- Before moving on to some more "advanced" painting methods you should take some time to learn the basic technique to painting a wall. Simply throwing paint onto a wall will not result in a finished, professional product. You need to be conscious of what you are doing even though the task seems fairly straightforward.
First, check the wall and make sure all the holes or cracks are patched and sealed. Remove any shelves or tape them off so that paint does not get on them. Further, lay down old towels or sheets on the floor and tape off the door frames and the electrical switches. After this is finished, the wall is ready for some paint.
Second, begin with the first coat of paint. Whether you are using a roller or a paint brush, apply paint to your painting tool and squeeze off any excess. Paint evenly and avoid too much paint on one spot (you will see the paint start to run, in which case simply smooth it over). For the first coat, paint the wall diagonally. This will create diagonal lines on the wall and will help you spot any places where you did not coat the wall when you begin the second coat. When you begin the second coat, paint the lines up and down with straight vertical strokes. The end result will be nicely colored walls, evenly coated, with no missing patches. - Crackle painting is a technique which tends to give a space an "aged" feeling. You need a base coat, a crackle coat, and a top coat of paint.
To paint a crackle pattern on a wall, begin with your basic painting techniques: ready the walls for painting and protect surfaces that you do not want paint on. The first coat of paint you will add to the wall is the base coat. The base coat will show throw the "cracks" created by this technique, so when choosing a base coat, choose a color that will contrast with your top coat. Satin-finish or semi-gloss sheen beige or off-white make good base coats.
Once the base coat is applied and dry, add the crackle coat. Crackle paint is sold at most craft stores and at stores that sell paint (such as Home Depot or Lowes). It is a clear paste. Spread the crackle over the wall just as you applied the paint. Allow it to dry; typically it takes thirty minutes.
The wall is now ready for the top coat. As mentioned above, choose a color that will contrast with the base coat. The trick here is to work quickly. Once the paint is on the wall, the crackling process is going to begin. If you add more paint to the same spot, you will erase the cracks. When applying the top coat, use either a brush or a sponge. Simply brush the paint on the wall and apply the paint evenly and quickly. The end result should be walls that look slightly aged. - For a modern look that feels slightly retro, try the strie painting method. This method produces walls that look almost like thin sheets of woven fabric. Work with a bright color to make your walls pop.
Again, begin by priming the walls. When you are applying the base coat, choose a color that will contrast the top coat. In this example, use a linen white with an olive green. Apply the base coat (the linen white) and let it dry. Once dry, mix one part of the top coat with two parts water and two parts glaze. Using a paint pad or a paint roller, apply one coat of the top coat/water/glaze mixture to the wall in a continuous vertical stroke. Then immediately grab a dry paint brush and drag it back through the coat of paint you just added; be sure to apply pressure to the brush. Use strokes with the brush and keep the brush dry by wiping it clean after each stroke. This technique works both vertically and horizontally. Using this technique, you can create walls that look like they are covered with a thin sheet of woven fabric.
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