IMPORTANT:Please read the disclaimer for these Faux Finishing pages.
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You can create the image of vertical stripes on your wall with a shadowing paint finish by applying a tone on tone alteration of flat and gloss stripes. This is one of my favorite looks. Very elegant.

Unless otherwise mentioned, I recommend using Latex Paints for the following Faux Finishes. They're not as smelly as oil based, they dry a lot faster than oil, and they clean up with water. There are more advanced techniques that work well with oil based paints and glazes but for our purposes here, water based is best.

Always try out your painting technique on a piece of cardboard, or in a soon to be repainted closet or basement wall before you start your project. This allows you to get familiar with it and saves you from repainting the wall if you're not yet satisfied with the results. Experiment with different colours until you get the results you like.

What You'll Need

• base coat painted and cured for at least one week.
• plumb line or level
• 2 inch low-tack painter's tape
• one litre of Acrylic Urethane Semi-Gloss
• one 3 inch foam brush
• a friend to help
• some music playing on the stereo

Follow These Easy Steps

Do not use masking tape for this Faux Finish. Use only a low-tack painter's tape. Masking tape will peel off your paint. This is not a desireable look! ;-)

1. Begin by using a level or chalk line to plumb your first piece of tape. Start an inch or two in from a corner.
   

2. Press your first strip of tape into place along and over the plumb line. This is where the buddy comes in handy. One of you should be at the top and one at the bottom. (of the wall!!)
   Warning: if you have snapped a plumb/chalk line on your wall,
   make sure your painter's tape covers it so you can wash it off
   once the stripe is dry. Otherwise if you've urethaned over it
   you'll never get it off.

3. Take a small piece of tape and use it's width as a spacer between your strips of tape, (one near the top, one near the bottom) to mark where you'll line up your next piece of tape. This is the easiest way to ensure your stripes will be evenly and equally spaced.

4. After you've taped about 10 to 12 strips, take your acrylic urethane and brush it on the wall between your strips of tape.

5. While the acrylic is still wet, gently peel off the tape except for the last strip. You'll need that one in place to continue. You can re-use the pieces of tape you've just pulled off.

6. Keep repeating steps four and five until you've gone completely around the room. It's a good idea to check your plumb every time you round a corner. It's less noticeable there if you have to make an adjustment.

   Allow your Faux Finish to cure for a few days before hanging a border or washing the wall.

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