Decorative Finish: After the Rain

After the Rain decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

After the Rain

Artist: Art Deco Unique

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Prime the surface with an appropriate, high-quality, water-based primer with the low nap roller and allow to fully dry.
(Photo 1)

2 | Using the medium plaster trowel, apply a thin layer of Soapstone and let dry.
(Photo 2)

3 | Apply a thin layer of Metallic Texture Tint Base Pearl. Let dry.
(Photos 3-4)

4 | Mix the following colors:

4a.) One cup Metallic Texture Tint Base Pearl with (approx.) one teaspoon Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Soft Gold.

4b.) One cup Metallic Texture Tint Base Pearl with (approx.) one teaspoon Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Moody.

4c.) One cup Metallic Texture Tint Base Pearl with (approx.) one teaspoon Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Future.

4d.) One cup Metallic Texture Tint Base Pearl with (approx.) one teaspoon Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Splendor.

(Photo 5)

5 | Apply an even, thin layer of the 4a mixture from Step 4 on the whole surface area using the medium plaster trowel.
(Photo 6)

6 | Apply the rest of the 4b, 4c, and 4d mixtures from Step 4 using a painting knife or small spatula, and gently drag the material in a vertical direction.
(Photo 7)

7 | Add Metallic Texture Tint Base Pearl (approx. one teaspoon) on your medium plaster trowel or on the blue blade spatula. Start blending the colors by pressing slightly until you reach the desired design.
(Photo 8)

Tip: Try to move the trowel/spatula vertically so you get a strié effect.

Here is the final texture.
(Photo 9)

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Art Deco Unique

About the Artists
Elena and Rodica are two prosperous and hardworking individuals united by a common interest and artistry. E & R Wall Art by Art Deco Unique are open to travel and collaboration with designers, contractors, businesses, and homeowners. Based in New York with an Eastern European background, they learned to thrive open-minded and border-less. Each wall art commission consistently requires individual touch and specific combination of technics. Elena graduated as a Fashion Designer in 2010, and Rodica graduated as a Mural Artist in Design and Decorative in Design and Decorative Arts in 2006. Their years of experience in Murals, Gilding, Mosaic, and Decorative Finishes, along with academic achievements and diverse artistic skills, demonstrate imminent triumph and delight through their Wall Art and Design. Art Deco Unique brings joy by doing what they love, and their talent is recognized at national and international competitions, winning multiple awards along the years. The experience gained from multiple projects, combined with their knowledge and curiosity, engaged a beautiful cooperation between them and the versatility of Golden Paintworks products. Rodica and Elena are excited for challenges and new opportunities to dig into their luggage full of ideas.

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Decorative Finish: Geo Textile Square

Geo Textile Square by True Faux Studio
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Geo Textile Square

Artist: True Faux Studio

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Base coat with a white latex paint in a satin sheen. Let dry. Create or buy a textile pattern stencil to cover an 18” square. We made a 6″ stencil and repeated it 9x.
(Photo 1)

2 | Create the following medium and color mixes:

Medium: Mix 1:1 Golden Artist Colors Matte Medium and Clear Top Coat Dead Flat

From this medium make 2 colors at 1:1 ratio:
Color 1: Theme Paint Transparent Brown Oxide with Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Ultramarine Blue
Color 2: Theme Paint Transparent Brown Oxide and Transparent Yellow Oxide

3 | Use the colors from Step 2 to stencil in the design. Let dry.
(Photos 2-3)

4 | Sponge a very transparent mixture of Golden Artist Colors Matte Medium with a cool gray color to tone and texture. Create the gray color with a 1:1 ratio of Theme Paint Transparent Black Oxide and Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Ultramarine Blue.
(Photo 4)

5 | Blade Soapstone mixed with Theme Paint Transparent Yellow Oxide in one direction. Keep wet. Using a metal comb, pull through straight as possible in the same direction. Let dry.
(Photo 5)

6 | Tone the top with two washes. Use each of the stencil colors with the medium from Step 2 and add a drop of the Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Chromium Oxide Green. Dilute with water to a thin wash. Apply randomly and loosely with a chip brush to give it a woven-like patina. Let dry.
(Photo 6)

Here is the final texture.
(Photo 7)

Decorative Finish: Blue Mica Pearl

Blue Mica Pearl by True Faux Studio
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Blue Mica Pearl

