| If you want something more interesting on your | | | | leave a striped effect. As with ragging off and rag |
| walls than plain emulsion or eggshell paint, there are a | | | | rolling, the job is easier with two people one to apply |
| number of special painting techniques you can use, | | | | the glaze and one to apply the technique. |
| some of which require some extra tools plus | | | | Stencilling is an old technique for which you need a |
| home-made or commercial oil-based glaze and a | | | | prepared stencil of the pattern required and a stubby |
| selection of tints. | | | | stencil brush to apply the colours. For best results, |
| Sponging involves dabbing one or more additional | | | | the stencil should be spray mounted into |
| colours on to a base coat to give a mottled finish. It | | | | place to prevent it from moving. |
| should be done with a sea sponge (not a cellulose | | | | Effective stencilling can also be achieved by using an |
| sponge) which should not be overloaded. Start at the | | | | indoor aerosol paint. |
| lop of the wall and dab lightly. Sponging off also uses | | | | Stippling involves dabbing a brush on to wet glaze. A |
| a sea sponge, but here the paint is put on the wall | | | | special stipple brush can be used, though many |
| first and dabbed off. | | | | people achieve good effects with (clean) shoe |
| Ragging on is done by 'printing' the wall with a rag | | | | brushes. |
| dipped into coloured paint on top of a basecoat. | | | | Colour washing is achieved by first putting on |
| Ordinary rags can be used or, for a different effect, | | | | full-strength emulsion of one colour and following this |
| cheesecloth, chamois leather or plain cotton. | | | | with a different colour thinned with water and applied |
| Ragging off involves first painting the wall with an | | | | with random criss-cross movements. |
| oil-based glaze and then removing it with dabbing | | | | Spattering is a technique which gives dots of |
| movements. | | | | different coloured paint on the base colour. It is |
| Rag rolling is similar to ragging off, but here the rag is | | | | achieved by flicking the paint at the wall, most easily |
| bunched up and rolled up and down the wet paint - | | | | done by loading the paint brush and hilting it against a |
| not an easy technique to master. | | | | piece of wood. Several colours can be used to good |
| Dragging also involves working with a wet glaze, but | | | | effect. |
| here a paint brush is used to draw down the glaze to | | | | |