Sponge Stipple Sponging as a Broken Colour Finish

The sponge is first, and not a lot of people know this, cut in half to make two. This is not done just to create two, but to give access to the shape that the inside of the sponge will expose.

TOOLS

Marine Sponge (large if you can get one).

Palette Board or flat piece of hardboard or plate.

Plastic Paint Kettles for mixing paint.

Paint Brushes for painting the emulsion on to the board.

Brushes and Roller for applying the base colour.

MATERIALS

Matt emulsion paint - one colour for the base and one or poss. two for the sponge stippling.

METHOD

The walls do not have to be in perfect condition, although they are normally lined first, as the sponge stipple gives a visual effect that hides a lot of those lumps and bumps.

Chose your colours and do some test pieces on cardboard first. Paint the cardboard in the colour you have chosen for the first or base colour as it is best known as and give it at least two coats. Two coats will normally ensure that the cardboard is covered, if not give it another one.

Experiment and play about with as many colours as you like, but remember to keep a record of the colours you are mixing so as you can reproduce the colour again to put on that wall.

Paint the wall in the normal way with brush and roller and when dry start your stippling.

First soak the sponge in water squeezing it out as much as poss. and it is then ready to work with.

Paint on the board the colour you have chosen to stipple, be quite generous, and dab the cut side of the sponge into the colour. Dab this onto the wall as evenly as poss. covering all the wall and getting into those small corners with a small piece of sponge you have pulled off one of the halves.

That's it - happy painting.

Any questions? You can email to fred.biddulph@btopenworld.com