Idea for Sponge Painting and Ragging a Faux Finish in black and white

A great place to get ideas for faux painting is to look at clothing. Yep, there are a lot of beautiful, colorful and unique prints on blouses and skirts. Some are with designs that can be incorporated onto a wall design. By using a computer, we can see our design and calculate the steps we need to take.

Blouse design selling online

Here's a snapshot of a blouse that is available online. It's pretty and I loved the fact that it wasn't just one solid color. It also gave me the inspiration for faux painting an accent wall using a simple Sponge painting and Ragging technique.

With the Multi Color Faux Palette and Tuck and Gather Tool that comes with our Basic Faux Painting Kit along with a sponge and a rag, it should be very easy to achieve the design I came up with.

I used a program called Pages on my iMac to generate the design. By using a bit of graphics, interest is added to a plain white wall.

We also added a picture of red candle accessories we can add later.

Faux painting design generated on a computer

This look would be great for any room, especially an art room or bathroom. Using a level and tape, we would mask off the areas and then vary each rectangle with a different sponging and ragging pattern.  

We would start faux finishing all the boxes using a sponge. Then for the bottom left box, we would come back and add another layer of the sponging. After that, the top right corner box would get a third layer and finally, the box on the left in the middle would get a 4th layer. The more layers, the less of our white base coat would show. Lastly we faux finish the lower right box adding some ragging on top of the sponging we did.

We will eventually add this design to our Color Suggestions and Idea E-Book that our customers receive when they order any of our kits. 

Removing rust from metal shed before painting faux wood finish

This metal shed was rusted badly and we decided to remove the rust first before adding our faux wood finish to it.

We wanted to avoid using toxic chemicals so we used baking soda mixed with lemon juice. We applied it to the rust with a chip brush and then let it dry overnight.

Then we took a wet abrasive sponge and began using some elbow juice to remove the rust. We were quite impressed at how the rust came off.

Here's the video we made showing the steps we used. We will post in another blog, the video and steps to add the faux wood finish to the shed.

Removing the rust off the shed first will add the extra durability to the faux bois (french for fake wood). Hope this helps any of our customers who need to remove rust from surfaces before adding the base coat for faux finish.

NEW Faux Wood DVD finished!

Now you can learn how to paint a faux wood finish

After 5 years of experimenting, in addition to painting many garage doors as well as front doors and cabinets, we finally finished editing our Faux Wood DVD. You can read all about the various aspects about this finish by going to our page dedicated to how to paint faux wood and at the bottom of the page you can find a link to take you to our store to purchase yours.

What you will learn on the DVD

The segments on the video are split up into 10 main sections, which include time saver tips like those on our other faux painting DVDs.  We split up the teaching on how to achieve a faux wood finish  similar to various types of wood into 3 sections - Cabinets and Doors, Columns, Garage Doors and Misc. Surfaces. The segment on Cabinets and Doors is split up into two sections. One is learning how to achieve a Faux Oak, Cherry and Walnut finish. The other is how to achieve a Faux Mahogany, Beech and Teak finish.  We also including segments called Practice Assignments, Mistakes to Avoid as well as Important Things to Remember.

The faux painting tools you will need

We are so glad to let our customers know that the tools of the patented Triple S Faux System are the main tools used for the techniques taught on this new DVD.  The Multi Color Faux Palette and the Poofy Pad are indispensable for applying the glaze on the surface as well as adding fine specks that are commonly found in popular rich woods. Since the glaze in loaded on the palette, there is no need to carry a paint tray or cup in your hands.  When working in the sun, it's so easy for the glaze to get thickened. Since you are holding the palette with your glaze on it, you can keep your paint tray in the shade.  The palette is so light weight that it is much easier to hold in your hand and shield it from the sun, also. 

After difficulty with a rocker, which is commonly used for adding grain lines, we decided to try to come up with an alternative. We are pleased to announce that we developed our own wood graining pad. As with every company, we continue to adjust the design as we get comments from our customers and as we notice any difficulties while painting more and more surfaces to look like wood. For now, the pad has 2 notched sides that give you 8 different wood grain lines. The pad is the perfect size to hold easily in your hand. Our initial design has a different color on each side, too. But we are in the process of making a decision to adjust the design to be of one color, so that we can lower our cost and benefit our customers with savings.  So far, we have used the pad around 4 times and it still gives us clean lines.  Therefore, the pad won't have to be replaced after just a few times of use.  Two sides are larger for wide areas and the narrower sides are perfect for areas where a large graining pad will not fit. The pad has 2 sides for achieving grain lines that Oak wood has, 2 sides for Mahogany and 2 sides that will give you larger grains for use on garage doors that can be seen from afar.

