Faux Masters Studio Blog

1. What is decorative painting / faux finishing?
2. Which class should I take?
3. What should I expect in a class and what should I bring?
4. Will I learn what I need to begin a faux painting business?
5. Do I need to strip a surface before applying product?
6. Do I have to prime a surface?
7. Why do I need to clean a surface and what should I use?
8. Why do I need to apply a second coat? (basecoats & topcoats)
9. How do I match a color?
10. How do I make a color more transparent? More opaque?
11. How do I make a glaze mixture?
12. When do I topcoat and which one should I use?
13. How do I stencil something?
14. When should I minimize a textured surface and why?
15. What is a “Venetian Plaster”?
16. What is burnishing and how do I do it?
17. How far does a product go?
18. How much should I thin a product and with what?
19. How do I find out about new products?
20. Where and when do I use which products?
21. Which products will go outside?
22. How much do I charge?
23. How do I figure the square footage of something?
24. How do I come up with a square footage price?
25. Do I charge for the day, by the hour or by the square foot?

This information is provided as a way to further assist you in your general knowledge of decorative painting. These may not be complete answers to your questions. For additional assistance, blog your question under “technical support,” or contact Faux Masters Studio 1.888.977.FAUX for immediate assistance.

1.  What is Faux Finishing / Decorative Painting?

Decorative painting has been the primary title give to artisans who have taken elements from the practical painting world and combined them with the more artistic applications of decorative arts. The word “faux” is a French word meaning “fake”, so literally “fake finishing” or “faux finishing” is the art of making something look real when it isn’t.

2.  Which class should I take?

3.  What should I expect in a class and what should I bring?

All product and supplies are provided in your class. A class workbook is also provided for you, which contains all information important to your success. We advise all of our students who attend class to wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty in. Also, wear comfortable shoes. You are allowed to take pictures of your favorite faux finish, however, if used in a public forum (internet, workshop, business mailings etc.), please use Faux Masters Studio as a reference.

4.  Will I learn what I need to begin a faux painting business?

Decorative painting / faux finishing is an accumulative art. The more experience you gain through practice, trial and error, the more professional you will become. Our workshops are here as a guide to meet that goal. We would suggest attending our 5 Day Designer Walls I class to start you down that road. This workshop will give you the most diverse introduction into the world of decorative painting using Faux Effects products, and includes information on estimating for your business needs.

5.  Do I need to strip a surface before applying product?

When faux finishing, we generally work forward in applications. Rarely does a surface require stripping and unless you want to be in the business of using harsh solvents, think in terms of working forward in your finishing. See “Surface Preparation” for more information, and “Tips & Tricks in Wood Finishing.”

6.  Do I have to prime a surface?

• It’s always best to prime a receiving surface if its history is unknown.
• You should always prime if you’ve done any patching as these areas will absorb more product.
• If you are applying a glaze, we recommend applying SetCoat as your basecoat color.
• If you are applying a texture, use a good water-based primer.

7.  Why do I need to clean a surface and what should I use?

• Applying new product over a dirty surface may cause adhesion problems especially over kitchen ranges as the grease and oil from cooking will deposit above and onto the wall and cabinet surfaces.
• Always at lease dust your wall surfaces before applying a new primer or paint.
• If there is grease or oil present, use a citrus-based cleanser, or organic cleanser to remove this oily residue before application of your product. Be sure to RINSE WELL with water. There are also “no rinse paint etching” products that can be used as well, but read the label, some are too strong and could soften all the way down to the substrate.
• NEVER USE ammonia-based cleaning products on areas where you wish to paint as this will interfere with the chemistry of your product, even after the product is dry.

8.  Why do I need to apply a second coat? (basecoats & topcoats)

• Applying only one coat before moving on is risking your finish!
• The second basecoat will ensure you’ve filled in all areas with product and color.
• The second topcoat strengthens the ability of the product to protect your hard work.

9.  How do I match a color?

• If you need SetCoat to match and existing sample, just visit our retail store with your sample (or ship it to us) and we will match that sample using Faux Effects Setcoat PTS (Professional Tinting System).
• You can also buy the SetCoat sample fan deck, or the Setcoat PTS sample fan deck to pick your color.
• If you are matching a color, hold the color up to your pigment chart (every artist needs to make a pigment chart of all the colors they use). Decide which colors your sample seams to fall into and start experimenting with ratios. Start with the most dominant color and then slowly add some others (I usually finger paint until I get in the ballpark). Use water at first to make the color more transparent so you can see if what you mixed is close to your sample. Once you think you have the right mix, then add your pigment mixture to your product of choice (very important, most texture products will have some whitening qualities to them, its always best to start small and work your way into larger mixtures). Attend one of our classes  our a private lesson for further assistance.

10.  How do I make a color more transparent?

Add more glaze medium (refers to the product your pigment is mixed with; AquaCreme, AquaGlaze, etc.). Adding  water will cause your glaze mixture to dry more quickly.

More opaque? Apply more layers, or utilize a different pigment or product.

11.  How do I make a glaze mixture?

• When using paint mixed with AquaGlaze – you mix about 4 times the amount of AquaGlaze for every amount of paint you want to use, a “4:1” ratio. These amounts can change depending on how transparent you would like your color to be.
• When using FauxCreme Colors  / AquaColors mixed with AquaCreme – You generally mix about 2 tablespoons of your color(s) into 1 cup of AquaCreme.

