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Tools
There are many specialty brushes and rollers available for decorative painting. You do not need all of them for techniques mentioned in this site. Specific tools necessary to complete a technique are listed with its directions, so use the materials list as a guide when preparing for a project. For clarity we have included the following tool lists to give a better understanding of their uses and characteristics.
Tip: Use inexpensive materials whenever possible, they will work just as well. However, whenever house brushes, artists brushes or specialty brushes are called for always get the best quality you can afford.


Paint Brushes
A good quality brush performs very differently from a less expensive one. It is well balanced, holds a lot of paint, and puts it where you need it. Look for long bristles firmly set in an easy to grip handle. Cheap brushes often leave streaks and the bristles can pull out and stick to your surfaces. In general, you should always buy the best quality you can afford.
Tip: Natural bristle brushes should be used with oil paints or anything that cleans up with paint thinner. Do not use them for latex paints - they become limp when they soak up water from the paint. Polyester nylon brushes or other synthetic brushes are used for latex paint. They will remain sturdy in water and keep their shape. Foam brushes are cheap, handy, disposable, good for small jobs, and useful in a variety of decorative techniques.


Paint Rollers
If you plan on re-using the roller, get a 9" roller with a heavy-gauge steel frame, expandable wire cage, and a comfortable-to-grip handle threaded to accommodate a standard size extension pole. Lesser quality rollers will often split on the handle, bend, stick, or the threads for the extension pole strip. Choose a roller cover appropriate for your project: use nylon for latex paint; nylon & wool blend, lambskin or mohair covers for oil based. Nap thickness on roller covers varies from 1/16" to 1 1/4" - the smoother the surface, the shorter the nap.
Tip: There is also many specialty rollers available with textured or patterned surfaces. Note: they can be frustrating to use. You can't re-roll glaze with a textured tool, and its is hard to align parallel passes or correct mistakes.


General Equipment
You do not a shop full of professional paint supplies to create a decorative finish. Use the materials list provided with specific technique instructions as a guide for tools and materials when preparing for a project. However, along with brushes and materials used to apply paint and manipulate glazes, you will need some basic painting and protective equipment. Appropriate general equipment will ensure that your workspace is neat, efficient, and safe. The following can be purchased at hardware and paint stores.

  • Bucket and Rack A 5 Gallon bucket with a metal roller grid is a great container for primer or base coat paint in a large area. There are also small roller grids that will fit in a 1 gallon bucket available for smaller jobs.
  • Drop Cloths Available in canvas, plastic and paper. Canvas is best, but more expensive. Plastic can be slippery and paper won't protect against spills.
  • Labeling System For labeling mixed glazes. 1" masking tape and permanent maker are fine.
  • Mixing Containers & stir sticks Use clean containers with lids for mixing and storing glazes. Keep plenty of stir sticks handy.
  • Painters Masking Tape Brown paper painters tape has one sticky edge. It is cheap all-purpose protection for adjacent surfaces. Blue masking tape is less likely to damage paint when removed, but is more expensive.
  • Sandpaper and Tack Cloth Use fine sandpaper and a sanding block to smooth surfaces between coats of paint. Use a tack cloth to remove the dust.
  • Stepladder A stepladder is necessary for any project involving walls or ceilings. Don't stand on a chair or other furniture or objects: it is unsafe and harder for you to balance while you work.
  • Artist's Palette and Palette Knife Use these when working with artist's paints. Do not mix artist's paint with an artist brush, it will damage the brush.
  • Curved Painter's Tool This tool has a crescent shaped blade for scraping excess paint off a roller. Some also have a toothed edge for combing bristles. It can also be used to open paint and scrape inside corners.
  • Edge Guide Use for protecting floors and carpets when painting baseboards.
  • Measuring and Marking A variety of tape measures, rulers, chalk lines, and pencils.
  • Paint Tray The best container for roller applications. Disposable liners make clean up easier.
  • Plumb Bob Weighted guides for creating straight vertical lines. Especially useful for dragging or combing. (Homemade Version: Tie a couple of nuts or washers to a length of string)

Decorative Painting Tools
Most decorative paint techniques can be achieved with simple and widely available tools. Some techniques require specialized tools, but they are commonly stocked by good paint vendors.

