Faux Finishing & Mural Painting Classes

Vote: Faux Schools

2008-05-01T08:44:00.000-04:00

The votes are in on the following topic:
In selecting a "faux school", what would be most important to you?

100% of voters said the instructor's credentials were important to them.
44% said "avoiding the use of a specific product".
33% desired a good facility and workspace.
11% wanted a nearby location.
0% said low cost was the reason.
0% said they wanted to learn on a specific proprietary product.

If that is what you're looking for in a school then you're on the right site.

To respond, if you're not yet familiar with my credentials in the faux world, here's a bio
http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxinstructor.html

We are a non-product oriented school, read more about that here
http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxproduct.html

Our facility and workspace is one of the best in the nation. Check out those schools, you don't want to be learning in a garage without lighting and utilities.
http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxschool.html

As far as a nearby location, if you live in the metro area, fine. If not, we have a special of $200 towards your travel and hotel for any class lasting three days or more. 90% of our students come from other states.

Concerning pricing, it seems our people know that "you get what you pay for". We are priced appropriately, and we will teach you to do the same inb your business.

Please vote in our new poll and thanks for visiting!

Mural Class & Art Show Invites

2008-04-15T08:15:00.000-04:00

I just finished the e-invite for the Exterior- Mural Painting Class Experience!

If you live in the St. Louis Metro area and would like an invite to the art show and gallery opening at "SoHa Art Gallery" for Friday, May 16, 6pm to 9m, please email me at Decartctr@aol.com, subject line: Art so I know it's not SPAM, please!

Douglas Coggeshall

2008-04-13T07:56:00.000-04:00

We are proud to welcome back Douglas Coggeshall of "Coggeshall Artistry" in Chicago, Illinois, for the Exterior- Mural Painting Class Experience! Douglas will be participating in the mural class as well as exhibiting in the grand opening of "SoHa Art Gallery" on Friday night.

It's Curtains for the School!

2008-04-12T08:19:00.000-04:00

It's curtains! For the classroom, not for us! Whenever I'm designing a classroom (this is my fifth) it's sort of a pivotal moment when the curtains go up. We opted for off-white tabtops from Target (tar-jschaaaay) to keep the natural light coming through.

Sky Painting with Clouds

2008-04-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

Recent Project: Working on a sky painting for a Trompe l'oeil window.

With the background blended in a blue fade with incidentals, warm tones are laid in on the thin horizon clouds. The same value is then lightened for a second application on the highlight side, covering approximately 2/3rds of the cloud. With the value lightened again, work begins on the highlight side, covering the upper 1/3rd of the cloud.
In the final stage, blue is used sparingly for corrections and the final highlight value is applied. Learn something? We hope so, this is one of the many techniques taught in our "Trompe l'oeil - Mural Painting Class", click the link for more images / info!

VIDEO: Burnishing Venetian Plaster

2008-04-10T07:39:00.001-04:00

This is the last step of six, with four layers of venetian plaster in all.

Dave Market at Our SoHa Art Event

2008-04-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

We are proud to present muralist and fine artist Dave Market during the May 16th, 6-9pm Art Exhibit at our "SoHa Art Gallery" opening. Dave recently completed all levels of training at DAC, having graduated from all three of our core classes, and went full time with his field business last year.

Dave will also be a team member for the Exterior- Mural Painting Class Experience!

VIDEO: Venetian Plaster Third Closed Layer

2008-04-08T08:30:00.001-04:00

The third venetian layer. Learn more about the class at our faux finishing school http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxvenetian.html

"Threeday" Faux Finishing & Business Class

2008-04-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

Our famous "Threeday" Faux Finishing & Painting Business Class is a condensed and easy to understand faux finishing business class which will teach you how to paint, price, and sell faux finishing with success as a business! If you are starting a faux finishing business or improving existing skills, this course is for you!

Day 1- Basic Faux Finishing: Learn the basic faux finishing techniques which are the foundation of the faux finishing business: blending, colorwashing, layering, and "shooting", painting stunning finishes including leather, parchment, stone blocks, cracks, and other finishing effects. Extensive instruction on mixing the faux finishing glazes with any brand of paint and "Basic Painting & Preps Made Easy

Day 2- Advanced Faux Painting: Using the same techniques to create realistic faux finishes for your business. Portoro, Carrara, and Granite marble, graining Burlwood, Bird's Eye Maple, advanced block painting, inlays and more. Learn to analyze in layers, enabling you to paint any faux finish that you will be faced with.

Day 3 Faux Business Design: Color cards, mixing, and matching, selecting the proper value, color and faux finish, creating mock-ups, identifying given settings, elements and more are covered in the "design" portion of the class. A faux finishing scenario is given to each student and they paint a faux finish design sample for a mock project with help from the instructor. Students also create an itemized list of services and prices on a contract.

Day 3- The Faux Finishing Business $$$: Easy to understand but everything you need to know: the business of decorative painting. Specifically for establishing a new or revising an existing faux finishing business.
Topics include registering the business, liability and disability insurance, essential faux business inventory, naming the faux finishing business, where and how to advertise your faux business, website pro and cons, buying painting materials with business discounts, quarterly and annual taxes, deductions and how they work for the faux finishing business, pricing all faux finishing services, unintimidating contracts that protect the faux business, lowering business costs, merchant accounts, printed materials for your business, expanding areas for increased income, business vehicles, portfolios, faux business marketing, working with designers, paying commissions, selling clients on faux finishing projects, settling business disputes, care of a faux finishing project, collecting payment and more. This is vital business information pertaining specifically to the business of decorative painting and faux finishing.
More info at the link http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxfourday.html

VIDEO:Completed Woodgraining on Doors

2008-04-05T11:55:00.001-04:00

"Fly-by" on the woodgrained door, just after the clearcoat. The gold inlay is metallic.

