Outdoor Paint Techniques and Faux Finishes, Revised Edition E-Book

Marina Niven

• Herausgeber: Creative Homeowner
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Seitenzahl: 121

Beschreibung

Outdoor Paint Techniques and Faux Finishes shows beginning and advanced decorators how to revitalize their outdoor environment with weatherproof paint effects. Colorful, inspirational and practical, it guides the reader through a series of 25 decorative finishes ideal for external walls, floors and woodwork. This book features a wide variety of stunning effects for five surfaces: plaster, cement, wood, metal and stone. The authors cover a wide variety of paint effects including stucco, faux tiles, frescos, lime washing, verdigris, moss effects and more. They introduce new decorative finishes that can withstand the forces of nature as effectively as traditional exterior paints, with advice on surface preparation, color usage and recommended equipment. Clear text and detailed step-by-step photographs make it easy to create beautiful embellishments that make a personal decorating statement.

Leseprobe

Copyright © 2002, 2018 Creative Homeowner

This book may not be reproduced, either in part or in its entirety, in any form, by any means, without written permission from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts for purposes of radio, television, or published review. All rights, including the right of translation, are reserved. Note: Be sure to familiarize yourself with manufacturer’s instructions for tools, equipment, and materials before beginning a project. Although all possible measures have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material presented, neither the authors nor the publisher is liable in case of misinterpretation of directions, misapplication, or typographical error.

Creative Homeowner® is a registered trademark of New Design Originals Corporation.

Outdoor Paint Techniques & Faux Finishes, Revised Edition

Vice President–Content: Christopher Reggio

Editor: Katie Ocasio

Technical Editor: Chris Cavanaugh

Design: David Fisk

Index: Jay Kreider

Print ISBN 978-1-58011-814-9eISBN 978-1-60765-531-2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Niven, Marina, author. | Hennigs, Louise, author.

Title: Outdoor paint techniques & faux finishes / Marina Niven & Louise Hennigs.

Other titles: Outdoor painting techniques & faux finishes | Outdoor paint techniques and faux finishes

Description: Revised edition. | Mount Joy : Creative Homeowner, 2018. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018031750 (print) | LCCN 2018032526 (ebook) | ISBN 9781607655312 | ISBN 9781580118149

Subjects: LCSH: House painting--Amateurs’ manuals. | Finishes and finishing--Amateurs’ manuals.

Classification: LCC TT320 (ebook) | LCC TT320 .N58 2018 (print) | DDC 698/.1--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018031750

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Creative Homeowner®, www.creativehomeowner.com, is an imprint of New Design Originals Corporation and distributed exclusively in North America by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 800-457-9112, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, and in the United Kingdom by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

COLOR

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

DECORATIVE FINISHES

PLASTER FINISHES

SURFACE PREPARATION

LIMEWASH

LAYERED COLOR WASHING

ANTIQUING AND DISTRESSING

PIGMENTED AND FAUX PLASTER

DECORATIVE PATTERNS ON WALLS

CEMENT FLOORS

SURFACE PREPARATION

STENCILED MOSAICS AND BORDERS

PAINTED TILES AND BORDERS

WOOD FINISHES

SURFACE PREPARATION

FLAT PAINT

BLEACHING OR LIMING

DISTRESSING WOOD

FAUX METAL FINISHES

SURFACE PREPARATION

METAL LEAF

VERDIGRIS

RUST

LEAD

STONE FINISHES

SURFACE PREPARATION

ROUGH GRANITE

MARBLE

ANTIQUED AND WEATHERED CEMENT

STONE BLOCKING

MOSS AND LICHEN

GALLERY

GLOSSARY

INTRODUCTION

Having written our first book, Decorative Paint Finishes, which dealt exclusively with interior surfaces, the task of writing a book on exterior decorating seemed daunting! Our initial thoughts were that the only variation you can have on the outside of your house is a change of color every few years when the ever-necessary maintenance is required. However, this simple need to maintain the exterior of one’s property sparked some exciting ideas that grew and became more interesting as we looked at the possibilities.

At some stage every year all home owners have to repair the damage caused by harsh weather, be it cold or heat. We haul out the necessary equipment and go off to the local hardware store to buy the appropriate paint and other items to do the job. Fortunately, advanced technology has produced paints that are capable of providing far more than just a change of color. We found new, improved products that can be manipulated to create remarkable decorative finishes, yet still withstand the forces of nature to the same extent as traditional exterior paints.

