Color Wash

[keuppart]

hey, nice video! really liked watching it. keep up the good work. check out my artwork video if you like.

[merk289]

In this video it seems like you show that you mixed paint with water to get the glaze mixture. Is this true? I thought you had to use a special glaze to mix with the paint to get the mixture. What kind of paint can you mix with regular water to get the glaze mixture? THANKS FOR THE HELP

[askthedecorator]

Sorry for the confusion. I used a glazing liquid. You can find them at paint stores. Glazing liquid helps to thin the paint and keep it wet longer -- that way you have more time to work. I hope that helps! I wish you the best of luck! -- Meghan

[Sugga1980]

Great videos Meghan! I want to paint my daughter's room, and I love the faux finish idea. I want to create a marine feel by having the bottom half of her room in a dark color, and the top half a light color. I have a dark grey as well that I could use. Do you have any ideas? Should I sponge or brush? If you could draw a wavy line in the middle of a wall, that is what I will be separating the two main colors.

Thanks alot!

Steph

[askthedecorator]

Steph,

I would suggest looking at pictures taken with half of it above and half below the water. That will give you a good idea for the colors. The bottom will probably be a dark, rich blue with a bit of teal. The top will probably be a very light, sky blue with a bit of white.

As for what technique you use, that completely depends on how much you want the bottom half to look like water. Neither sponging or brushing will give you an authentic water look.

I hope that helps!

Meghan

[Sugga1980]

Thanks for your great advice Meghan! :)

[askthedecorator]

Anytime!

[asuarez923]

You should redo your video with darker colors it would be great. It is simple,easy and informative. I want to try this in my kitchen but don't want to do oil. What type of paint and glaze to you suggest? Would semigloss and acrylic latex glaze do or would I need an oil glaze?

[askthedecorator]

Thanks so much, and I agree. I should redo the video with darker paint. You don't need oil glaze. You can use latex paint and glaze as well. When purchasing the glaze, be sure to read the instructions and see what type of paint it works with. I hope that helps. Have fun trying it in your kitchen! --Meghan

[granagarru]

beautiful

[mishelle111]

do you think you could of used a different color so we could of seen the contrast,,instead of white on white ?

[phaery1]

I allowed my base coat to dry overnight, then used this technique. But it seems that the glaze is softening and re-wetting the base coat. Is that what's supposed to happen? Or would I be better off waiting till the base coat is completely cured in a couple of weeks?

[sirreggie31]

Thanks for the video, it is very helpful. I have two questions: Do you prefer a glaze made with paint and water over one made with faux glaze and paint or with faux glaze and universal tints? Also, where can I find a large sea sponge like the one you are using?

[askthedecorator]

I would suggest using a glaze made with paint and a faux glaze. The glaze makes it easier for you to work with the paint and extends the paint's drying time. You should be able to find a natural sea sponge at your local paint or home improvement center. I would suggest calling ahead of time to make sure they have one.

[eokos11]

Can you give some advice on choosing the base coat and glaze colors? Should they be similar colors? Should the darker color be the base coat or the glaze?

[askthedecorator]

Your best bet is to choose similar colors when colorwashing. It will have a subtle effect. However, some do like using contrasting colors to give a bold look to a room. My suggestion is to get paint samples you like and bring them home. Then test different combinations on a board. It looks good having a dark or a light color underneath - so mix and match. Try picking a few color samples you don't think you'll like. Colors look much different when put over a large area.

[ButtonLove186]

you should do a colorwash video with more distinctive colors (dark and light). i can't really tell what you're doing cause the paint colors are so light and similar. i think i want to do this on my bedroom walls so it would really help if you could do a video that i could see a little better :D

[askthedecorator]

I know. After filming the video, I realized that the colors didn't appear well. It was a rookie's mistake. If you would like to see some pictures of a colorwashed wall, artsparx has a fairly good example and shows a different technique. Alex's Decorative Painting has some examples also. Unfortunately, I cannot put the URL in this comment, but you can find the pages by searching color washing in Google. Good luck!

[DEVIMON111213]

thanks... i hope i can do it in my home.... but im scared...

[askthedecorator]

Don't be. It isn't too hard, and if you are worried, first test it out in a closet. Once you have your technique down, then do it in the room you plan to makeover. Good luck, and if you have any questions, let me know.

[phaery1]

Do you need a special kind of brush for softening?

And, if you have a large wall, do you have to do the entire wall at once? Or can you let part of the glaze dry, and then pick up where you left off?

[askthedecorator]

Yes, you do need a special brush. Softening brushes are sold at most paint and home improvement stores. The bristles are much more flexible than those of a normal brush. Also, you must do an entire wall at once. If you don't you'll have a very uneven finish. For a flawless finish, you should work fast and finish the entire wall at one time.