Furniture & Fixture Faux Class

2008-04-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Learn the most valuable and time-tested faux finishes for furniture and fixtures such as cabinets, mantles, railings, lamps, and other accessories in this informative and fun hands-on faux finishing class!

Instructor Brian Bullard leads you through the process with simple tools and locally available materials to marble, woodgrain, distress, crack, age, gild, and decorate the surface. Students faux finish actual pieces of furniture and fixtures in the classroom during the "free time" project. With assistance from the instructor, the only limit is your imagination.

How to quickly clean, repair, patch, sand and prime any surface in prep for faux finishing. Learn to prep formica and other laminates as well as raw, pre-stained, or painted wood surfaces. Find out how to use varnish, shellac, polyeurethane, polycrylic, and other clearcoats to protect your faux finish and set the final sheen!

Faux finishes taught include:
Aging Effects: *Antique Wash *Distressed Strie' *Verdigris Patina *Large Craquele' (crackle) *Small Craquele'
Woodgraining Techniques: *Walnut Burl w/ Beer-glaze *Simple Woodgraining *French Country Look (Clair-bois) *Colonial Graining w/ wheat-Base
Marbling Techniques: *Guatemala Green Marble *Veined Carrarra *Faux Malachite *Pink Portugese Marble
Metallic Applications: *Distressed Gilding w/ composition gold leaf *Gold Ornament w/ composition gold leaf *Gold Lacquer Striping *Dull Gold & Copper Glazing

Pricing is discussed in a one-hour session and you will receive a pricing guide for furniture and fixtures as well as a diploma for completing the class. More info at the link below.
http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxfinishfurniture.html

VIDEO: Woodgraining

2008-04-03T08:22:00.001-04:00

Adding details to knots in this faux finish of a burled wood (burlwood) on a door at the school.

Trompe l'oeil & Mural Painting Class

2008-04-02T08:30:00.000-04:00

Trompe l'oeil - mural painting (french for "fool the eye") is the process of using light and shadow to create a seemingly 3-d object on a flat surface. Used in combination with mural painting, an artist can create elements such as Trompe l'oeil moldings, windows with mural scenes, faux skies, etc.

No drawing skills are necessary, no experience required for this Trompe l'oeil - Mural class! You only need to be able to trace and transfer on paper. Individuality in each Trompe l'oeil - mural work is encouraged, no two mural sampless will be alike.

Included in this Trompe l'oeil - Mural class: *several Trompe l'oeil painting sky studies *numerous Trompe l'oeil lattices *mural water studies *mural landscapes / horizons *Trompe l'oeil ornament and moulding painting *trees of different types and sizes for murals *flowers & insects for murals and Trompe l'oeil *landscapes & scenes for painting ceilings, walls and more!

These mural paintings are designed in an easy to use system which gives your clients several Trompe l'oeil - mural painting options and price ranges to choose from. You will leave this class with 15 painted Trompe l'oeil - mural painting samples and a strong knowledge in the principles of Trompe l'oeil and mural painting.

"Many aspire to create Trompe l'oeil or mural work, but wind up tangled in a myriad of difficulties. I will teach you to be practical from start to finish, and how to apply it to virtually every Trompe l'oeil - mural painting! Warning: your friends and competitors may suffer from envy!"

More info and images at the link below!
http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxtrompe.html

Exterior Trompe - Mural Sketch

2008-04-01T08:15:00.007-04:00

Click image to enlarge!

We're laying out the design for the exterior trompe l'oeil mural right now. An integral part of this design is dealing with the existing door and window, which will be transformed into a villa and an antique shoppe window respectively.

Here's the event: "Exterior- Mural Painting Class Experience", click the link for more images / info!

VIDEO: Tiling the Classroom

2008-03-31T08:02:00.001-04:00

The exciting first step to "faux flipping" the classroom: new tile. This is the first in a series of videos documenting the process / progress. The room is finished complete with venetian plaster, a Trompe l'oeil ceiling accent, faux verdigris ductwork, woodgrained doors (walnut burlwood), gold accents, and other techniques.

Check out the "Faux Video" label for all of our video posts.

Classic Pet Portrait Painting Class

2007-04-02T08:18:00.000-04:00

Our "Pet Portraits" painting class will guide you through the entire process of creating a pet portrait. Bring photos of any pet: cat, dog, bird, hamster, whatever you desire!

The class begins with a study of each pet: proper composition, placement, contrasts, backround options, etc. We will then use "help methods" to resize and transfer your pet portrait image as necessary. After a refresher in basic painting techniques, the pet portrait is painted with acrylics with guidance from your instructor.

Special note from instructor Brian Bullard: "hundreds of students have adored the portraits of my cats displayed in the school. When painting clients realize I can do pet portraits they are "hooked". Almost anyone is willing to pay good money for a portrait of their pet, and I have painted them on canvas as well as into murals throughout the years".

Uses: Pet portraits for use on canvas, in murals, on furniture as well as other objects.

More images and info at this link!
http://decartctr.tripod.com/fauxportraits.html