Blending Techniques for Painting Walls

Rag

• One of the most common and simple color-blending techniques is known as "mottling," which is a technique that allows you to combine colors in an abstract manner, with the end result resembling what many people refer to as a color wash. One way to mottle your wall is by using a cloth or rag. Depending upon how the rag is folded, you'll end up with a variety of abstract lines that can be extremely attractive. Always use a clean rag to avoid getting dirt and debris stuck in the paint on your wall.

Brush

• If the sharp lines that come from mottling with a rag aren't for you, you may want to attempt to mottle your walls with a brush, which will leave clear brush strokes to create quite a bit of mood and feel. While mottling with a brush takes more skill than doing so with a rag, the end results can be even more dramatic.

Roller

• Special two-part rollers are ideal for mottling a wall. When used correctly, you can apply two different colors to your wall at the same time. The roller marks that are created can add texture to your wall, similar to what occurs when you mottle with a brush. Take care in choosing your colors, ensuring that they are complementary to one another.

Feather Duster

• If you have an extra feather duster lying around, you may find a great deal of enjoyment in using it to mottle a wall. Unlike brushes or rags, feather dusters have a variety of different contact points, all of which can put its own distinct mark on a wall. When enough time and effort is put into mottling with a feather duster, the results can be extraordinary. Note that you should never use a feather duster that has dirt or debris on it as this will interfere with your ability to get clean lines on the wall and can result in an unattractive appearance.