Faux Finish

Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Faux Finish shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Faux Finish offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Faux Finish at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Faux Finish? Wrong! If the Faux Finish is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Faux Finish then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Faux Finish? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Faux Finish and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Faux Finish wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Faux Finish then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Faux Finish site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Faux Finish, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Faux Finish, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

Faux painting or Faux finishing are terms used to describe a wide range of decorative painting techniques. From the French word for "fake", faux painting began as a form of replicating materials such as marble and wood with paint, but has come to encompass many other decorative finishes for walls and furniture.

History Faux finishing has been used for millennia, from cave painting to Ancient Egypt, but what we generally think of as faux finishing in Decorative Arts began with Plaster and Stucco Finishes in Mesopotamia over 5000 years ago. image:Faux_paint_sample_1.jpg

Faux became hugely popular in Classical times in the forms of faux Marble, faux Wood, and Trompe l'oeil Murals. Artists would apprentice for 10 years or more with a master faux painter before working on their own. Great recognition was rewarded to artist who could actually trick viewers into believing their work was the real thing. Faux painting has continued to be popular throughout the ages, but experienced major resurgences in the neoclassical revival of the nineteenth century and the Art Deco styles of the 1920s. Throughout the recent history of decorative painting, faux finishing has been mainly used in commercial and public spaces.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s faux finishing saw another major revival, as wallpaper began to fall out of fashion. At this point, faux painting started to become extremely popular in home environments, with high end homes leading the trends. While it can be quite expensive to hire a professional faux finisher, many faux painting methods are simple enough for a beginning home owner to create with a little instruction. People are also attracted to the simplicity of changing a faux finish, as it can be easily painted over compared with the hassle of removing wallpaper.

In modern day faux finishing, there are two major materials/processes used. Glaze work involves using a translucent mixture of paint and glaze applied with a brush, roller, rag, or sponge, and often mimics textures, but it always smooth to the touch. Plaster work can be done with tinted plasters, or washed over with earth pigments, and is generally applied with a trowel or spatula. The finished result can be either flat to the touch or textured.

Faux Finishes:

Marbleizing or Faux Marbling is used to make walls and furniture appear as real marble. This can be done using either plaster or glaze techniques. image:zebra wood.jpg

Graining or Wood Graining is also referred to as Faux Bois (French for "fake wood"). And is often used to imitate exotic or hard to find wood varieties.

Trompe L'oeil, "trick the eye" in French, is a realistic painting technique often used in Murals, and to create Architectural details.

Venetian Plaster is a smooth and often shiny plaster design that appears textured but is smooth to the touch. Venetian Plaster is one of the most popular and traditional Plaster decorations.

Color Wash is a free form finish that creates subtle variations of color using multiple hues of glaze blended together with a paint brush.

Strie, from the French word meaning "stripe" or "streak", is a glazing technique that creates soft thin streaks of color using a paint brush. It is a technique often used to create fabrics such as linen and denim.

Rag Painting or Ragging is a glazing technique using twisted or bunched up rags to create a dynamic textural pattern that is completely smooth.