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Faux Painting & Decorative Finishing Techniques 9



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    Emily Smith specializes in faux painting, fine art, decorative finishing, trompe l'oeil and murals. She describes her faux painting techniques and decorative finishing techniques. She also displays her faux painting techniques and decorative finishing techniques through the examples below.

frottage - with this faux painting technique you are applying a glaze color over a base coat, placing a sheet of paper or plastic over the glazed area and pulling off the sheet to reveal a mottled, unique, pattern each time. Working your way in small areas which create a naturally flowing matrix along the surface or wall. (Frottage Examples)

gold leaf and gilding - a faux painting technique in which a thin layer of real or imitation gold is applied to a surface such as metal, wood, plaster,... or to decoratively embellish ceilings and domes. There are two types of gilding, water-based and oil-based. Oil gilding is less difficult. A transfer gold leaf is used in oil-gilding. The transfer leaf is applied to an almost dry, gold sized, surface. The gold sizing comes in different formula : a 3-hour, 18-hour , and 24-hour size (Japan size can also be used, 1 - 1 1/2-hour). Oil-gilding cannot be burnished or polished, but varnishing gives it a nice high gloss. In water gilding fine leaves of gold leaf are applied to a finely, gesso surface. Sometimes the gesso is colored. All surfaces must remain completely dust and dirt free, it is then painted with a mixture of denatured alcohol, water, and size. The gold leaf is applied to the surface, and when dry it is burnished and polished to a high gloss. Gold leaf and transfer leaf are great base-coats for a tortoiseshell faux finish.(Gold Leaf Examples)

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