# Metallic Plaster Lace Technique (my version)



## BarcelonaGuy (Jun 30, 2010)

I just posted the steps to create that metallic plaster lace finish on my blog site. There are several different ways of doing this technique but I like mine because it is pretty fool proof. 

http://www.EuropeanPaintandTextures.com look under HOW TO page


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## Painter Girl (Mar 25, 2009)

*My version of Metallic Plaster and Lace*

I have also taken the course on MM metallic plaster. That is a great product!
Love the japanese trowels too.

We did not have the chance to choose our colors for this as we were following the Kelly King class straight from Nebraska...

Sorry for the shiner on the pic (a photographer I am not )

Another favorite-- modello with cocoa bean and suede...


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## FoilEffects (Dec 19, 2007)

Looks really nice, I am a huge fan and friend of Kelly King. Kelly may be the most talented finisher I know with the most creative mind.

Very nice finish, if you do proper prep it makes for a very nice wall finish in a niche as well as a great finish on furniture. I used to apply it, paint it and gild it, very cool looking.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

I want to learn Faux finishes.. what is all out there. I have an artistic mind/ability I think this is awesome btw!!


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## Painter Girl (Mar 25, 2009)

N 8'r,

You should look into it. With your painting experience you would pick up on it in a hurry! If you take a class through a Modern Masters Studio you walk out with a ton of boards for your portfolio which is a lot easier than making them at home in the shop. 

Plus most of the trowel applied finishes go for over $8.00 per square foot (of wall space) at least over in my neck of the woods. Not a bad addition to the bottom line.


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## FoilEffects (Dec 19, 2007)

The one thing that I can tell you is that while it is a awesome (sometimes) field and you will get work, walls are not the same a tiny little sample boards. MM is known only for teaching on tiny boards which is fine if you want to paint canvas but if you want to paint walls you should learn on walls.


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## Painter Girl (Mar 25, 2009)

Foil,

That is very true. I only meant you can get a nice portfolio of techniques from attending a class without having to purchase 20 different colors. 

Nothing makes up for real world experience with that kind of product or any other type of technique but a little education is a good place to start. 

Not many painting contractors in my area like to get into the decorative painting but it can be a decent money maker and a nice way to round out their companies offerings.


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## FoilEffects (Dec 19, 2007)

Painter Girl said:


> Foil,
> 
> That is very true. I only meant you can get a nice portfolio of techniques from attending a class without having to purchase 20 different colors.
> 
> ...



I cannot agree more when it comes to classes being worth while for sample boards. I have always wished they would give you a better education when it came to wall application. But then again that is what kept me busy when others dropped out or got sued!


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## BarcelonaGuy (Jun 30, 2010)

I just got back from the IDAL convention in Portland. It was even smaller than last year at Memphis. Some new and cool stuff but nothing mind boggling.


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## FoilEffects (Dec 19, 2007)

BarcelonaGuy said:


> I just got back from the IDAL convention in Portland. It was even smaller than last year at Memphis. Some new and cool stuff but nothing mind boggling.


I can tell you right now, you will find that back in the 80's faux was a add on to your business and in the early 90's European treads slammed the US with new things, faux being one of them. When I first started doing faux full time it was around 1995 and I was only doing furniture as I was taught on moldings in Churches. I was very very popular for a long time because what I did was unique. I was doing it more on the lines to update furniture so it didnt end out in a landfill but either way it caught on. In 1999 I was asked by HJ Mennie to do my first actual wall job. Before this I had really only done smaller things. HJ had the idea to build a Las Vegas casino type building in Mark Illinois (pop 350). He was the owner of a machine shop that he started in his garage 20 years ago. He had bought quite a few pieces of furniture from me and wanted me to do the finishes I do on furniture throughout his building. Floor sq ft of the building 198,000 sf. Now about 100,000 of that was floor area to be the gambling area. Well the building was up and of course Illinois denied his want to build this gambling building as Illinois doesnt allow gambling. HJ decided that he was going to build the craziest machine shop anyone had ever seen so I started doing faux on walls, moldings, statues, plaques and columns throughout this building. I was there for over 1.5 years but in that time I learned more about myself and how to accomplish feats then I ever thought possible.

I tell you this story as from there until 2005 faux was hopping and that IDAL show would of been packed but thanks to shows like Trading Spaces and a slew of others faux was downgraded from a specialized trade to something anyone could do?!?!?! Faux used to be stacked in books, magazines and tv but now if you watch you will see that it is no loner there. I think everyone is sick of color washes and massive amounts of Italian plaster on their walls.

If you want to get into faux and use it as a specialized trade learn furniture and cabinetry. There will always be a need for that. If you get good at it other work will come along. To me furniture is the most inspiring thing that you can put a finish on as if it is done right people will love it for years to come and hand it down. Can the same be said for walls???

The pics below are Mennies Machine shop in Mark Illinois I have many more but they are all on 3.5" floppy disc and I dont have time to get them off.


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