Be Square by Aliya Riaz
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Be Square

Artist: Aliya Riaz

Share this article

PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Base a coat of primer. After the coat of primer has dried, use a trowel or blade spatula to apply an even layer of untinted Soapstone for some underlying texture. Let dry.
(Photos 1-2)

2 | Using good quality tape, tape off 4″ squares. Mark each square with arrows pointing north and west using a watercolor pencil.
(Photo 3)

3 | Mix the Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Phthalo Blue (Green Shade) and Phthalo Green (Yellow Shade) into Metallic Paint Tint Base Pearl to match it to the metallic blue color being used in this technique. Take this color and Metallic Paint Tint Base Gold and apply dots of both colors in roughly equal proportions in each square.
(Photo 4)

4 | Using the 5″ blue blade spatula, gently run it over the surface to disperse the two colors in a linear direction.
(Photo 5)

5 | Alternating squares should follow two different linear directions — one going up and one sideways.
(Photo 6)

6 | Tape off the individual squares you are working on. Brush on a thin layer of the water based size in all the remaining white areas. Following the manufacturer’s directions, wait for the required time for size to tack up. It’s usually around 20 minutes.
(Photo 7)

7 | Sprinkle the metallic powder over the size. Using a mop brush, distribute the powder. The size will adhere to it quickly.
(Photo 8)

8 | Remove the excess, which can be reused. Clean the surface repeatedly with a soft cloth until no powder remains on the surface. 

TIP: This finish should be used in small areas or on furniture.

Here is the final finish.
(Photo 9)

Featured Products

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. 

More from this artist

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