Homemade Wall Glaze

The earliest frescoes, or paintings on plastered walls, were created in ancient Greece, starting around 1600 B.C. Colorful landscape paintings were painted, as well as faux marble and trompe l'oeil, or visual illusions, on walls. Artists used glazes and other techniques to create transparency between paint layers. Glazes also give artists more working time because the paint takes longer to dry, and the glaze also makes colors richer and deeper. Glazes for modern faux finishes, such as marbling, can be purchased at paint stores, but you can easily make a homemade wall glaze with two ingredients, just as the ancient fresco painters did.

Things You'll Need

• Empty clean glass jar
• Turpentine or low-odor paint thinner
• Linseed oil
• Latex paint
• Bucket

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Mix one part turpentine to one part linseed oil in a clean glass jar. This is the traditional formula for oil painters and fresco painters. Linseed oil can be purchased at any art store or some hardware stores. Turpentine is widely available, and low-odor paint thinners can be substituted for turpentine.

   • 2

     Screw on the cap of the glass jar with your mix inside. Be sure it is securely tightened. Shake the jar with your glaze to mix it thoroughly. Now it is ready to use for your faux finish.

   • 3

     Mix one part latex paint to four parts glaze in a bucket for a faux marbling project. Usually in faux marbling, you use two similar colors of paint to mix with glaze. Next, you sponge both colors onto the wall.