  • Artist's Brushes Essential for many finishes, adding details, and touch ups. You may use a variety of flat, round or angled brushes in sizes up to 1" wide. Also include fine touch up brushes, script liners and fan brushes.
  • Chip Brushes Apply glaze as well as soften effects. Cheaper than traditional badger hair softeners.
  • Foam Brushes Cheap, disposable ideal for a variety of uses.
  • House Painter's Brushes Keep a variety of sizes on hand. Nylon Polyester for Latex, Natural Bristles for Oils
  • Stippling Brushes This is a large handled horse hair or hog hair brush designed to be pounced (tapped) on a surface instead of brushed.
  • Stencil Brushes Cylinder shaped stiff brush made to pounce or swirl paint onto a surface.
  • Veiner A Long bristled brush used to create veins in wood graining and marble.
  • Softener Badger hair brush used to blend, mute or soften effects.
  • Cheesecloth Can be used to stipple or rub glazes
  • Cosmetic Sponges Small sponges used on small-scale patterns.
  • Feathers Turkey Feathers can be used in graining and novelty effects
  • Combs Metal or rubber, they come in a variety of tooth sizes and spacing.
  • Jersey Rags Knit rags for ragging or rubbing glazes. Paint stores carry these in bags and in 5-pound boxes. Be sure to get jersey (smooth) not ribbed.
  • Narrow Masking Tapes Use to mask grout lines in stone or tiled patterns. available 1/16" to 1/4".
  • Novelty Graining Tools Available in various patterns and sizes.
  • Paper Towels A MUST. Always have them on hand. Besides cleaning up, they can be used to manipulate glazes.
  • Rubber Stamps Widely available at craft and stationery stores they can be used with glazes, paints, or combined with other techniques.
  • Sea Sponges Natural sponges used for sponging and in creating granite, limestone and other stone effects
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About Paint
All types of paints have their own characteristics and uses. Depending on the technique you choose, you will probably use house paint on the base coat and to mix the glaze. For some finishes you will need artist's paints, stencil paints, or other specialty paints. A basic understanding of paints and related mediums will help you decide the best paint for your project.

Finishes
The finish of the paint or glaze you choose come in a variety of finishes. Finish refers to the sheen (shininess - how much it reflects light). Generally, the shinier the paint finish, the better it will stand up to washing and cleaning.
Tips:
Kid-Friendly Finishes Use an eggshell or satin paint on the walls and semi-gloss for doors and moldings. These finishes are formulated to stand up to repeated cleanings.
Rustic Looks Use flat finish paints for the most rustic look for walls or furniture. If cleanbility is an issue, move up to an eggshell finish.
Ceilings Flat paints are most often used for ceilings. However, if a ceiling's surface is in excellent condition then an eggshell finish might also be considered.
Kitchens and Baths Semi-gloss paint is the default choice for rooms that have close contact with water.
High Gloss Use high gloss paints in select locations rather than on every surface in a room; their brilliant surface is cold and uninviting.
  • Matte Finish A matte finish paint is also called flat, wall, or ceiling paint. It has no shine which helps when needing to camouflage small wall bumps, cracks, or other imperfections. Most homes use flat paint on interior walls. Touching up scratches or marks may need to be done by covering with a bit more paint, though some flat paints today are advertised as washable.
  • Eggshell Finish Think of the very low sheen of an eggshell, and you have an idea of how an eggshell paint finish will appear. This paint has only the slightest hint of a gloss. It should stand up better to cleaning than a flat finish, making it a good choice for walls.
  • Satin Finish Also called Pearl Finish. A few steps up in gloss from an eggshell finish is the satin finish. Though often used on doors and trim, it can also be used as wall paint wherever kids, pets, and general wear-and-tear will be a challenge. Satin paint finishes will usually take cleaning and scrubbing well.
  • Semi-Gloss Primarily used for doors, trims, and cabinets, this washable paint finish is also frequently used on the walls of kitchens and bathrooms. It offers a nice shine without being too glitzy, although improperly prepared surfaces can be a bit distracting when highlighted by a semi-gloss surface.
  • Glossy High gloss paints offer a very shiny appearance that mimics the look of enamel or plastic. Not widely used in home interiors, it can be dramatic on cabinets, trim, and furniture in very formal and very contemporary settings. Since the surface is so reflective, it will magnify any imperfections, so careful surface preparation and sanding is essential before painting with high gloss paints

How much paint?
To estimate how much paint you need, you must know the square footage of the area you will be painting. To determine square footage, measure the width of each wall, add them together, and multiply by the height. Next, estimate how much of the area will not be painted: windows, doors, fireplaces, etc. Deduct this amount from your total square footage. Once you know the square footage to be painted, refer to the spreading rate printed on the paint can. Divide your total square footage by the coverage of the can of paint. This will tell you how much paint you need. Remember to double the amount if you are applying two coats.
Because glazes are thinned, you'll need much less paint to make the glaze for an area than you'll need for the basecoat. Generally you will need about half the amount mixed glaze as you would paint but this will vary depending on glaze consistency. Refer to individual technique directions or see Recipes for proportions.
Tip: Usually the amount of trim: windows, doors, baseboards, ceiling molding - is proportionate to the amount of wall space by about a 1:4 ratio. So if you buy one gallon of paint for a wall, you need 1 quart for the trim. However, the number & size of windows, doors and molding style will affect this ratio.

