Stenciling
You may have used stencils as a child to create various arts and crafts. Now you can use the same skills to create works of art on your walls. You can find stencils of various sizes and designs, and using them is simpler than you might imagine. All you need to do is tape the stencil onto the wall with some painters tape, and paint in the cutout section with your paint. You can even use spray paint as it will give a different style to the artwork. This style can be incorporated anywhere around the house, all though you may want to practice in a less visible room first. Doing it in the kitchen is a waste as there is high chance of it getting tainted with sauces and spices. Stenciling is great for nursery and baby rooms as it brings the walls to life for the little ones.
Sponging
This is perhaps the most known faux painting technique that has been incorporated in various wall designs. You start off with a solid base color. On top of that, you use a damp sea sponge to glaze another color, creating an interesting texture. You can use more than one color for glazing but for your first attempt, stick to one color. You can use a darker shade of the base color for texturing; it will add depth to the walls and is an easier process. Using contrasting colors creates a bolder effect. However, choosing the right color can be quite tricky. When in doubt, refer to the color wheel. It is a tool that helps you with contrasting colors and will give you an idea of what might look good.
Ragging
This is similar to sponging, but in this technique you use a rag. The interesting thing here is that, you do not get quite the uniform texture that you get with a sponge. The texture will differ, depending on how you fold the rag. You can create a more dramatic look with this style, as the effect is more obvious than sponging. Do note that this requires a slightly higher skill level than sponging. It is better to practice a few times with sponging before you graduate to ragging. A badly done rag can look extremely bad!
You can now add character and a bit of your handiwork to the walls by adopting these new painting techniques.