Artist: True Faux Studio

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Base coat with Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue HC147. Let dry completely.
(Photo 1)

2 | Make two color mixes:

Blue Mix: 1:1 Soapstone and Glazing Gel. Add a 1:1 mix of Slow Dry Fluid Acrylics Ultramarine Blue and Chromium Oxide Green.
(Photo 2)

Yellow Mix: 1:1 Soapstone and Glazing Gel. Add a very small amount of Theme Paint Transparent Yellow Oxide. Set this color aside for now.
(Photo 3)

3 | Using the blue mix first, sponge on with a damp, wrung out sea sponge, and soften. Make sure not to leave sponge marks. Let dry completely. For the second layer, lightly sponge in the yellow mix at approx. 20%, creating a subtle warm toning over the blue. Let dry.
(Photo 4)

4 | Mix 50% Golden Artist Colors Pearl Mica Flakes (Small) with Metallic Textures Tint Base Pearl and 25% Glazing Gel.Pounce with the material to cover your area. Let dry.
(Photos 5-6)

5 | With the same mix as in Step 3, add a liberal amount of Large Muscovite Flakes and water to make a watery paste. Stir frequently.
(Photo 7)

6 | Pounce again, making sure you are picking up the large flakes. After it dries, repeat.

TIP: After the finish is dry, you can come back with the mix from Step 2 plus a little Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Carbon Black to deepen the tone, as seen in Photo 8. Use sparingly.

Here is the final finish.
(Photo 8)

Decorative Finish: White and Gold Botanical

White and Gold Botanical by Carmen Lomax
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

White and Gold Botanical

Artist: Carmen Lomax

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Prep your surface with Sherwin-Williams Caviar 6990, and let dry. Then, roll on the Metal Leaf Adhesive Size. I chose to use a roller with a little nap for the sizing so that the transfer wasn’t perfect and showed some irregularities from the black underneath.
(Photos 1-2)

2 | Transfer your Champagne Foil with your preferred foil applicator once the sizing is tacky.
(Photo 3)

3 | Then, I went in with whatever I thought would give some interesting variety in line quality with the Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Carbon Black. Here, I used a decorative roller and the Ralph Lauren teeth tool.
(Photos 4-6)

4 | I also used a shaper just to freehand some movement with some diagonal lines. This could be an interesting finish just as is but wait, here comes the fun part!
(Photos 7-8)

5 | Select a variety of leaves in your environment and lightly spray with some spray adhesive. A little goes a long way.
(Photo 9)

Set your foliage artfully on your gold base and very delicately using a flat 2-3 inch rubber wedge, force the Soapstone over your greenery.
(Photos 10- 11)

6 | Remove foliage. Be aware not to wait too long to remove or the leaves will dry with the product and it will become harder to remove. Let dry completely.
(Photo 12)

Here is the finished texture.
(Photo 13)

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About the Artist
Carmen Lomax specializes in creative wall finishes for home decor, children’s rooms and commercial and residential spaces. She works directly with homeowners and business-owners, as well as help develop projects for interior designers, architects, and commercial developers. Design options range from wall finishing and texturing to thematic murals, ceilings and three-dimensional artwork. Absolutely any hand-painted technique can be incorporated, from loose and whimsical to fine art detail and photo-realism.
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Decorative Finish: Retro Maze

Retro Maze by Carmen Lomax
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Retro Maze

Artist: Carmen Lomax

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Prep in a solid latex black, here I used Sherwin-Williams Caviar 6990. Using the Soapstone, disperse the product in two containers and mix two complimentary values using the Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Titanium White and Carbon Black to obtain two nice grays. (Ahh the versatility of Soapstone, have I mentioned I love this product!).
(Photo 1)

2 | Start laying on your two colors vertically simultaneously with a spatula.
(Photo 2)

Then, while still wet, I took my decorative weave pattern roller to add in a little texture. Move on to the next step while still wet.
(Photo 3)

3 | Allow the Soapstone to set up, and with the side of your trowel, slightly knock down some of the texture in places.
(Photo 4)

In hindsight, I wish I had left more of this texture to shine through, but remember, this is an art not a science, so it is up to the creator as to the look you would like to achieve. I then went over very lightly with more of both color mixtures in places.
(Photo 5)

4 | If this finish were to be done in a larger area, a stencil would improve production of the finish. For smaller more intimate areas, this technique should suffice. With this pattern, two different sizes of our graphic motif had to be drawn out (alternating with each new vertical row). The templates were cut out of styrene board.
(Photo 6)

5 | Outline your templates and vary between the white pen and the gold pen until the pattern is complete.
(Photo 7)

6 | Once dry, lightly sand the pattern with a medium grit sandpaper. I then finished with some additional sandstone, light gray mixture, over top the pattern in a couple of places.