We also developed and produced a set of wood graining stencils, too.  They are made with small squares that are close to the grain lines where you place tape to hold in place. With these 4 stencils and the wood graining pads, you can add a variety of grain lines.

The type of paint you will use

Since oil paint should never be used outside due to the fact that the heat will make it brittle, causing it to crack and peel, you will use regular wall paint. For added durability, you can use exterior wall paint for the base coat and for mixing your top coat glaze, too.
For a limited time, we are including with every order of our kits that contain the Faux Wood DVD, a FREE Faux Wood Color E-file, that has the colors we have developed for the base coat that are perfect for matching the most popular hard woods. Right now, at the writing of this blog, we have the formula for them, available at Sherwin Williams. We hope to eventually include matches from other paint companies, too.

Another redo of bad faux wood painting

Well, it seems I am getting more calls to redo bad faux wood painted doors.  I sure would have loved to remember to take the before picture but since I have another person who does the sanding, priming and base coat painting, I forgot to ask him to take the before picture.

The person who had done the previous faux painting used oil based gels.  Not even a year later, the garage doors were totally faded and badly cracked. What is really sad is that it didn't even get sun on it!  The front double doors were cracked all over but not faded.  Go figure.  As I have written on my previous posts, you need to use a water based, exterior base coat.  You can use an eco friendly paint even though it's not as necessary since you are working outdoors. Oil paint is flexible, therefore the heat will make it brittle and cause it to get dull and crack. By using a paint conditioner as my faux painting glaze, I know I have a finish that will last.

Anyway, here's the pics of how the doors came out. I tried out a couple of new tools and that's why you see more grain than I usually make for faux mahogany. The client was thrilled and said the doors were beautiful.  Especially about the faux grain.  I think these are the tools I will be making to sell with the Faux Wood DVD.  I adjusted the lightness and color on the close up picture of the grain so you can see what it looks like. Any comments are welcomed.

I am going to have to include a faux painting article about this on my website. Or add it to my faux painting tips page.

Faux wood painted on single garage door

Faux wood painted on double front doors

Faux wood closeup of the grain made with new tools

Faux wood on garage door fix up

I was asked to patch another faux finish. It seems like more and more, customers are calling to fix a job that someone else did.  This time is was a garage door that someone had painted with a faux wood finish.  The paint and glaze was peeling very badly.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the damaged area before I fix it, therefore, I can't post it.  There was no sense in posting the after picture, either.

But here is a close up picture of the neighbor's garage door that was faux painted by the same company.  As you can see by the picture, the glaze is already started to fade, harden and crack.  That's because the faux finisher used an oil based base coat and oil based glaze to faux paint the wood finish.

I spoke to a professional at a paint store and they explained that you should never use oil for outdoors because oil becomes brittle from the sun.  Water based paints are more flexible and expand differently with the heat. Therefore, they are a better option for exterior surfaces.

Why do some faux painters use oil glaze?
The open time for oil glazes is a whole lot longer than it is for water based glazes.  That's why some professionals prefer to use them.  However, as you can see by the picture, they don't hold up very well outdoors because of the sun.  So if your doors get a lot of exposure to the sun, you will be very sorry if you resort to using oil paints and glazes, in order to get the open time.  Besides, water based paints are usually more eco friendly paints.

How to faux paint wood grain with water based glazes
Using water based faux painting glazes can be difficult outside, especially if you are working directly in the sun.  The open time is decreased due to the heat.  Working in the shade is better, however, sometimes it's not an option.  Therefore, creating the faux wood effect quickly is the ideal solution.  Stay posted as we continue to develop our faux wood DVD.  The more I paint, the better ideas I am given by the Lord.

Faux painting samples by customers

These are just a few samples of pictures and letters I have been blessed with to receive from customers who have bought the patented (7472450) faux painting system the Lord gave me. To view larger image, click on pictures.

My sister and I had an opportunity to fnally use the Triple S Faux in December. It made our job incredibly easy. I'll definitely be using it on more projects.      

Thanks,  

Sherry

Hi Sandra,

I ordered your painting tools and DVD in order to redo my daughters living room walls.  She had her heart set on the old world parchment look with lots of veins. I have never done any faux painting before but your web site made it look so easy that I gave it a try!

I prayed and prayed that I would be able to make her walls look nice.  Well I am so excited to tell you that IT WORKED!!!

