Faux Finishing Schools

Wood Graining – The Art of Replicating Wood on Any Surface

Faux finishing is the term which broadly applies to most decorative painting techniques. Faux finishes can generally be divided into four categories: Wall finishes, Specialty Finishes, Marbleizing, and Wood Graining. Common wall finishes are: sponge painting, ragging , color washing etc… Specialty finishes would consist of techniques like crackle, or metallic and patina finishes which are used on small items like picture frames or vases etc… Marbleizing is the art of replicating marble on surfaces , while Wood Graining is the art of replicating various woods on any surface of choice.

Wood Graining Basics

Wood graining requires the use of a “glaze”. Glaze (in the world of faux finishing) is a translucent paint base that can be tinted to a desired color needed for the faux finish. A good faux finish glaze will have the ability to hold a pattern without creating a noticeable texture (such as a texture paint would), and be translucent allowing the various layers of glaze to interact with each other. A favorite glaze of mine is Modern Masters Tintable Glaze.

Start with a base coat

A “base coat” is a solid colored background upon which the wood graining technique will be applied. Base coats are usually various shades of “buff” ranging from gold buffs to warmer orange buff colors, other base coat colors are variations of red or coral for Mahogany to light shades of cream for Maple and other light woods.

The key to good graining is to do it in layers

A common method of wood graining is to put down a first “background” layer consisting of wood pores or cell structure over which a second primary grain layer is applied.

The background layer

There are a lot of different variations of background grain that the wood grainer employs depending on the wood he is trying to replicate. One common background graining method is known as “flogging” , which is done by lightly patting the wood graining glaze with the flat edge of the bristles of a Flogger brush. It is not absolutely necessary to use a special Flogger brush (although they do a better job), you can substitute a standard paint brush for flogging. More about flogging a background grain can be found at: http://www.paintinganddecoratingconcourse.com/articles/woodgraining-flogging.html

The primary grain

Once the background layer has dried thoroughly, you can lay down the primary grain. Common tools used to put down the primary grain are the “rockers” or wood graining tools that you see at many paint or hardware stores. Other tools are wood graining pads and wood graining rollers, both of which are commercially available – but harder to find than the standard rocker.

Liner brushes and dragging brushes

Individual grain lines can be drawn on with the skillful use of lining brushes or can be created “negatively” by dragging through the glaze with special wood graining brushes. Common “chip” brushes can serve as a suitable substitute for expensive wood graining brushes in most situations.

With a little practice, wood graining can and should look like real wood, both up close and at a distance. Practice the wood graining techniques on artist illustration board until the techniques are mastered and then move on to small projects at first, advancing on to larger items such as doors and trim as your experience and skill level improve.

Dale Slater is a professional painter and faux finisher. To learn more about all aspects of painting and decorating visit http://www.paintinganddecoratingconcourse.com

Faux Painting Classes and Schools – Teaching you to do it Right

The art of faux finishing is one that can not only benefit you on a personal level but on a financial one as well. With the attention being paid to decorating homes, artisans skilled in faux painting and finishing are in higher demand than ever before. Of course, it is important that in order to succeed, you not only understand the basics of the faux finishing process but also are confident in your abilities to complete the project in a way that is satisfying both to yourself and to clients, and will stand up under the most rigorous inspection.

Faux painting classes are one way you can be sure to acquire the skills you will need to establish yourself in the long term as an expert in this area. Starting with the basics and working up to the most intricate finishing techniques, the courses and hands-on seminars will prove beneficial to any student who wishes to make a living as a faux finisher. Let’s take a look at some of the things you can expect when you sign up for classes at a faux finishing school.

Hands on instruction. We live in the information age, and it’s easy to find enough valid material on the Internet to get you started in almost every activity, faux finishing included. Instructions alone are not enough to prepare you to do quality work; it’s also very important that you are able to put the technique you learn to the test so that you can feel how the technique works, and make any adjustments that may suit your own style. It can be expensive to undertake this on your own, and it is nice to have a class that can supply the right materials for practice sessions that don’t come at too high a cost.

Instruction in the latest techniques. Faux finishing is most certainly an art, and like any form of art techniques have developed, and continue to do so, which offer a whole new dimension to the completed project. Patina & glazing and trompe l’oeil are but two techniques that can be applied to not only create a piece of work you can be proud of, but also allow you to add your own personal style.

Although faux painting schools and classes are primarily arenas of instruction, like all good schools they can also offer students placement opportunities within the job market. Both formal (posted) opportunities as well as informal ones – those gained through apprenticeships and contacts – can come out of involvement at a faux painting instructional facility.

Some of the techniques one will learn when taking a faux finish course include faux marbling, wood graining, color wash, and rag painting.