Fabulous Faux for Boring Walls – I

A professional faux painter shares her years of experience and secret tricks of the trade allowing you to create your own mouth-dropping walls. Her dual-roller method quickly creates a variety of looks – suede, marble, granite, southwest rustic or old world Tuscan. Learn the secret for creating perfect edges, how to rescue a wall from disaster, how to make your own glaze and more. A materials fee of $29 will be collected in class by the instructor for the painting kit. For more information, see TwistOnWalls.com.

Fabulous Faux for Boring Walls – II

Dualing rollers create so many looks that it takes a second class! Now that you know the basics of the double roller method, let's learn tricks for incredible niches, tissue faux, how to revive old paneling, how to make raised bricks for old world textures and other ideas. No need for a new kit, but training DVDs available for a discount to remind you of what you saw in class. For more information, see TwistOnWalls.com.

What is this method?

I used to work with a rag, sponge, and bag to faux walls. About 15 years ago I came across a dual-roller method when living in Minnesota. It was the rage of the 90's and gave the "rag" look which fit the traditional styles of the upper Midwest. I used this double roller to get across the walls faster and more consistently.

As the years went by, I began adapting the newer looks and this roller. I learned to pick colors that worked to achieve what I had to match or what I had in mind. I was complimented on my final outcomes as I made them mimic expensive walls I'd seen in models.

The key to this newer look that I present in the class is glazing. I teach how to thin the paints with glaze, how to "smoosh" the distinct patterns of the rollers with a wet sponge to subdue the faux. I have also started to use a wet, squeezed square sponge to press on top of the faux to make it more water-colorish.

What looks can be accomplished with this method?

There are two sets of rollers in the kit you purchase. One set is squiggly looking and when smooshed with the wet sponge, it can look rock-like or granite-like. I love natural stone and I have so much fun making the look go from the first "twisting" of the two colors on the wall, to a stone-like replication. If you put ¼" tape on the wall first – as in ceramic tile – then "twist" and "smoosh" two earth tones, pull the tape, then you have a replication of tile. Other looks from the "squiggly" rollers are: Old-World looks, old plasterwall-like looks, granite, travertine, and other natural looks.

The other set of rollers in the kit is a set of wool rollers. I say that the wool rollers only know how to make a suede-like look – smooth and blended. I teach how to pick these colors so it will work every time it is tried. I like to rough up my suede look to be more weathered. This look goes well with Western and Southwestern looks as well as contemporary and modern.

Can you do your method on other surfaces?

Yes, and I have done this method on tiled floors. I have yet to do it on formica, but I have done one other trick and used this method on paneling. I've done variations of this on ceilings and in niches.

If I can't come to your class, can I still get this information?

Please check the schedule to see if a class is in your area in: Illinois, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Texas, or St. George, Utah.

Is this class for beginners or seasoned faux painters?

Both. I've designed this class for the absolute beginner and assume nothing. I hopefully, explain everything. I'm known for giving information you didn't even know you should have! For the seasoned painter, I offer a different "twist" to faux painting. This different approach can be used WITH the other approaches. I still rag, sponge and bag, besides other swishes with my hands. But, I do these AFTER I "twist" the paint on the wall. I'm all for EASY yet professional-looking.

Do you layer your paints?

I never used to do more than twist one time on a wall and "smoosh" it a bit with a sponge and was done. (I have a great trick for perfect edges). But, as the years have Gone by, I find that TWO layer are even better. Even if my second layer is just to put a wash of a color over my "twisting", it is that second touch to the wall that lifts it from "ordinary" to "wow"! I teach how to do this in the class or the DVD.

Can this be done on furniture?

My class method is exclusively on how to use the dual roller and that is about 12 inches wide. It is nearly impossible to use the roller on furniture. You have to go back to using your hand with a rag or brush for furniture. For this, I defer to my friend Barbara Wurden of FauxFun.com. I gained confidence, myself, to tackle cupboards and change them from whitewashed oak to dark cherry/orange. I was so happy with the results and so were the clients. I learned how to do the cupboards from watching Barbara's DVD on Furniture Fun.

What is your second class about?

The first class is 80% me talking and 20% students working. The second class is 20% me talking and 80% working on projects to take home. You take home a project of a pretend piece of ceramic tile, a two-layer look, raised bricks I make in front of you but give you all a piece of to take home, and lastly, a torn-rocks glued to a small poster board. The torn rocks were made by your team with tissue paper painted to brown builder's paper and after painting and "worms", you glued the rocks to the poster board. Basically, you just learned how to make "wallpaper". In the second class I offer all the DVDs I've made on the various topics such as working with tissue for Awesome Niches, how to make the rocks, more on Old-World looks and layering, and more.

Will I enjoy the class (or DVD)?

I'm very practical and I have numerous money-saving tips I give throughout the class.