Everyone loves it and my daughter says " mom I catch myself walking upstairs just to look at my pretty walls" !  I look at the painting on the walls and am truely amazed that I did it! Your little poofy pads and palette are wonderful!! I feel so lucky that I found your web site!

I can create all these different faux looks and never fail to be amazed that I did it!  Your video shows exactly what to do,step-by-step. After watching it and practicing on posterboards for about half a day, I was able to paint my first amazing wall! So many people who see my work, want me to do painting for them! I'm still learning but am having fun while I do!

I feel that I have started a profitable career for the price of  $39.99!  Also thanks for being there to answer questions and give suggestions.  You are great and your Triple S faux-painting system is wonderful!

Thank you,

God bless you,

Connie

Hey!  Just wanted to say thanks so much for your wonderful products, we'll be doing another order here again soon.  Attached are some pics of what we've been doing around the house if you can use them.  God bless and thank you so much for honoring Him with your work and website!


Rachel

On January 3^rd, 2008 I put my house up for sale.  My neighbor had a couple staying with him whose house burned down 2 months before.  They were not looking to buy at the time, but saw my house and “HAD TO HAVE IT”!

2 months later, they were unable to get financing, so I had an “Open Hose” on a Saturday in March.  3 couple came to look at my house and I had a contract on Monday.  Again, 2 months later, no financing.  This happened for 9 months (4 contracts), Open House…Contract on Monday…No Financing..  Even the couple that I bought the house from 6 years before wanted to buy it back.  Finally, a single women with a large down payment (25%), a good job and a better credit score saw my house and told me she loved everything I did and (again) “had to have it”.

(She bought it for the asking price)

The brickwork in both houses was done with your “Faux Painting Kit”.  After taping off the bricks, I used the “Multi Color Faux Palette” for different color reds, and used the “Poofy Pad” the blend it.

I believe that the painting helped sell my house…

I’ve attached more pix to put in your article (website).

Thanks,

Carla

Patching up another existing faux finish

I was asked earnestly to see if I could fix another faux painted wall that had been damaged by water.  I informed the customer that trying to match an existing faux finish was never an easy job.

What made this project even more difficult was that I didn't know what base coat colors the walls were originally painted nor what colors were used for the
faux finishing. In addition, the faux painting technique that was used was not known either.  But praise the Lord, He guided me through the steps I needed to do.  The customer was quite thrilled because I initially told him that it would be nearly impossible to get the areas to match the original faux finish since I wasn't the artist who painted them.

However, after seeing them in person (the customer only explained the problem over the phone), I was more hopeful that I could fix them. There was large areas that had been spackled with joint compound.  None of the areas had been sanded or painted.

As you can see in the photos, the faux finish was somewhat of an Old World look.  There seemed to be a mixture of faux painting techniques like color washing with a rag of some sort.

So initially I thought I would prime the area and paint it with an off white base coat but after testing a small area, I realized it would not look the same.

The reason was that it seems that the person who originally faux painted the wall, did so on a flat sheen base coat.  The sheen I had was satin, since that is the base coat sheen I usually faux paint with.   After praying a bit and asking for wisdom, I got an idea.  Since I didn't have any flat wall paint with me, I decided to add some white bottled acrylic paint to my colors so that the white would make the paint less transparent. This enabled me to make the section I was fixing blend better with the existing faux finish.

I remembered that once I had done a job where I needed to cover an existing base coat paint because the client hated it.  If I just faux painted over it, the base coat color would still show through. So I did a faux finish color wash but using only paint with no glaze.  That caused the paint I used on top to cover the existing base coat color because the paint was not as transparent because I didn't mix it with a glaze.  This is something you learn quickly when using faux painting glazes.

So I figured I would try to do somewhat of the same thing this time, but I did add a little bit of glaze.  Well, it worked and again, I give all the glory to Christ, who never lets me down.  Since I regularly ask that He alone would open the doors of opportunity to offer my services as a faux finisher, I know that even when it seems impossible, it's not.  Take this tip from me, and learn from a faux painting professional, who has been there, done that!

Patching up a wall painted with a faux finish.

Painter tested out new color for walls on faux finish....argh!

I had faux painted some walls and concrete columns at the church I serve at in an Old World Parchment faux finish.  The base coat I had used was an eggshell sheen.  I used the technique I have developed specifically for faux painting the Old World on Eggshell, since it is different than a satin base coat.  The leaders decided to paint the sanctuary again, leaving the walls that were faux painted as is.  Unfortunately, the painter decided to test out the new color on a couple of the faux painted columns.  I couldn't believe that he did that.  In addition, there were areas that were damaged due to moisture and they had to patch them with spackle.  I was asked faux paint the areas to match the original faux finish I had done.  "What a challenge" I said to myself.  "This is really going to be fun".

