“Like cabinetmakers and blacksmiths, decorative painters are first and foremost craftsmen rather than artists” – Pierre Finkelstein
Faux finishing is a decorative art that comprises of painting faux (French for false) natural surfaces, gilding and tromp l’oeil. Decorative artist must be proficient in creating marbles, woodgrains, decorative stones such as lapis lazuli, plaster, concrete, patinas and even leather!
Decorative artists train for years to master hundreds of finishes, as scenic artists we don’t have such a luxury and we have to think on our feet. We might not be given the time to become masters but by being introduced to these techniques (and even some shortcuts) we can be less daunted when the challenge arises!
In this section you will find video tutorials featuring the techniques, materials and brushes used to create painted marble. I have also made separate pages collating the reference and ‘how to’ books for painting marble and where to find these within the RCS. The brushes and tools I have used and links to the suppliers where you can buy these brushes start to build up your kit. And finally a page with some handy links for further research, taking you a little bit further down the rabbit hole.
A reminder that what you see here is not the definitive method on faux finishing, lots of artists use different techniques, tools and materials to achieve their desired finish. Its up to you to try these out and see what works for you. And if you find something that works better, let me know and we can share it!
Happy painting!