This document provides instructions and explanations for various painting and decorating techniques: - It describes how to properly load a brush by coating the bristles and tapping off excess paint, being careful not to get paint on the handle. - Different techniques are covered like cutting in, laying off brush strokes, applying paint with rollers, cleaning brushes, and special effects like rag rolling, sponging, stippling and stenciling. - Specific instructions are given for techniques like graining, marbling, textured painting, gilding, and how to prevent defects when gilding.

1. © City of Glasgow College
Charity Number SC0 36198
Paint Application

2. Getting started
• Dust off the lid to prevent
any contamination.
• Follow manufacturer’s
information on mixing.
• Strain the coating if
needed.
• Pour your coating into a
clean, dust-free paint
kettle.
Why should you NOT mix
thixotropic paints?

3. • Coat all the bristles of the brush, working in
by gently rubbing the brush on the inside of
the work pot.
• Scrape back the coating off the brush, to
ensure the brush keeps its shape.
• Do not let the coating go all over the ferrule
and handle of the brush – it will drip all over
the place!
• Get a dip, dipping only the first third of the bristles into the
paint then tapping alternate sides of the brush on the inside of
the pot.
Why should you only dip the first third of the bristles into the
paint?
Loading brush

4. Cutting in is the action of
applying paint to one surface
while keeping paint off an
adjoining surface: for
example,
when painting a wall, keeping
paint off the ceiling.
Why would you need to cut in
when painting a window
frame?
Cutting in

5. Applying the coating
• Spread it out on the surface
in all directions to prevent it
sagging.
• Spread the coating up and
down in a vertical motion.
• Spread the coating out in a
horizontal direction.
Why should you spread the paint
in
this order?

6. ‘Laying off’ means removing
the
brush marks.
• With an oil-based coating,
use the tips of the brush to
lightly remove the brush
marks, keeping in the
same direction.
• With a water-based
coating, ‘lay off’ in an
arcing motion, to remove
any brush or roller marks.
Laying off

7. Applying emulsion with a roller
Applying a water-based
coating
is quicker and easier with a
roller.
• Cut in your surface.
• Apply your coating with
the roller in a ‘W’ motion.
• This ensures that all of
the surface has been
coated, especially when
you apply a second
coating.

8. After applying coatings
• Clean brushes out
correctly.
• Wash water-based
coatings out of the brush
with clean water, then
store brush away.
• Wash oil-based coatings
out with clean turps or
brush cleaner, then store
brush away.
• Oil-based brushes can be
kept in a brush keep until
used again.

9. • Prepare your surface, by cleaning
and keying it.
• Apply a ground coat with no
brush
marks.
• Apply a scumble glaze sparingly,
laying off in the direction of the
panel.
• Drag a graining brush through the
glaze to create uneven lines.
• Stipple the surface gently.
How do you key a surface?
Graining

10. • Apply oil-based black
eggshell ground coat.
• Apply thin layer of glip.
• Apply dark green paint, then
light green paint.
• Stipple with a hair hog stippler.
• Distress the surface, then flick
on white spirit.
• Create fine lines with white
eggshell paint, and soften.
• Protect with a layer of varnish.
What is glip?
Marbling: vert de mer

11. Rag rolling
• Rag rolling is classed as a
broken colour effect.
• There are two ways to
create the effect:
‘ragging on’ and
‘ragging off’.
• The effect is created by
applying a colour to a
painted surface with a
rag, then lifting
off to expose ground
colour,
creating a broken colour.What is the difference between ‘ragging on’ and ‘ragging off’?

12. Sponging
• Sponging is another
broken
colour effect.
• You simply dip a sponge
into a coloured paint,
then
apply it to a painted
surface.
• Load the sponge
carefully
as too much paint will
give
a bad finish.
How many colours can you
use

13. Stippling
• Stippling is classed as a
‘suede-
like appearance’ effect.
• You apply a colour mixture to a
surface with a brush first, then
use a stippler.
• Stippling gives a ‘blended
colour’
look to a surface.
• Various colours can be
overlaid to
create bands of colour.
What types of coating can you use
for stippling?

14. Wipe and glaze
• Wiping and glazing is a way to highlight a surface on a
relief
material.
• You apply a colour to a surface such as a embossed
wallpaper,
then wipe the colour back off.
• Many bars and restaurants
used to have this type of effect.
• Various colours can be
overlaid to create bands of colour.
What is a relief surface?

15. Stencilling: making stencils
• Choose your stencil
material.
• Use a stencil mat to cut out
on.
• Use a specialist craft knife
with
a fresh blade.
• Cut away from yourself or
move the design around the
knife.
• Take special care cutting
ties.
What materials can you make
stencils from?

16. Stencilling: applying stencils
• Prepare your materials: stencil,
clean equipment and enough
paint!
• Load up your stencilling tool and
dab onto palette to remove
excess.
• Apply colour in a stabbing
motion, making sure not to
smudge or let paint creep under
stencil.
• Remove stencil carefully.
At what angle should you hold a
stencil
brush?

17. Applying textured paint
Textured paint, sometimes called
plastic
paint, is thick and can be manipulated
into different patterns and styles.
There are two types of textured paint:
• Plaster of Paris type
• sand type.
What PPE would you need when
using
these paints?

18. Gilding
• Gilding is the application of gold
or other metal leaf to a surface.
• Transfer leaf, attached to tissue
paper, is applied like a transfer –
easier to apply.
• Loose leaf is applied from a book
or a gilder’s cushion – takes more
skill.
What sort of gold leaf does not
tarnish?

19. Gold size
Gold size is an
adhesive used
as a mordant
for gold leaf,
and needs to
reach the right
tackiness.
What does
‘mordant’
mean?

20. Defects found in gilding