How to Paint Walls With the Mopping Technique

Choose a light and dark shade of the same color. For example, if you want a warm purple, ask for sample color strips in the paint department of your hardware or home improvement store. Color strips will have about six shades of the same color from lightest to darkest. Looking at the strip of color samples, decide what base color you want the wall to be. This should be a light or medium shade. Count down two shades darker (or more), and this is your mopping shade.

Prepare the room with painter's tape. Painter's tape is usually blue and has weak glue. This makes it easy to pull back up after painting. Set the painter's tape on the edges of the floor, just touching the wall. Do the same for the ceiling. Apply painter's tape to the frames around windows. Place the tape so the edge just touches the wall and adheres to the window frame. When painting, if you accidentally get paint on a window frame, for example, the painter's tape on the edge will prevent the paint from getting on the frame. When you are finished painting, simply pull up and dispose of the painter's tape. Your edges should be smooth and perfect.

Open your can of light or medium-shade base paint. Use a paintbrush to paint all edges. Paint around windows in an up-and-down direction. Do the same for the edges around the floor and ceiling.

Pour base paint into a painter's tray and apply to the walls with a roller. Move the roller up and down, not side to side. Cover walls with one coat of paint and let dry overnight. You may wish to apply a second coat of paint the next day; this is optional.

Use a firm sea sponge to sponge the darker shade on the walls. Sea sponges are available in art supply stores, home improvement stores and some hardware stores. Get the largest, firmest sponge you can find. Immerse the sea sponge in hot water, then remove and squeeze so that you are working with a damp sponge. Open the darker shade of paint. Dip the face of the sponge in the paint and remove. Apply the paint to a paper plate or old newspaper to remove any excess, then dab the sponge onto the wall. Continue to dip the sponge and dab the wall until the entire wall is covered with sponged paint.

Wet a soft, cotton cloth with warm water. Wring out the rag. While the paint on the wall is still wet, blend with the warm wet rag using circular motions. Do this over the entire wall until the desired effect is achieved.

Allow to dry overnight. Remove the painter's tape.