In Outdoor Paint Techniques & Faux Finishes we have explored the possibilities of decorating outside the home, and introduce a variety of projects that are fun, cheap, versatile, simple and effective. This book will take you through the decoration of your outdoor living areas, and give you new ideas on the use of colors, textures and effects. We also show how you can enhance your patio or garden walls, pots, planters and fountains with a variety of paint effects.

Marina Niven & Louise Hennigs

COLOR

Wherever we travel in the world, we notice how the colors used to decorate buildings and homes can define a nationality and create a sense of place. Color is also a reflection of climate. Bright strong colors are used in hot, sun-drenched countries, while in cooler, duller climates the color palette is more subdued.

Putting Color into Context

When looking at historic cultures and traditions around the world, we notice distinct differences in how people decorated their homes and dwellings, and may wonder why such distinctions existed. There are too many reasons to detail here, but the most obvious ones are climate, cultural variations, and the availability of raw materials, including colors. Traditionally, paint was made using pigments available from the earth and from plants, so color choices were determined by the natural environment.

Historic Uses of Color

Natural pigments, which were used throughout the ancient world, are basically earth colors in shades of brown, red oxide, yellow ochre, and black. As exploration and trade opened up new, often exotic lands, different color pigments were discovered. The pigments from each geographic area varied slightly, so specific names were used to differentiate them. Many of these names—such as Venetian red, burnt sienna, and Oxford ochre—are still used today. The advent of technology and the use of synthetic pigments mean that any conceivable color can now be manufactured.

In recent years, a heightened sense of awareness has led to the restoration and preservation of many beautiful old buildings. This, in turn, has prompted conservationists and historians to study traditional uses of color around the world. With the aid of historic records and actual samples taken from the walls and ceilings of buildings, many of the older painting traditions have been revived.

Crisp white trim sets off soft pastel façades.

When contemplating exterior decorating effects, look at your natural surroundings: plants, flowers, fruits, and vegetables can all be used as inspiration when it comes to choosing colors that are in harmony with the world around you.

Some international paint companies have added “traditional” colors to their ranges, making it possible to recreate the authentic decoration of a region. These paint ranges vary from one country to the next, but their names associate them with a particular cultural legacy, such as “Heritage” and the “National Trust” in the UK, and “Williamsburg” in the USA.

Think of the soft grays and blues of Scandinavia, the dusty pinks and ochres of Italy, the stark whitewashed walls and blue trims of Greece, the red barns of Pennsylvania, USA and the vibrant colors of Mexico—each of these presents vivid visual images that are commonly associated with that particular location.

It makes sense to take inspiration from your immediate surroundings, not only architecturally and culturally, but also geographically and from the natural environment. Consider the style of your home, look at the plants in your garden, and at nearby fields, forests, or mountains before deciding on a color scheme.

The Color Wheel

Specific terms are used to describe color. The word hue is used to distinguish one color from another; red and green, for example, are different hues. Primary colors—red, blue, and yellow—are hues. These three colors are called primary because they cannot be created by mixing other colors.

They can, however, be mixed to create secondary colors—purple, green, and orange. These six colors are the basic colors, or hues, of a standard color wheel.

Each primary color lies opposite a secondary color on the color wheel (i.e. red opposite green, yellow opposite purple, blue opposite orange). These are called complementary colors, because when they are placed next to each other and mixed optically they complement each other by standing out and appearing brighter. For example, a decorator may introduce green accents to provide the complementary color in a predominantly pink area.

When complementary colors are mixed together as paint, however, they become muddy gray, effectively neutralizing each other.

A tertiary color is a mixture of a primary and a secondary color. For example, purple mixed with red will create a reddish purple, or blue mixed with green will create a bluish green. Tertiary colors have altered in hue but are still pure in their depth and color.

Tints, Tones, Values, and Shades

By adding black or white to any color on the color wheel, a new range of exciting colors emerges.

When white is added to a color or hue, it becomes paler and lighter and is called a tint. For example, white added to red creates pink. Depending on how much white is added, the pink will have a pale or deep tonal value.

Tone is a term that is frequently used in the same context as value, to refer to the depth or intensity of a particular color.

When black is added to a color it becomes darker and is called a shade. The color will vary in value depending on how much black is added.

Colors are categorized into warm and cool. Warm usually refers to reds, oranges, yellows, and colors that contain them. Cool colors can overlap, making it possible to have warm yellow-greens or cool purple-reds.

