Decorating with Plaster Stenciling

Just Roll it on and start designing!

Design #1

My medallion design: A series of circles were created on the outside which formed "ridges". Moving inward, I did looped "petals". Way fun!

click photos to enlarge

Brush on glaze

Wipe off glaze

Design #2

On this design, I did a "pounced" texture, by just tapping the bristles of my brush in to the wet compound, then created a series of loops to form the outside of a flower, then moving inward, another set of "petals" which were smaller and finally, using a smaller wallpaper brush, formed a circle in the very center.

So I'm presenting you with the very simple explanation of just how to do it. And you are just going to FREAK when you realize how simple it is!

What you will need:

A bucket of joint compound, water, whisk or drill with a paint attachment, wallpaper brushes in various sizes (they're only about 4.00 each!) and a child's love for playing around.

First, put some joint compound in to a bucket and thin with water (use a whisk or a paint attachment to an electric drill). You want it the consistency of quite heavy pancake batter (so that it drips...mind you, drips slowly, but doesn't "run"). Practice the techniques below on cardboard first before doing the wall or ceiling. Just play around and have fun with it.

Do "sections" of the wall rather than the entire wall at a time since you will have about 20 minutes or so to do your design before it begins to dry.

Roll the plaster on to your chosen section.

Now, press the bristles of a wallpaper brush (available in the wallpaper section of any home store) right in to the rolled compound and start making designs! (practice playing with it on a large piece of cardboard and try some different designs before you do the wall). Ideas for designs are below. And it's AMAZING what you can do!!!

Move section by section across the wall (or over the ceiling). Once your plaster is dry, you can paint over it, glaze over it (as shown in the photos) or faux finish it in any way you choose. Whatever you do, it will be FABULOUS!

You pros who perfect your own designs have just now added something unique, wonderful and wildly easy and fun to your line up of plaster services!

Design ideas:

Create a ceiling medallion or fixture surround by first taping off your light fixture to protect it, rolling plaster around the fixture (in a circle as wide as you wish your medallion to be), then begin at the outside edges (very important!) and start creating a series of petals, going all the way around, ending where you started.

Now, come in about 8" and start another set of petals doing the same as before and going all the way around.

Keep doing these rows of petals until you reach the base of your light fixture Or the center of you design, each row slightly covering the row outside.

If you are simply making a central medallion in the center of a room with no fixture, either apply a cast plaster ornamental piece from one of our molds, or use a small wallpaper brush to create a simple, inner circle.

What you wind up with is an INCREDIBLE ceiling design!

Now, try the same thing in the corners as well!

Create wall designs by beginning at the bottom of the wall and moving upward (again, doing only sections at a time). By beginning at the bottom, you are assured that your design will properly "overlap" where you might want one area covering another (for instance, the above petal design).

Make circles, waves, loops, squares, zigzag rows of lines, petals, arrow shapes, pointed spires, triangles, anything you want! Do them small, do them large, do them pretty and soft or freaky and totally weird! It's up to you and honey, tt's a BLAST!

REMEMBER TO PRACTICE!!! Practicing is the truly fun part! Roll the mixture out on cardboard and just start playing with ideas and movements of your brush. Don't like what you did? "erase" it with the roller (and you can erase the design on the wall just as easily and start all over!).

Need more time to do your design? Paint extenders can be added to the joint compound as easily as water. Just remember not to make it too thin.

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