A sponge's crevices help to create the pattern.
Sponge painting is a decorative application that has been used in American houses since the early 1800s, as featured in the Boston Globe article "These Old Houses Open Up." Back then, the yellow and black sponge application was stark, but considered stylish. Contemporary applications of this antiquated painting technique use a more muted color palette. Additionally, according to the article "Painted Effects," because the result of sponge painting is a highly textured and visually stimulating, it can help hide imperfections, including the wear and tear of everyday traffic.
Instructions
1. Prepare the room that will be painted by placing drop cloths on the furniture, floors or any other surface area the paint might splatter onto. For added protection, use painter's tape to cover outlets, railings or moldings.
2. Select the base and accent colors that will be used for the sponging project. Decorators usually opt for colors that are similar in tone, as they can produce a more visually pleasing and harmonious effect, according to the book "50 Ways to Paint a Wall: The Easy Step-by-Step Way to Decorator Looks" by Gail McCauley. Additionally, when sponge painting, the darker color is normally the base color, while the lighter color is the accent sponging color.
3. Pour the base color into the paint tray, before applying it to the wall with the paint roller. If the previous wall color is dark and still visible, wait until the first base color application is dry before adding another coat. Additionally, a primer can be used before the base color, especially for covering preexisting designs, such as stripes or patterns. Make sure the wall is completely dry before sponging on the accent color.
4. Mix the accent paint with the glaze in a separate paint bucket with a mixing stick. The glaze is paint formula that doesn't have any color; it helps to give translucency to the accent color. Adding the glaze to the accent paint also helps it to dry slower, which allows a decorator to step back and make any adjustments to the work. The formula for mixing the paint and glaze is 1:4, so if you are mixing 8 oz. of paint, use 32 oz. of glaze.
5. Prepare the sponge by wetting it and wringing it out before brushing on the accent paint mixture. Wearing latex gloves can help protect your hands while handling the paint-filled sponge. Blot the accent paint on a piece of cardboard, as the sponge's pattern might not be as visible with too much paint. The pores are what help produce the pattern -- if too much paint is clogging the pores, the pattern might be less visible. Pat the sponge lightly on the wall, turning the wrist to give variation to the pattern. This light tapping technique is recommended in Gail McCauley's book; it will help to show off the sponge's pattern while allowing some of the base color to still be visible.
6. Rinse out the sponge between applications to keep its pores from getting clogged with paint. Continue the process of applying the paint and rinsing the sponge until the entire wall is covered.
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