DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO
Ink Blot
Artist: Beth Warnecke
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PROJECT SUPPLIES:
- Golden Paintworks Sandstone
- Golden Paintworks Glazing Medium
- Golden Paintworks Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics: Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Carbon Black, and Chromium Oxide Green
- Benjamin Moore 1611 Graytint // Satin or Eggshell
- Painters Tape
- Mixing Containers
- Measuring Tools
- Flex Trowel
- White Chalk
- Small Stencil Brush
- Artist Brushes
- Sea Sponge
- Paint Rags
- Badger Brush
- Spray Water Bottle
- Stencils: Any 2 Small, Patterned Round Stencils
INSTRUCTIONS:
1 | Basecoat with two coats of Benjamin Moore Graytint, and let dry. Mix Sandstone with Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics in Titanium White (6:1) to lighten the gray color. Trowel on tinted Sandstone in a tight coat, allowing for some movement but leave no noticeable trowel marks. Let dry.
(Photo 1)
2 | Mark on wall with painters tape where you want the blue stenciled patterns and white stenciled patterns to go. Using chalk, chalk in a random pattern of where your blue swirls and movement will go, keeping it organic and flowing.
(Photo 2)
3 | Using the Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics, mix up a small container (1/2 cup for one feature wall) of a blue color that is pleasing to you. Have another container of pure Titanium White available.
(Photo 3)
4 | Dry stencil the round pattern motifs you want blue first. Let dry.
(Photo 4)
5 | Mix two color glaze batches:
a) The rest of the blue mixture with Glazing Medium, about 5:1 ratio; and
b) The Titanium White Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics into the Glazing Medium.
Using your artist brushes and sea sponge, apply the blue glaze to your pre-chalked areas and blend out with a damp rag and badger brush. Apply the white glaze mix above and below your blue glaze to make it an organic and soft movement of color.
(Photos 5-6)
6 | Blend with damp rags and the badger brush until it is pleasing to your eye, adding additional glaze or water where needed. Let dry.
(Photo 7)
7 | Dry stencil the white motifs using straight Titanium White Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics. Let dry.
(Photo 8)
8 | Decide where you want the white drips to come down. Brush in more white glaze to the tops of those areas and shoot with the spray bottle of water. Continue until you get the drip pattern you want. Let dry completely.
(Photo 9)
Here is the final finish.
(Photo 10)
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About the Artist
Beth Warnecke is the owner and artist behind Classic Creations Painting, providing beautiful wall and ceiling finishes for commercial and residential spaces in the metro St. Louis, MO area. She has a passion and love for fine finished furniture and cabinetry, which comprises half of her business. Always immersed in the latest design trends and gorgeous pictures, she considers staying up to date with the latest design trends one of her top priorities when bringing timeless beauty into clients’ homes.
Learn more about Beth in our Behind the Texture artist feature series.
More from this artist
Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.
