project is your imagination. This is a fun; creative, and inexpensive way to way to spruce up your home. Think of all of the items that are found in your home; you know that there are things that would look awesome with a bit of the aged painting look.
When you are ready to begin applying the crackle finish to your furniture or walls, you will want to make sure that you have the appropriate tools and materials to make your project flow a little easier. There are not a lot of materials needed. Basically, what you will need includes:
* Latex wall paints (preferably satin finish one base coat, one top coat)
* Crackle finish or white glue (available at craft stores)
* Paint brush, roller
* Masking tape
Step 1 - Using your roller, apply one layer of base coat to your walls. Allow paint to dry at least 8 hours or overnight if possible. Choose a color that is visually appealing as this is the color that will show through the "cracked" topcoat. It is recommended that you choose paint colors that contrast well.
Step 2 - Use the masking tape to declare "off limits" areas where you do not want the crackle finish. Working one section at a time, apply the crackle finish to the walls. The finish resembles clear glue with a paint-like consistency. Allow to dry - generally 30 minutes to 1 hour - or as the manufacturer recommends.
Step 3 - Once dry, immediately apply the topcoat, starting in one corner of the room and working quickly. Be sure to load the brush with enough paint to cover each section in one motion. The crackling will begin immediately so be sure to avoid applying too much paint and over-blending which will erase the cracks. Continue this way until the entire wall is finished and allow to dry.
Step 4 - Remove the masking tape, clean out your brushes, stand back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Of course, if you are running short on time, or you are not crafty, you can always let a professional take over the job. You can buy items that already have the crackle finish applied, from tables and chairs to cabinets and everything in between. Pieces with the crackle finish can really make a difference in the look of your current décor.
About Author:
Barry Goodknight - Custom Cabinets Wall Units.
Article Source: http://www.isnare.com
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Crackle Faux Painting Technique
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Showing posts with label Crackle Finish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crackle Finish. Show all posts
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
What is a Faux Finish
If you have any experience in terms of buying a new home or in building one for yourself, you have realized one thing: raw materials are expensive! There is a reason why materials such as marble, hardwood, rare woods such as mahogany and even finer paints drive up the prices of homes exorbitantly: hey are very hard to get a hold of, and very pricey as well.
Expensive and rare materials are nothing new, when it comes to adding value to a home. The marble pillars you hear of in Rome were no less expensive then than now; it was the rich people that furnished their homes with this type of decoration. Some people even make the argument that back when people lived in caves, a false finish added to the home in the form of art would increase its value!
In essence, that is what a faux finish is: an addition to a home which makes it appear more desirable either through its emulation of a certain type of in demand material, or which adds a sense of originality.
In particular, faux finish refers to a type of paint applied to a structure, either inside or out, which gives the appearance of a certain material. There are several different types of paint, each representing a material.
They include:
Marble, which can be either plaster or glaze.
Graining, which impersonates rare and exotic expensive wood types.
Venetian plaster, which looks textured but is in fact quite smooth.
In addition to the different types of materials involved, different techniques are also applied in order to create certain faux finishes. The brush technique will determine how the paint is applied and the appearance it creates within a certain room or on a certain exterior. By combining the type of material with a specific technique, it is possible to create a faux finish that is entirely unique to one’s own home.
Besides giving a value added appearance, faux finishes can be incredibly fun to experiment with as well as to apply. Homeowners everywhere will be satisfied when they use this ancient technique to improve upon the appearance of their homes!
About Author:
Rob Parker - When looking for a premium faux painting instruction class you should keep in mind the number of students in the class and professional quality of the tools.
WallDreams Paint Ideas!Clarifications in terms...
Faux Painting and Trompe L'Oeil are two terms used to describe painting techniques.
Trompe L'Oeil is a French term meaning to "trick the eye" referring to an art technique that is extremely realistic, with exact colors and shading creating an optical illusion of an object(s) to appear three dimensional. The look should be so realistic, that the viewer may have to reach out and try to touch it to see if it is real or not.
Faux Painting describes a wide range of decorative painting techniques that not only include stone, marble, wood, brick, slate, and metal but other materials such as linen, leather, burlap and denim. Faux is a French term as well, meaning "false" or "fake". By using paint and applying it to a surface, the artist can create the illusion of other materials and/or texture. A few other techniques including in Faux Painting are:
Distressing - giving the appearance of age and wear.
Strié - French word for "stripes" or "streaks", dragging through the glaze to create soft lines of color.
Crackle Finish - gives the look of aged paint with cracks intentionally created on the surface
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