Sometimes it is actually easier to faux finish a whole wall over again than it is to patch an area.  The reason is that the edges tend to look harsh and you can see where the wall was patched up.  However, to paint these columns all over again would take time. To make matters more challenging, I didn't have the original paint that I had used to mix my glaze, either.  The reason being was that I had done the faux finishing many years ago, when I didn't do very much faux painting. Another person was in charge of the project and they bought the paint to mix the glaze and neither of us wrote the color down.

Well, praise God, after praying (which is the Most Important Faux Painting Tip) and relying on the wisdom I received, I am so happy to say that I believe the patch work was a success.  The pastor was very pleased and most cannot tell that there was any fixing done in the first place.

First I painted the patched area with a satin base coat that was similar to the original, since the church didn't have the original can. I left a ragged edge where it butted up to the faux finish that remained intact.  I did the same for the side of the column where the spackle was used.  Usually I would prime the area first but I didn't need to this time.

Next, I mixed my glaze and after pressing the poofy pad onto the palette, I pounced the color on the base coat, carefully blending the edges as best as possible.


It did one more layer of glaze to get the right intensity. I did have to add just a tad of another color on top to get the perfect color.  It took less time than I expected.

Finished patch of Old World Faux 

One thing I had to keep in mind was that the color does darken once the glaze is dry, so even though it seemed super light at first, I only had to add one extra layer.

There was a total of 3 columns that I had to fix and I have included before and after picture of 2 of the columns I had to patch up.  As you can see, the match was very close.  Pictures never do justice and I have to admit that in person, the patch work looks very similar to the original Old World Parchment I did.

  

Progress - Faux Painting projects, contd.

French doors with faux wood finish 

Faux Wood DVD 

A got a request to faux paint another double garage door and a set of french doors. It couldn't have come at a better time since I am working on the Faux Wood DVD that I pray, by the grace of God, will be available this year.  As with any job, there are always new challenges.  I had never did a faux wood finish on french doors with oval glass fixtures in them.  I am so glad that I have not limited myself to using the wood graining tools that you have to rock to get the grain. With the limitation of space, I would never have been able to get the tool to work.  

Working in the sun was not too bad at this time of year, early February.  The last time I faux painted doors like wood, it was in the late summer and it was a killer.  I realized while doing that job that using the flat brushes to get the grain was not working either. The main reason being that the sun was drying out the glaze about 2 minutes after applying it!  There was zilch open time. I was getting a blotchy look, too. Although real wood has a variety of darks and lights, the rich look of mahogany or beech wood was being lost.  I admit that I was overwhelmed with the predicament to finish the job with excellence, yet not take days to fix the problem of the blotchiness. So as usual, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, I prayed and asked for wisdom and HELP.  God is so good...He answered as usual.  

To my amazement and delight, I achieved the faux wood finish using just the Multi Color Faux Palette and Poofy Pad; hitting the edges with a chip brush.  I even added the grain and knots with the Poofy Pad.  God does work all things for good to those who love Him, even non-calculated decorative painting problems....lol.  

So with this last job, I finished in record time.  Both the double doors and double french doors were done in one day.  Of course I am referring to the time spent with the faux finishing technique, not including the additional time to base coat paint the surfaces with environmental friendly paint.  

Unfortunately, with this great discovery, I have to add an additional video section to the DVD that shows how to faux paint doors in the sun as opposed to what I have filmed for painting cabinets or inside doors.  In addition, since some people like a lot of heavy looking grains or knots in their faux wood, I am praying about a new tool that the Lord gave me, to achieve this without the difficulty of using the wood graining tool that exists....even if it does rock...lol

What's in store for 2011 with faux painting?

With 2011 around the corner, I am excited about the new faux finishing DVDs that should be available to my customers.  I apologize for the long wait.  Since I like trying out a technique myself on real walls before I create a step by step instructional on it, it does take time.  Once I see a difficulty, whether it be with open time, getting into tight spaces or doing the corners, I set out to find the solution.  Those who have read some of my other articles or read about Murals and Faux Painting, realize the importance I put on making it easy for everyone to DIY.  I want others to learn from a faux painting professional that has "been there, done that"in order to save them the trouble I went thru when I started out.

