© The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of Nebraska 4-H. All rights reserved. Design Decisions 19

lklk lklksuccess indicator: you will be able to use paint to create new looks in your room

life skills practiced: resiliency, learning to learn, community service, personal safety

project skills practiced: learning techniques for painting walls or accesso- ries

Walls That Say Wowlklk lklk lklk lklklklklklklklklk

The walls of your room are a perfect place to use your imagination. A new coat of

paint is an affordable way to update a room. Interesting textures and colors can be added by sponging, rag-rolling, stenciling, or stamping on the wall. Painting wall art, geometric forms, or stripes are other ways to personalize a room while using your talents and emphasizing your interests. Walls serve as the background for other furnishings and items in the room or as a focal point. Think about how your furnishings, other designs, and colors will look against or close to the wall before you choose a wall color or design.

Color Me Painted

Read the label before you buy paint. What type of paint do you want? What will work best on the wall? Which is easier to use and clean up? Water-based or acrylic paints that are low- or no-Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) generally are safer. The label will tell you how to apply the paint and clean the tools you use. Buy the right paint for the surface and the technique.

Many resources about painting techniques can be found on the Internet and at stores that sell paint. Check out the Design Decisions Web site for more tips on painting. The general steps include:

• Collect quality tools and all supplies needed, and create an area for supplies and work.

• Read directions on containers.• Remove items from the surfaces to be

painted — handles, hangers, etc. • Cover other items in the room to protect

against spills and splatters.• Clean surfaces with water and a detergent

solution, rinse with water. • Fill holes and cracks with a spackling

compound. When dry, wet sand repaired areas and clean the surface.

Paint comes in many colors with many different ingredients.

• Apply protective painter’s tape to edges of moldings, door, and window frames, and at ceilings for smoother lines and edges. • Use a primer coat, if needed.• Paint the number of coats needed for coverage.• Inspect surface for areas needing touch- ups.• Clean and store paint and tools.

20 Design Decisions © The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of Nebraska 4-H. All rights reserved.

A Nebraska 4-H’er designed

and painted this wall treatment

and furniture.

Assemble tools and supplies for painting.

Faux Painting

Faux painting describes special effects added to a wall with paint to imitate wood, a textured surface, wall art, or a scene. Many different techniques can be used to add the look of texture to a fl at surface. More detailed instructions for these techniques can be found on the Design Decisions Web site at http://4h. unl.edu/designdecisions, or at a paint store, library, or bookstore.

© The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of Nebraska 4-H. All rights reserved. Design Decisions 21

Activity 1: Faux It Is!

Try out a faux technique on a box, fabric, or heavy paper. Use your practice paper or fabric to cover a box or notebook or as matting for a picture. After you’ve gotten more experience with a technique, try a sample on wallboard.

Activity 2: Get Creative!

Use a painting technique on a small piece of furniture, table, headboard, or dresser.

A 4-H’er tries fabric painting.

Experience:now it’s your turn

paper. Use your practice paper or fabric to cover a box or notebook or as matting for a picture. After you’ve gotten more experience with a technique, try a sample on wallboard.

Go Surf

Dispose of paint materials, solvents, and refi nishing supplies responsibly. Pouring paints or paint strippers down a gutter, home drain, or on the ground contaminates soil and water. For more information about Safety in arts and crafts, go to the Design Decisions Web site.

Think of a product to make and sell using a painting technique. Who might buy it? How and where could you sell it? Could you do designer-like faux painting for others? Could you paint walls? What tools would you need? How much would you need to charge to cover the cost of supplies, labor, and still make a profi t? What safety steps would you use?

Activity 3:

The National Paint and Coatings Association’s Web site has more information about choosing paint, safety, how-to, colors, and more at http://www.paint.org/con_info/brochures.cfm. For more painting techniques, check out http://www.paint.org/industry/resources.cfm.

Teachers, see school standards on Pages 94-100.

22 Design Decisions © The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of Nebraska 4-H. All rights reserved.

Helper’s Guide Special painting techniques are fun to do but take PRACTICE to do well! Youth should spend plenty of time experimenting with different techniques and developing their skills on practice boards before starting on a wall. Be sure they keep samples of their practice techniques in their design portfolio.To help youth understand faux painting, locate someone in your community who does this painting as a career. See if you can arrange a visit with this person while he/she is working on a project or see examples of the finished work. If no one is available, paint stores often have samples of painting techniques. When visiting a paint store, you also can look for paints that are safe and formulated to create special effects.

There are other commercial sites that include video clips of faux finishes and paint techniques, such as http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_faux_finishing.

NOTE: The University of Nebraska–Lincoln does not endorse any products or services being sold.

Reflect: Here’s What I Think1. Could faux painting be used to hide flawed or uneven

walls? How?2. Which painting techniques could you use to create an

accessory, art object, or an item to sell to others?

3. How did you use the product label to learn how to work

safely and to protect the environment?Apply: The Next Step

Select one or more of following ideas to learn more about wall

treatments or develop your own ideas.• Try one of the faux painting techniques on a bedroom wall.

• Experiment using one of the painting techniques on fabric

using nontoxic fabric paints. Test for washability. Apply what you

learned to curtains, bed coverings, a chair cushion, or pillow.

• Design and paint wall art for your room. Use your computer to

design a stencil or to plan wall art.• Research how other cultures use decorative wall or furniture

treatments.• Talk to other adults to discover what decorative wall treatments

they have used in the past.• Volunteer to paint a room or area for a low-income family or for

an elderly person unable to do the task.