I have covered some of the basic painting brush strokes, so lets move on to some of the different faux finishing techniques. Have you ever heard the word "faux", and wondered what it really meant? It is a French word for "false" or "fake", or something that appears to be one thing, but really is not!
You are probably wondering why would anyone want to do this or use this technique! There are a few reasons, I guess it just depends on who you ask. For an artist, it might be just because it is fun to do and allows them to be creative. For a homeowner, it might be a way to have a certain look, for a fraction of the cost.
This is a good way to create many natural stone looks such as granite, marble, and limestone. You can also create the look of bricks and stucco using these different techniques. If you just want to do something simple, you could just use this to give your walls some added interest and stick to easier designs.
There are really an unlimited amount of designs that can be created by using a faux technique. As well, there are many items even around your own home, that could easily be used to create a unique design. All you would need is to add a little paint to get started. If you do not like your end results, all you have to do is paint over it. It truly is just that easy.
Keep in mind when you are using a faux technique, there really is no exact formula. It is hard to repeat the same design from one job to the next. You might be able to create something similar, but it will not be an exact copy and never promise that it will be.
You can combine different faux techniques in to your project or just stick to one. There is no "wrong" way when you are doing this. What matters is that you continue working on your project until you get the look you are after. You will get better at it as you finish each of your projects. Do not be afraid, just jump in and give it a try. You will be glad you did!