Here is the final finish.
(Photo 8)

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About the Artist
Carmen Lomax specializes in creative wall finishes for home decor, children’s rooms and commercial and residential spaces. She works directly with homeowners and business-owners, as well as help develop projects for interior designers, architects, and commercial developers. Design options range from wall finishing and texturing to thematic murals, ceilings and three-dimensional artwork. Absolutely any hand-painted technique can be incorporated, from loose and whimsical to fine art detail and photo-realism.
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Looking for more inspiration? Click here to view all of the decorative finishes from our Limited Edition Collections.

Decorative Finish: Contemporary Mountainscape

Contemporary Mountainscape by Carmen Lomax
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Contemporary Mountainscape

Artist: Carmen Lomax

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Roll your surface with a neutral off white base coat and let dry. Proceed with one coat layered in with your trowel horizontally with Metallic Texture Tint Base Gold. It will appear uneven in terms of light areas and coverage but the lighter base coat telepathing through will give some nuance to your sections. Let dry.
(Photos 1-2)

2 | Skim coat Soapstone evenly over the Metallic Textures Tint Base Gold horizontally. Let dry.
(Photo 3)

3 | For your next step, you can always use stencil mylar, but here I used some drafting vellum because it is slightly thinner and easier to cut, plus you can sketch on it. Lay out and cut your mountainscapes, noting which sections are slated for the lighter Weathered Granite.
(Photos 4-5)

4 | Expose the first section to be treated. Next, prepare some Glazing Medium with Slow Dy Fluid Acrylic Raw Umber, not too dark, just enough to give some interest to our gold. Blend horizontally. Let dry.
(Photos 6-7)

5 | Cover the areas you just completed once dry, now exposing the areas to be done in Weathered Granite.
(Photo 8)

Here, I used a rubber blade but any spatula would do to trowel on the Weathered Granite.
(Photo 9)

While still wet, follow with a teeth tool and drag through horizontally.
(Photo 10)

Remove the acetate or vellum. Let dry.
(Photo 11)

6 | Using your same Raw Umber glazing solution from Step 4, add drop shadows and blend under each section.
(Photo 12)

And lastly, thinning out your umber solution a little more, add and wipe off with a damp cloth so that a little of that same color gets in the creases on your granite sections, tying everything together. Let dry completely.
(Photo 13)

Here is the finalized texture.
(Photo 14)

OPTION: I’ve also included another colorway in gray, so that you can see the versatility in tones.
(Photo 15)

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About the Artist
Carmen Lomax specializes in creative wall finishes for home decor, children’s rooms and commercial and residential spaces. She works directly with homeowners and business-owners, as well as help develop projects for interior designers, architects, and commercial developers. Design options range from wall finishing and texturing to thematic murals, ceilings and three-dimensional artwork. Absolutely any hand-painted technique can be incorporated, from loose and whimsical to fine art detail and photo-realism.
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Decorative Finish: Mosaic Gold Leaf

Mosaic Gold Leaf by Aliya Riaz
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Mosaic Gold Leaf

Artist: Aliya Riaz

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Base a coat of primer and let dry. Using a trowel apply an even layer of Soapstone and allow to dry. I like using Soapstone when I need a non-absorbent smooth surface with a flat finish.
(Photos 1-2)

2 | Tint the Venetian Plaster with enough Slow Dry Fluid Acrylic Carbon Black to make an agreeable shade of light gray. Remember that the plaster will dry about 30% lighter. As a reference guide the wet plaster can be matched to Benjamin Moore Silver Lake 1598 or Sherwin-Williams March Wind 7668.
(Photo 3)