12.  When do I topcoat and which one should I use?

• If you are applying a decorative finish in a high traffic area, apply a topcoat.
• If you are applying a decorative finish in a low traffic area, you may not need a topcoat.
• If you are applying a decorative finish where it will be cleaned often, apply a topcoat.
• If you are applying a delicate finish with lots of hard work, apply a topcoat.
• If you are just painting, well, its up to you!
• Applying a topcoat MAY AFFECT THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR FINSIH! Make a sample.

13.  How do I stencil something?

A stencil is basically a pattern cut into a semi-transparent plastic or mylar than you use to apply product through to achieve a decorative effect. All stencils purchased come with some instruction (or request instruction). Stenciling, as all other decorative techniques, is an art. The more experience you gain through practice, trial and error, the more professional you will become. Although the pattern is provided, the tools, products, and techniques you use are infinite. We would recommend a class or private lesson for further assistance.

14.  When should I minimize a textured surface and why?

Basically, when the substrate will interfere with your decorative application. Some Faux Effects products will “telegraph” or reveal any details in your base layer – wanted or unwanted. Refer to “What Products Will…” section under Charts. You will need to minimize the unwanted texture or flaw by either sanding it away or applying a new layer with the right product and technique before the final layer is applied. Refer to “The Most Used Textural Techniques.”

15.  What is a Venetian Plaster?

It seams everyone has their own definition of what “Venetian Plaster” is. The current trend for “Venetian Plaster Finishes” has opened up a fresh market for Italian plaster products. Traditional lime-based plasters are imported from Italian earth and mixed with Faux Effects polymers for better properties. Our “decorative plasters,” offer alternatives with the use of new modern acrylic systems (also called “faux plasters”). Traditionally, “Venetian Plaster” refers to the soft and dense earth from Venice applied in a choppy staccato-like manor in multiple layers over a semi-textured or textured base of stucco (a thicker earth with small aggregates in it). This part of history has grown into all the variety of plaster styles we see today.

16.  What is burnishing and how do I do it?

Burnishing a plaster finish refers to the compression and polishing aspects of real plaster application. Just as the moisture begins to “flash off” the surface of real plasters, it needs to be compressed in ever increasing amounts of pressure to create the deepest burnish. Sanding with higher and higher numbers of grit in-between compressions will cause some of these plasters to polish up so high that you can see yourself in it! Refer to “Which Products Will…” and “Understanding the Basics in Plaster & Textural Finishes.”

17.  How far does a product go?

Depends how much you want to see through each layer, and what you would like to achieve in your finish. The product descriptions will give you some coverage information for each product. We’ve also compiled a Material Usage Chart that will assist you in deciding how much product you will need based on the technique you intend to use to apply it. This chart is a starting point; the actual usage will depend on your conditions.

18.  How much should I thin a product and with what?

All of Faux Effects products are water-based so the addition of water in small amounts is acceptable (up to 10%). However, in larger amounts (above 10%) you begin to alter the properties of the product you are using in addition to speeding up the drying time. Try using an additive to your base product, like an extender. If you are painting or spraying, use water. If you are troweling, water is okay, but to keep the body of your product intact, try a glaze medium like AquaGlaze. Again, even using an addative will alter the product’s properties.

19.  How do I find out about new products?

Check out our main page or go to www.fauxcenter.com. Attending a class is the best window into the world of Faux Effects products. Ask about our “Update Seminars.”

20.  Where and when do I use which products?

This knowledge comes with experience, practice, and a lot of reading. The product information in www.fauxcenter.com will help, and we have provided a few charts to assist you: “What Products Will…” and “A Quick Look Product Guide.”

21.  Which products will go outside?

22.  How much do I charge?

Oh, the endless question. The answer is… it depends on:

• The price point you are working in.
• The experience you have with the job at hand.
• What the market will bare.

You generally, start with a good square footage estimation of the job (see below), the material cost for your job, and a labor rate you can live with (see our “Conversion Formula” chart). Add in the extras like supplies, rentals and overhead, and you have your number. Sounds easy right? Well, if you’re still confused, you might want to purchase our DVD, Estimating, Tracking & Managing Jobs with Bob Hoppe. It will help you understand how to run a business.

23.  How do I figure the square footage of something?

Measure the length of your surface and the width using foot measurements. Multiply these two numbers together to get the square footage of an area. Remember, this calculation is for every surface you are working on – meaning each wall! The pros do it this way: length of room + width of room x 2, then x height of room = square feet of whole room.

24.  How do I come up with a square footage price?

See “How much do I charge.” Then utilize the “Conversion Formula” chart to calculate your numbers. Check with the “Sample Estimation” to see how to get the final number.

25.  Do I charge for the day, by the hour or by the square foot?

That depends on how professional you want to appear!

You may be loosing more money that you believe if you are not taking a hard look at your “actual costs.” The most accurate way to charge is by the square foot, and that will require some job evaluating. Estimating, Tracking & Managing Jobs with Bob Hoppe will help you understand how to run a business. By the day is risky because you may not have properly estimated the actual cost of your job, although many artists do it this way it is not a practice we recommend.

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