Faux Wood DVD

Garage door faux painted like wood

Using faux painting to make surfaces look like wood has always been popular.  I hope to have a DVD that will teach a simple faux finishing technique I have developed, again by the help of Almighty God, to achieve a faux wood look.  Using the same tools of the patented (7472450) Triple S Faux System, like the Poofy Pad and Multi Color Faux Palette, I was able to simplify the way I have faux painted garage doors to look like real wood in the past.  What had kept me from producing the instructional DVD for it was that I wanted to be able to recommend a good top coat varnish or sealer to add to the finish.  With certain products not available in the stores, I wanted to use a product that any of my customers can order online from another company or thru my website.  I think I have narrowed down the choices to two products.

Faux Texture DVD

 Texture was added and faux finished for back splash 

Another popular faux finishing technique is adding texture to surfaces before faux painting them.  There are a few methods out in the market but they tend to use only specific products that usually require having to take a class in order to be able to purchase them.  In addition, some require the usage of bulky equipment.  I love simplicity and less mess and some methods of adding texture with a spray gun require having to cover all the furniture because of the over spray.

Right before Christmas, I was able to add a back splash using a new technique that is similar to skip troweling but without the trowel.  Most of the techniques use the Tuck and Gather Tool which is one of the tools in the system I have developed.

Faux Granite DVD

Window sill with faux granite finish

And lastly, I have faux painted counter tops to look like faux granite.  The techniques I have used are simple ones and I am still in the process of playing with new tools I would like to produce to make it even easier to get a real granite look. I have used glitter and mica flakes to create gorgeous faux finishes but again, I am still working on the step by step instructions that will be easy to follow.

So if you happen to be a prayer warrior, please pray that I will be led by the Spirit when and how to produce these highly requested DVDs. I don't want to miss what I should be doing as far as serving the Lord goes and discerning how to manage my time has always been a challenge for me.  If you have any comments, please leave them or contact Murals and Faux Painting and drop me a line.

NEW! Send questions about your faux finishing project

We get calls with questions concerning particular faux finishing topics like what faux painting techniques are best to use on certain walls, what colors should be used, etc.  So I decided to add a section on my website where customers can submit their questions.  I really do like taking the time to answer as many questions as possible.  I appreciate all my customers and have a sincere desire to see them succeed in their decorative painting projects or careers.

I realize that getting quick answers is critical these days with lives being so busy.  Patience is not a virtue that many seek, either.  So I apologize if my website has many pages and is in any way difficult to navigate.  Constructive criticism is always welcomed. If you feel I can make the site easier, please feel free to give me your suggestions.  Especially if you find any broken links or 404 Not Found pages, too.

So go to this page where you can click on a link to send me a letter with your questions or comments. 

Send questions about faux finishing 

If I decide to post the question, I will not include any personal information and you can always leave off your last name, too.

Although I cannot promise to answer immediately, I will make time to do so within a few days.  If you want to send me a letter, please know that I value your privacy and will never sell your email address to anyone.  You can read our privacy letter by clicking here: 

Murals and Faux Painting Privacy Statement

I have tons of information about many different aspects of faux painting on my website and on this blog. In addition, you can find more areas of discussion on my Facebook page, too.  

I have also made a video answering the 3 most popular questions about faux painting that I get.

Should you start your own faux painting business?

I recently gave a class to a gentleman that was looking to not only learning the art of faux painting but also wanted to know how he could start his own decorative painting business.  Since he was totally new to this market, I gave him as much advice as I could.  In deciding what to blog about next, I thought it would be a good idea to submit an article I have written for some ezine publications as well as a new Google Knol I wrote.  The article is similar to the one I have on my website, too.  I look to adding to this post in the future with additional information and tips.  I welcome any other advice from professional faux finishers that can help newbies get started with their own faux painting business.


How much money can one expect to earn?
Just to give you an idea of how much you can earn starting your own business, I charge $2.25 - $8.00 per square feet. With the patented (7472450) Triple S Faux System that the Lord gave me,  I can faux paint a wall that measures 10 ft. high X 10 ft. long (100 square feet) in about 2 hours.  You can do the math.  Most faux painting professionals are charging an average of $3.00 per square feet for simple faux painting finishes.  They charge about double of that for adding a texture to the wall or for sophisticated plaster finishes.  If you are starting out, I would suggest charging about $1.50 a square foot so you can land some jobs (beat out competitors) and then once you gain popularity or word of mouth reputation, up your price.