Earthy Tones

Earthy colors are derived from natural pigments found in the earth. Yellow ochre, raw and burnt sienna, raw and burnt umber, Indian red, Venetian red, and chrome oxide green are found in clay or stone. When ground to a fine powder, they can be mixed with a binder to make paint.

Natural earth tones are inspired by, and in harmony with, the environment.

The first artists, who made their marks in the form of rock paintings, used natural pigments mixed with animal fat, blood, milk, or plant sap to create a usable mixture. Chalk was used for white and carbon for black.

Color Mixing

It is important to experiment with mixing paint if you want to create your own unique colors.

Don’t be alarmed if you find that your mixture does not produce the color you thought it would. In theory, two primary colors can be mixed to create a secondary color. In practice, however, the result can often be duller than expected.

With the development of synthetic pigments, virtually any variation of a hue or shade is commercially available. A full range of colors in artists’ oils, acrylics, gouache, and watercolors can be bought at art stores. The following basic colors will provide the fullest mixing range:

REDS

Cadmium redVermilionAlizarin crimsonVenetian redIndian redBurnt sienna

YELLOWS

Cadmium yellowLemon yellowYellow ochreRaw sienna

BLUES

Cobalt blueCerulean bluePrussian blueFrench ultramarine

GREENS

Terre verteChromium oxide greenPhthalocyanine green

BROWNS

Raw umberBurnt umber

TITANIUM WHITE

LAMP BLACK

Complementary colors blend without becoming muddy.

Black mixed with yellow produces an olive green shade.

When acrylic paint is diluted with water, a wash is created.

Hardware and paint supply stores have many of these colors available in the form of universal tints, which can be used to create colors in water- or oil-based interior or exterior paints.

When mixing colors, it is very important to establish which type of paint you are going to use—oil- or water-based. Remember to use the appropriate pigments to change colors and the correct solvent to dilute the paint and clean the tools.

Tips on Mixing Paints

♦ When mixing a pale color or tint, start with a white base and add small quantities of the color. Depending on their pigment composition, some colors are stronger than others. If you start with the color and add white to it, you could end up using a lot of white paint to get it pale enough.

♦ Black is not always the best option to darken other colors, as it can often change them completely or make them dull. For example, adding black to yellow turns it olive green. Rather use raw or burnt umber, or even a darker hue in the same family. Yellow ochre or burnt sienna will produce a darker shade that is rich and lively.

♦ If a color is too bright or crisp in its natural state—for example, bright green—add a few drops of its complementary color (in this case red), to obtain a slight dulling without making the color muddy. Complementary colors can also be used to cool a warm color, or add warmth to a cool color.

♦ Pastel colors premixed by a paint supplier tend to be very “sweet” and ice cream-like. Adding a drop or two of either raw umber or the complementary color (for example, a drop of orange into blue) will reduce the glare without changing the overall effect of the color.

The following rules apply to both water- and oil-based paints:

♦ Use a brilliant white base when mixing pale colors.

♦ Use a transparent base when mixing dark colors.

Using Universal Tints to Color Paint

Universal tints, which are very easy to use, are the only colorants that can be used in both oil- and water-based paints.

1. Add a few drops of the appropriate universal tints to a container filled with either oil- or water-based paint. Remember, if a pale color is required, start with a white base, if a dark color is required, start with a transparent base.

2. Stir the paint well. Paint a test patch on a piece of card and dry it with a hair dryer. (Oil-based paint will take longer to dry than water-based paint.) At this point you will notice that the dry color is different from the wet color. The degree of difference will depend on the type of paint used and the surface onto which it is applied.

3. Adjust the paint mixture by adding small quantities of universal tint, blending each addition well, until you achieve the desired color.

Using Artists’ Oils to Color Paint

Artists’ oils can only be used to color oil-based paint, glaze or varnish. They give a much purer color than universal tints and are the best paints to use for intricate decorative finishes such as tortoiseshell, lapis lazuli, and malachite.

1. Squeeze about 1¼" (30mm) of a single color, or a combination of colors, onto a palette. Using a palette knife, mix them together until the desired color is achieved.

2. Scrape the color mixture into a small bowl or jar and add enough mineral spirits to dilute it to the consistency of thin cream, removing all the lumps.

3. Keep adding a few drops of the color mixture to the base paint (white alkyd or transparent glaze) until the desired color is achieved.

A few drops of a drier can be added to the paint to speed up the drying process.

Mixing white with a pure color creates a paler color.

Raw umber takes the “sweetness” out of a pale or pastel color.

Universal tint mixed with water-based emulsion.

Using Artists’ Acrylic to Color Paint