Techniques for Sponge Glazing

Applying Glaze

• Purchase a glaze that is already mixed, or mix paint with a glazing medium according to manufacturer's directions. Paint the wall or furniture with a coat of your selected base color and allow to dry. Apply the glaze to the sponge by dipping it into the glaze or painting the glaze onto the sponge using a brush. Remove excess paint before painting the wall by squeezing the sponge or blotting it on cardboard. Press the sponge gently and evenly onto the wall, and then remove from the wall. Overlap the glazed area and rotate the sponge for even, random coverage. Cover the entire wall, and reapply glaze until the desired color and texture has been reached. The end result is a mottled color. If you have too much glaze, clean the sponge and use it to dab glaze off of the wall or furniture while still wet.

Color Wash

• A color wash results in a very soft, watercolor-type finish. Begin with a dry surface painted in your base color. Select a complementary-colored glaze and prepare an additional paint container filled with water. Use one sponge for the water and a sponge for the glaze. Wet the surface by dampening a sponge in water and rubbing it on the dry paint. While the surface is damp, dip another sponge into the glaze and rub it into the damp surface in long strokes, rather than dabbing it onto the wall. Continue this process along the entire surface until you achieve the desired finish.

Sponge Off

• Sponging glaze from a wall results in a bold, highly textured finish. Apply glaze to a dry, base color of paint using a roller for thick, even coverage. Begin to remove the glaze using a dry sponge. Press the sponge firmly into the paint and then remove the sponge and clean it off using water or by blotting into cardboard. Continue the process for the entire surface.

Create Clouds

• Use sponge glazing as a technique to paint clouds onto walls or furniture. Use a base coat in a blue or gray, and select a thick white glaze. Apply the glaze to the wall by dipping the sponge into the glaze and pressing it onto the surface of the cloud, working to create a puffy cloud shape. Use a clean, damp sponge to remove excess glaze and blend areas, according to Sherwin Williams.