Oil or Water Based?
Many decorative painting techniques can be done using either oil or water-based paints and mediums. Each have their own advantage and disadvantages.

Oil Based Pros
  • Long Dry time - wet and workable longer
  • Easy to work with - mistakes wipe off with paint thinner
  • Durable - finish is resilient and sandable
Oil Based Cons
  • Harder to clean up - requires paint thinner
  • Project time is longer - long dry time often means waiting between coats
  • Safety - oil based paints and thinners require care because of the fumes and chemicals involved
Latex (water) Based Pros
  • Easy clean up - soap and water
  • Shorter Project time - less waiting between coats
  • No Fumes - practically odorless (but please still use proper ventilation)
Latex Based Cons

Mediums, Solvents, & Finish Coats
This is an overview of products frequently used to make glazes, lengthen or shorten dry times, or protect & seal finished paintings.
  • Glazing Liquid Most glazes are built from this. Available in gallon or quart cans it is essentially paint without pigment.
  • Acrylic Medium Transparent gel made of synthetic resin used for making water based glazes.
  • Extender Mix with acrylic paint or glaze to slow drying times.
  • Paint Thinner, Mineral Spirits, Turpentine Used for clean up of oil based paints.
  • Linseed Oil Adds sheen and increases dry time of oil glazes.
  • Varnish Transparent protective coating can add sheen and extend the life of decorative finishes. Available in water and oil bases.
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Glaze and Wash
Most decorative painting techniques are done with glazes or washes. Different painters use the terms different ways. Some use the term glaze only for an oil base medium, and wash only for a water base medium. Illustrated Interiors refers to glaze as any thinned paint, and wash as a thinned glaze that is transparent or translucent.
Glazes can be opaque or translucent depending on the color and proportions of the ingredients. Making a glaze is not an exact science. It is fairly simple and gives you control over cover.
Note: Adding glazing liquid extends a glaze, increasing the quantity without affecting color or consistency. Adding paint thinner to oil glazes and water to latex glazes dilutes color and consistency.


Recipes






























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Oil Glaze
This is a good general-purpose recipe. It will stay wet and workable a long time. It is well suited for colorwashing, rubbing, dragging, stippling, ragging, and combing. For faster drying use less oil glaze and skip the linseed oil.
  • 1 part oil based paint
  • 1 part oil based glaze
  • 1 part paint thinner
  • small amount of linseed oil (about 1/2 cup per gallon of mixture)
Tip: Oil based glaze tends to dry flat. To add sheen, add more linseed oil. (this will also extend the glaze and your dry time).

Acrylic Latex Glaze
Easy to use and versatile. Mix the glaze and paint first, making the color slightly darker than desired. Then slowly add water till desired color & consistency. The more water, the more transparent and lighter color. Very thin washes should be used for should be used to add tone over existing colors. Great for: colorwashing, spattering, stamping, and stenciling.
  • 1 part latex acrylic paint
  • 1 part latex acrylic glaze
  • 1 part water
  • small amount of gel retarder is optional (follow manufacturer's directions)
Watercolor Glaze
This recipe can be modified so that water is anywhere from 10% to 90% of the mixture. The more paint, the more durable the finish. The more water, the more transparent and lighter color. Very thin washes should be used for should be used to add tone over existing colors. Use for: sponging, limestone, granite, colorwashing, rubbing on. For faster drying use less oil glaze and skip the linseed oil.
  • 1 part latex paint
  • 2 parts water
  • small amount of linseed oil (about 1/2 cup per gallon of mixture)
Getting Started
After deciding which technique you will be using you will also have to determine the following: what paint to use (oil or latex) and what finish (flat, eggshell, satin, semi gloss). You must prime first if it is an unpainted surface. Before you begin painting gather any equipment you will need.