What tools should you use?
The wonderful thing about embarking on your own journey into the beautiful art of decorative painting today is that there are a lot more faux painting tools, faux finishing classes, and books available than there was when I started out ten years ago.  My suggestion is to start out with the simple faux finishes such as sponging and color blending.  There are many textured faux finishes that you can learn but they are time consuming and the materials can be quite expensive.  After faux painting literally hundreds of walls, I can tell you honestly that 90% of my clients still choose “color blending” or “color washing”, including the “Old World Parchment” look.  Why, because some of the textured faux finishes are too “busy looking” and the cost for faux painting with texture is nearly double than what it is for non-textured faux finishes.  Besides, once you get your foot into the door, then you can offer them.


How I started my faux painting business
I never dreamed that I would be in the business of Faux Painting or Decorative, considering I was a graphic artist by trade. The thought never crossed my mind. I was unaware of how popular this beautiful form of art was becoming, though.  Back in 1996,  there was only limited information on the various faux painting techniques.  Most referred to faux finishing as “sponging” or “glazing”.  In essence, the term was misused and for the most part, still is.  I am referring to the fact that “FAUX” means “FAKE”, therefore, to faux paint a wall means to paint it in a way that makes the wall resemble a specific surface other than just a plain wall, such as “marble”, “wood”, etc.  The sponges or glazes are just tools to achieve a certain effect on the wall.  I’ve read comments on faux painting message boards indicating the perturbation of professional faux finishers when uninformed clients refer to any type of decorative painting (besides murals) as “fauxing”. It used to bother me, too, yet through the years I’ve learned to accept the fact that those unfamiliar with the details of faux painting could care less about the terminology and more about the beauty of decorative painting instead.  So although you have not been professionally faux painting walls, if you learn how to achieve a few easy faux finishing techniques, you can offer your services to friends and family and they won’t care if you’re uninformed with the terms.  As long as you can make their walls look beautiful, you can make some extra income on the side.  Who knows - maybe you’ll end up with your own faux painting business like I did. Start off by painting your own walls, then invite others to see your work.  If they ask how much would you charge to faux paint their walls, give them a relatively low price since you are just starting out and use it as practice.  If you ever plan to start your own faux painting business, you can get quite a few “practices” in and you can begin gathering photos for your portfolio. That’s how my journey began. 

Faux Paint Tub as Marble Stone

Well, praise God, the tub I faux painted as Marble Stone passed the test!
I painted this tub that was in bad shape 2 years ago and although it held up, since I painted it a solid beige, it looked boring. Since it started to chip around the drain, I decided to add some texture to it and faux paint it to look like a honed marble stone tub. I let it cure for a month and yesterday my family was down for Christmas and used it. That was going to be the test, to see if it held up to 15 people using it! Well, it did! I am so blessed cause it looks great and is functional, too. My family really liked it, too.

I will be adding a page to my website that will include a new Faux Painting DVD that I want to produce, Faux Painting Texture. I need to get the video done and ask that any believers in Jesus out there, will pray for wisdom from the Lord to produce it in a way that as always, will make it easy to learn faux painting.

Merry Christmas to all who are reading this post!

Faux Painting Tile Project

With a faux painting web site to keep up with, I don't have much time to do as many projects as before. Don't get me wrong, I still continue to actually faux paint for profit, but when I refer to projects, I mean my own where I do it for loved ones or for fun. Recently, my mom changed her toilet and now she didn't want the green faux finish I had done many years ago. So I wanted to bless her by taking my time to do a "trompe l'oeil" effect. That's fancy french which means, "trick of the eye". I love the look of tile in a bath but installing real ones is not only expensive, but the mess it creates is not pleasant. I have been in homes where there is tile being installed and the owners can't wait to get the job done. There's a lot of dust from the concrete in the air where they mix the powder they need. Anyway, I figured painting the tile would eliminate the mess and in the future, if my mom wants to change the look, she doesn't have to mess up the walls to take out the old tile. In addition, we could still use the bathroom while I was working, plus, she saved so much money and time, looking for the perfect color in tile.

Well, here's a picture of what I did. And yes, I used the Triple S Faux Painting System that God gave me. I cannot faux paint without this patented system, myself. I do plan to make a video of the steps I took and all the faux finishing techniques I used to achieve this beautiful look. I sent this picture out to my friends and asked them what they thought of my tile work and none of them thought it was paint; they all thought the tiles were real. So I guess I passed the test. Thank you Lord for my first "trompe l'oeil" attempt being a success. At least I think so. What do you think? I would love comments.

