Faux Fresco

In this tutorial, featuring a technique from Dirty Dozen alumna Mel McCarthy, you will learn to create a beautiful faux fresco finish with paint and two kinds of embossing.

Supplies

Step-by-Step

1. Step 1

   Emboss a piece of watercolor paper or mixed media paper with an embossing folder.

   

2. Step 2

   Color the embossed paper with a waterproof coloring medium - don't try to be precise - just apply color randomly to the paper. Color in the unembossed area is fine - it will be covered up by the paint.

   

3. Step 3

   Apply white acrylic paint to the colored and embossed paper with a credit card or a piece of cardboard. Be generous with the paint - you want a lot in the unembossed areas, and just use edge of credit card to smooth. Allow to air dry - the heat gun can bubble acrylic paint.

   

4. Step 4

   Using a fine grit sanding block, lightly sand the raised portion of the paper to reveal the color beneath the paint.

   

5. Step 5

   Be sure and remove all the paint dust with a soft brush or cloth.

   

6. Step 6

   Apply clear embossing ink to all the raised areas of the fresco panel.

   

7. Step 7

   Cover embossing ink with clear embossing powder.

   

8. Step 8

   Heat emboss the panel, being careful not to overheat the paint, which will cause it to bubble.
   
   TIP:
   For best results, move the heat tool around and don't put the tool too close to the paper.

   

9. Step 9

   The finished panel will be shiny and have the look of plaster.

   

10. Step 10

    Use the faux fresco panel on a finished card.

    

Video!

Your Turn

You've seen the tutorial, now you try it! We've got a section of the gallery set aside for Faux Fresco. Try this technique, then upload your artwork to the gallery. Show us your creations!

***Please note - Internet Explorer/Edge is not a supported browser, and will not allow you to see the videos. Please use Chrome, Firefox or Safari to view our tutorial videos.