Sample Boards
Don't skip this step! Even simple techniques take practice to master. It's a good idea to practice on a sample board before starting the actual project. It has another practical use as well. Consider this: decorative painting takes longer, requires more effort, and costs more in supplies than a normal paint job. You don't want to be disappointed in the results.
A finish seen in a book or magazine might look great on paper, but on an entire wall or room it may be too much (or too little). Different factors can affect the finishes overall look. Natural light, ambient light, furniture arrangement, and views from other rooms are can alter it's appearance. It will look different at different times of day. (For more information, see our design & planning page.)
Illustrated Interiors provides sample boards for all our clients for just that reason. We use plain 20" x 30" posterboard - large enough to get the feel and judge the effect of the finished painting. We give them to the client a few days prior to the scheduled project. They tape it up on the wall and 'live with it' a few days, moving it around and seeing it by daylight and by night. Our clients understand what the finished effect will be. Any alterations are made now, saving time, money and hassles.

Surface Preparation
Repair any cracks or gouges as necessary. Before applying the first coat of paint (or between coats of dry paint or glaze) smooth out any surface imperfections with superfine sandpaper. Watch for dried paint drips and drywall seams. After sanding use a soft brush to dust off and remove residue with a tack cloth. Use a vacuum after extensive sanding.


Masking
Always protect adjacent surfaces by covering them with masking tape. Be sure to use the right tape for the job - brown painters tape for general use, blue low tack tape for painted surfaces. Apply the tape with the sticky edge adjacent to the surface you will be painting, then run your finger or a putty knife along the edge. To remove the tape peel up one end, fold it back so that it is approximately parallel to the painted surface and gently pull. Always remove masking tape immediately after painting so the adhesive doesn't damage walls or leave a residue. Don't leave it overnight - apply new tape each day.


Base Coat
on Walls
Cutting In - A roller can't reach into a corner or along moldings so begin a wall by 'cutting in' - painting a border along the edges of the surface. Use a 2" or 3" brush to paint along all the perimeter edges and fixtures. For decorative painting follow directions for cutting in provided with each technique.
Rolling On Paint - Rolling is faster, easier and more consistent than brushing on paint. The trick is creating a surface that appears seamless. Roll the paint onto a fairly small zigzag or "w" pattern and then roll over the same area in different directions without lifting the roller.
Tip: The same method applies to glazes. However, glaze is thin and may run when applied so scrape off excess with the curved painters tool. It has to be wet enough to manipulate so you may have to roll it several times.


Maintaining
a Wet Edge
In the directions for decorative paint finishes will be references to the 'wet edge'. Unless the surface to be painted is small, it will be necessary to blend together adjoining applications of paint. To do this without an obvious joint between applications (called demarcation line) the edge of the first area of paint or must be wet when the second area is painted and joined to it. For this reason the directions will include specific instructions on applying a specific amount of paint or glaze at one time. Even with correct paint application it is necessary to work quickly or work with a partner.


Teamwork
Many decorative paint effects involve covering a relatively large portion of the surface with glaze and then removing some of it. This requires some fast work to complete and still retain a wet edge to blend the next section. It is easier to do this with a partner. One partner applies the glaze while the other manipulates it.


Handling
Corners

























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One of the trickier parts to decorative painting is handling a corner. Glaze tends to build up in corners and will take away from the finished effect. The method of preventing this varies according to the decorative technique. These instructions should provide a basis for understanding how to handle corners. They are adaptable for various situations.
  • Colorwashing: Do not cut in the corner. Apply the glaze stopping several inches from the adjacent wall. With the same brush work the glaze into and then away from the corner. Use a dry brush to pull out any buildup of glaze.
  • Ragging: Cut the glaze into the corner. Rag the area of wall near the corner as explained in the directions, bunching the rag so it fits in the corner
  • Rag Rolling: Cut in the corner. Roll on the glaze. Roll the rag cylinder from ceiling to baseboard. Then use the end of the cylinder or a smaller cylinder to blot any missed areas.
  • Rubbing On: Do not cut in the corner. Rub some glaze close to the corner, then use a chip brush to dab the rubbed glaze into the corner and another chip brush to pounce it out. Switch from one to the other as needed.
  • Rubbing Off: Do not cut in the corner. brush or roll on a small section of glaze 1 or 2 inches from the adjacent wall. Rub the glaze into the corner with a rag. Pounce a clean brush into the corner to fill missing spots.
  • Stippling: Do not cut in the corner. Roll on the glaze 1/2" from the corner. Pounce the glaze into the corner with a chip brush, then change to the stippling brush and work the rest of the glaze. Work very quickly when stippling.
  • Sponging Off: Cut in the corner. Roll on the glaze. Tear off a small piece of sponge. While continuing work with the large sponge, dab the small piece into the corner to finish the pattern in any small areas of glaze.
  • Sponging On: Do not cut in the corner. Tear off a small piece of sponge and dab it in the corner.
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