Example of faux painting by done by a customer

Well, gotta be quick cause I gotta get to bed. Not late at all but I need to get back into the habit of spending some quiet time with the Lord and more time reading the bible. God's been too good to me to stray from seeking Him.

Anyway, tonight I was blessed to see that I got a lot of visits to my website and was particularly curious about a referred site I didn't recognize. So I went to visit it and I was pleasantly surprised to see that a customer had posted some pictures of her faux painting project on her site. I needed to put her pictures on my testimonies' page but haven't the chance yet. I was working on new tools and new faux painting techniques most of the day in addition to giving a quote for a big job.

So I decided to quickly post my customer's picture on this blog so that I can get others to see it. Her walls came out gorgeous and especially the ones I am including on this post. I am including a bit of her letter, too. It's customers like Amanda that make it all worth while and the Lord uses people like her to encourage me to keep going. He knows I would rather be sharing a bible study or visiting orphans and widows but for now, until the time is right, I will stay with the talent He has blessed me with. I love art and I love seeing others succeed in their quest to learn how to faux finish. I hope you like the pictures of Amanda's faux painted walls. Here's a few words she wrote me:

Hi! I emailed you way back about those annoying knockdown walls that are all through my house, and I subsequently bought rather a lot of faux painting supplies from you to take care of that little problem. I thought I would show you that I've been putting them to great use! It's been slow but sure progress, and it's turned out beautifully. I still have three rooms left to do, but I can't wait to show you any longer.

Just today I finished my studio. It's my favorite so far and I HAD to email you and show you that I really have the hang of it now. I know there are a lot of pictures, but I think you'll agree it looks lovely.

If you want to put any of these up on your site, please, feel free! I AM an artist, but I'll tell you that the only time my artistic talent ever came into play was in choosing colors. That was the hardest part. Everything else was so EASY. I think most anyone could pick up the knockdown technique in about twenty minutes. Even painting the ferns was simple. (I did that with a brush, but I gently went over them with a small poofy pad to blur them and break up darker blobs of paint. Not a perfect job, because I was learning as I went, but let me tell you, you step back three feet and any "mistakes" do not show at all.)

I am so happy, and so grateful for your wonderful inventions. This would not have been possible without them, and without you. Everyone who sees what I have done asks how I did it, and everyone who asks gets pointed straight at your site. It's the least I can do.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Best always,

-- Amanda Gannon

Changes to shipping on faux painting tools

Well here I am again. Finally! I admit I am not too good at posting blogs. Partly cause I don't know if people really read them. Being busy with a website, teaching faux painting classes, answering calls from customers, faux painting homes and experimenting with new ideas for faux painting tools, I rarely have time to post anything. The first few months of this year have already been interesting. It's amazing how the Lord guides me thru the comments made by my customers or visitors to the faux painting website I have. There's tons of them out there by the way. I'm sure if you happen to be reading this post, you know. I recently got a few comments on how my videos say "free shipping" and now I am charging for ground shipping. My response is that I did say "for a limited time" and the first faux painting videos I posted are almost 2 years old. I think 2 years is enough time to be considered "limited", don't you. The U.S. Post office just went up on shipping charges but I am only charging $3.00 for ground for up to 1 pound. I am charged average $6.50, so you figure I am paying for half. Well enough of trying to defend my prices for shipping. lol With a lot of people out of work, I would like to write and produce a "start a faux painting business" E-Book myself. I have sold one as an affiliate but I had one customer tell me she wasn't pleased with it. Things have changed and I would like to include how to start your own website in your city, too. If it were not for the internet, I would have no sales. Praise God, I finally got the patent to the Triple S Faux Painting system! Now I have been getting so many letters from companies wanted to help me market the system or manufacture them. I already have them manufactured, I just need to let the masses know. I believe in the system myself. I have told many, "I can't faux paint without my tools myself." I mean that, too. Every time I teach a faux painting class to a student and see how well their boards come out, I am convinced so much more that the Holy Spirit really gave me the idea for the tools. I am aware of one thing, though. You still have to practice with the different tools to get the system down pat. It's like playing a piano. It's easy to hit the keys with your fingers. Anyone can do that. But to make it sound good, you have to practice and learn a few things. So if you're reading this blog (please let me know, too) then you don't have anything to lose by trying it out. Right now I have a sale on a Faux Painting Combo which includes the new Faux Marble DVD that I produced. That includes a Free Faux Painting Color Suggestions and Idea E-book, too. One day faux painting will be just like regular painting in the sense that millions will know how to do it. My aim is to see the prices for the labor go down and see many companies offer it so that all homes can have the beauty of faux painted walls in them. God bless!