3 | Spray the repositionable adhesive over the back of the stencil and allow to dry for a few minutes. Now position the Mosaic & Leaf Stencil over the Soapstone and push the tinted Venetian plaster evenly through the pattern.
(Photo 4)

4 | Remove the stencil carefully and clean. Allow the tinted Venetian Plaster to dry for at least 6-8 hours. Burnish the dried Venetian plaster using a stainless steel trowel placed at a low angle to bring a soft sheen to the plaster.
(Photo 5)

5 | Use the repositionable adhesive behind the second layer of the leaf stencil. Allow to dry for a few minutes before positioning the stencil over the mosaic pattern. Using the blade, push Soapstone into the leaf shapes. Remove the stencil and allow to dry.
(Photo 6)

6 | Using a small artist’s brush, apply the water based size to the now dry leaf shapes.
(Photo 7)

7 | When the size reaches tack (follow the manufacturer’s instructions) apply the Dutch Metal Leaf to the sized leaves.
(Photo 8)

8 | Rub the leaf with a soft muslin cloth and remove any skewing that may have got caught in the “grout”. Here is the finalized texture.
(Photo 9)

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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. 

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Decorative Finish: Gilded Breccia

Gilded Breccia by Aliya Riaz
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Gilded Breccia

Artist: Aliya Riaz

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 | Base a coat of primer and let dry. Apply a heavy coat of untinted Soapstone using a trowel or a flat blade spatula. Immediately make grooves into the Soapstone with a V-notched scoring tool. Allow drying time of at least 8 hours.
(Photos 1-3)

2 | Roll or brush on a coat of Pre-Mixed Metallic Paint Just Brass. Upon drying, apply the size with a brush ensuring you get the product into the grooves. You’re looking for 100% coverage. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for the proper tack time to setup.
(Photo 4)

3 | Start cutting up the Shaibin leaves in organic shapes and apply on to the size that has had a chance to set up. Distribute the tamisé flakes in between the three different kinds of Schaibin.
(Photo 5)

4 | After you are happy with the placement of the Schaibin, rub off the excess leaf with a soft cloth. The resulting skewings will cover any skips or “holidays” that you may have missed while laying down the leaf.
(Photo 6)

OPTIONAL: The resulting finish can be sealed immediately using a premium brand oil-based polyurethane sealer in a clear gloss finish. If you choose not to use the sealer, this finish acquires a lovely natural patina but should not be exposed to water.

Here is the final finish.
(Photo 7)

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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. 

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

Decorative Finish: Be Square

Be Square by Aliya Riaz
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Be Square

Artist: Aliya Riaz

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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)

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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.

Decorative Finish: Fireworks

Fireworks decorative finish
DECORATIVE FINISH HOW-TO

Fireworks

Artist: Debbie Hayes

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PROJECT SUPPLIES:

INSTRUCTIONS:

ARTIST NOTE: Scale is everything with this finish. For example, on a focus wall, the scale should be quite large, versus on an art canvas. So adjust the size of the stencil scale accordingly.

1 | Roll on 2 coats of primer. Let dry between coats.

2 | Tint the Soapstone quart with 2 ounces of universal black tint and mix. (I took my quart to a local paint store.) Trowel on 2 coats of the mix. Let dry between coats.
(Photo 1)

3 | Position the stencil, then tape down. Use a stencil brush to tap on a thin coat of WundaSize. Let come to tack. Remove the stencil.
(Photo 2)

4 | Place one color of foil on top of the WundaSize. Use the Robert rubber metal brush tool to burnish the stenciled area. Remove the foil. Repeat 2 more times, using the other 2 colors of foil. I’ve used one foil color per stencil here.
(Photos 3-4)

5 | Move the stencil around, overlapping the foil patterns, and tap on the Penny and Vintage Copper Metallic Paints with the stencil brush.
(Photos 5 and 6)

Here is the final finish.
(Photo 7)

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About the Artist
Debbie Hayes earned a BA in Fine Arts, concentrating on painting, and has spent 95% of her career as a full-time artist. She is a book illustrator, graphic artist, art director, photographer, stylist, website designer, writer, faux finisher for 20 years, and DIY tutorial blogger. Many decorative painters know her from events like the annual ArtFusion Event and IDAL Decorative Artisans League where she has been an instructor, teaching various faux finishing techniques using the products and stencils she loves most.

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