Since time immemorial interior surfaces of homes have been beautified by artisans and craftsmen with
decorative paint techniques. These treatments that attract the eye are in vogue
today for the purpose of camouflaging or improving design details or justadding some class to a sober decor.The main elements of expression in home
design are texture, color and form.
The structure of the environment is shaped
by form and the mood is affected by color and texture. A room can be made
colorful through the paint medium with its unlimited shades and methods that
open up a new dimension of decor.Methods of decorative painting are of two
types: The first type has faux finishes (faux means false in French) consisting
of faux marbling, faux wood graining and Trompe l'oeil (to fool the eye)
meaning to copy a real object or material. In the latter category is a style
which forms realistic central points or vistas by freehand application. Another
class of decorative painting methods consists of treatments that only decorate. In such are included sponging, ragging, combing, stenciling etc that are some
of the adorning finishes to liven up interiors. For simulating rich surfaces
without the cost of expensive building material marbling and wood graining arebest. Through faux marbling an illusion of the aristocratic natural stone is
created in small to large spaces.
As natural marble has depth and a variety of
color it permits faux painters much liberty to produce finishes ranging from
vivid to simple. The skill of applying various color paints to a uniform base
coat is known as sponging and it accomplishes a finish that is multitone. It
gives depth and texture to any wall and the depth increases according to the
number of colors sponged over the base coat. Shades and sponge tints of the
same hue as that of the base coat produce an air of calmness. In dragging a
simple method is used made of only dragging a dry brush across a wet glaze that
is applied over a base coat. It produces the texture of fine linen or grass
paper. For making a strong visual statement complementary colors should be
utilized. For a subdued effect tints and hues of the same color should be used.Combing
is another type of dragging in which a comb is dragged through a wet glaze
applied on a dry base coat. Various kinds of patterns may come with this
method, e.g. Straight, moire, wavy, crosshatched and basket weave.
The size of
comb is according to the scale of the wall. If it is a large wall a wide comb
is used and for small walls a narrow comb is used. A restful atmosphere is
created through this and therefore it is useful in bedrooms. An impression oflight-hearted joy can be created through splattering color. It is an ancient
technique of decorating walls. Using a splatter machine with nozzles that can
be adjusted droplets of paint are sprayed on
walls. A subtle effect is created when the base coat and splatter color are
shades of the same color and an effect of confetti is created when several
contrasting colors are used.Through stenciling walls can be decorated by
emphasizing an edge or emulating a fabric print. It improves the decor of a room.
Stencil borders can be done at any height, whether along the ceiling, at
a chair rail height or around a window or door casing. It is not used only in
borders but an illusion of wall paper can be created with a print matching that
of the fabrics utilized in interiors. A method of hiding rough or uneven
surfaces is known as ragging especially if flat paint is used both for the base
and the glaze. Diverse textures are concocted with different effects that
depend on the texture of the fabric and the haphazard wrinkles in the rag.
Children's bedrooms which entail a lot of wear and tear are suitable for this
method of painting. The proportions of the room and our personal tastes and
creative ideas determine the category of pattern one chooses. During the festive season especially, walls can be dressed up in an exotic and innovativeway.
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