Faux Painting glazes

I would like to discuss the multitude of faux painting glazes on the market. After 10 years of literally painting hundreds of walls, I am convinced that water based(acrylic) glazes are the best. The oil based ones have a strong odor. I personally use paint conditioner mixed with acrylic paints and make my own glazes. I have read message boards that say the finish is not durable but I beg to differ. In ten years, I have never had any of my past customers complain about that. Even when I have made a mistake (dark lap lines or missed feathering out section) and I want to take off the glaze, it's not easy. I usually have to use some kind of paint thinner and lots of elbow grease. I am talking about just an hour or so when the glaze has dried. So try mixing your own glazes. Read some faux painting articles concerning how to choose your colors for your faux painting projects before you start. Planning is very important before starting anything.

Progress - Faux Painting projects

Well I can't believe it's the middle of April and I have been swamped with projects. Since I still do faux paint, I have a big job coming up and it required a little playing with my own faux painting tools! They want a simple sponging technique but the walls are flat and they want a metallic in there. Thank God I was able to finally come up with a board they liked. I'm so used to having clients want a color wash or Old World look. But I'm glad they decided on the sponging because the walls are flat which meant either having to repaint the walls in a satin finish or using tons of glycerin and elbow grease...if you know what I mean.

I faux painted a marble finish on a formica countertop and a faux granite finish on another. They came out great. Sure would love to see a paint product that sticks to formica without so much curing time. I have used Plaid's enamels, but they only come in small bottles at the store and they have to cure 21 days before you can top coat with a varnish. So I just sanded and used Bulls Eye low odor water based primer and a satin basecoat. Here are a few pics. I plan to incorporate the steps and faux finishes on a new Marble/granite DVD I am currently filming and editing. You can see more pictures for the faux finishes that will be included on Murals and Faux Painting site. Click on the videos button and then click on faux painting marble video.

Faux Painting Plans for 2008

Well, it's a new year. Where did 2007 go? One desire I have is to be better at posting new blogs regularly. Since I do not merely run a faux painting business which sells tools and gives classes but I also continue to faux paint myself, it is difficult to do everything with the excellence with which I love to do so. I don't want to be critical but I do notice that some faux finishing sites that are just pages with articles written by other faux painters and filled with google ads. There are some who just want to sell tools and don't really care if they work well. That's not my intention. I use my own tools and quite honestly, I can't faux paint any other way! Believe me, I have tried. There's so much to consider in choosing tools besides cost. I plan, God willing, to tape some audio podcasts to cover some critical areas in the faux painting business.

For anyone who is reading this blog, please help a sister out...lol Please let my company know of any glitches on my site and any suggestions to make it easier to navigate.

Faux Painting Wood and Knockdown
I painted (to the glory of Jesus) some nice jobs right before the holidays in 2007 that I want to be able to share. Two of them are pictured in this blog. Faux painting on knockdown is so easy and I have a free video showing how to add a color wash to the texture in multiple colors.
Can you believe that the door is made out of cardboard? I plan by the grace of the Lord to tape a video showing how to faux paint a wood finish. Sure would love to be able to see a camera that will do the painting justice.

Happy New Year to all and may Christ show you personally how much He and our heavenly Father love you and are crazy about you. May their plans for you be fulfilled.

If you are reading this blog and need someone to pray for you, don't hesitate to write me here or at support@muralsandfauxpainting.com. I love bringing others to the throne of God cause it brings Him great joy to intervene on behalf of those He is drawing...which is everyone!

Faux Painting Marble

There are many different types of marble that one can try to imitate with faux painting. But I have found that on walls, the best type are the simple ones without heavy, numerous viens. It's not because that's the type of marble I prefer, but the kind that has lots of veins just looks too busy when used on large walls. I have one board I show all the time and 9 times out of 10 the customers that want that finish say to me, "Oh, I like that. But without the heavy viens." I guess if I were doing the top of a vanity chest, I would opt for a busy look because you want it to look just like marble. Besides everyone knows that only in king's palaces would one find whole rooms with marble walls. Without the fine grout lines, no one will ever think it's real marble, anyway. So I just use the look as a decorative plus for enhancing the walls of the rooms. Visit my website to see samples of some of the walls I faux painted with a marble look. Bookmark my site as in the near future I plan to make a video showing how to faux paint the walls the way I did. Visit my Faux Painting site and click on gallery at the top. My address is listed in my bio page, too; click on the link.