How to Paint with Rag, Marble and Stipple

Rag Painting

• 1

  Paint the entire surface of the wall or other area you wish to paint. Use a deep, rich hue, as this will serve as the dominant background color once you are finished.

• 2

  Select a second paint in a shade several times darker than what you want for the finished effect. Apply this paint to the wall with a soft, absorbent rag. Smear the rag against the wall in long, even strokes to produce an even finish. Keep this second coat very thin.

• 3

  Remove any excess paint or further tweak the wall's appearance by swabbing a clean, bunched-up rag against the painted surface. For a more even appearance, wrap the rag around a paint roller and roll it over the wall.

Marbling

• 4

  Give your walls the appearance of marble with skillfully applied paint in two or more colors. Apply at least two coats of primer to bare walls. Let the primer dry and add two base coats of the background color of your marble look. Use white for a classic marble look.

• 5

  Apply a second color with a soft 2- or 3-inch brush. Use the ends of the brush bristles to gently dab the paint onto the wall. Add the paint in random patterns, leaving some white space between.

• 6

  Use a 1/2-inch brush to smooth and blend the second color while it's still partially wet. Try to create irregular, vein-like patterns through the background color. Switch to a smaller brush and continue the process, pressing even more gently and using a third color.

• 7

  Use a 1-inch brush to add more of the second and third colors, using only the very tip of the brush with light back-and-forth motions. Apply the paint in small patches of light color, overlapping with the veins.

• 8

  Use a clean, soft-bristled brush to make long strokes along the entire painted surface. Do not apply any extra paint to the brush. Continue until you have wiped off any brush marks that stand out.

Stippling

• 9

  Paint the entire surface you wish to stipple with a solid color. Apply the paint over a base coat of primer, as necessary.

• 10

  Press the tip of a large, clean brush to the painted surface, applying it against the wall in a rapid back-and-forth motion. Look for a pattern of tiny dots instead of long stripes or brush marks, an indication of proper stippling.

• 11

  Experiment by stippling with a balled-up piece of cloth, a specialized stippling brush, a shoe brush, a paint roller, or brushes of various sizes and textures. Try out the different effects on a part of the wall you can easily repaint, as necessary. For a two-tone effect, repeat the same motion with a small amount of contrasting paint on the brush.