Gradient Faux Painting

Wash the wall, repair small holes and remove anything attached to the wall. This faux technique responds best to a smooth wall. To repair small holes, fill holes with wall compound and sand smooth. Use blue painter's tape to seal off ceiling and woodwork.

Mix equal parts of the lightest and the darkest of the color together. This is your middle color for the part of the wall midway between the floor and the ceiling. Mark the center of the wall with chalk.

Apply the lightest color to the bottom of the wall using a 3-inch paintbrush. Paint the color one third of the way up the wall. At the one third point, dip the brush into the middle color and start blending the lightest color and the middle color together.

Continue to the midpoint of the wall, using more middle color and less of the lightest color as you approach the midpoint. The middle color is the dominant color at the midpoint.

Blend by moving the brush back and forth over the two colors. Keep the paint wet so there are no defined lines.

Move to the top of the wall and apply the darkest color. Work the darkest color down toward the center. Paint about a third of the way down the wall, begin picking up some of the middle color, and start blending the dark and the middle color. Blend until you reach the center.

Continue blending until all of the defined lines have disappeared. If necessary, mist the walls with water to help with the blending. The dark color on the top should fade into the lightest color at the bottom.