faux is painting something to look like something else
so you can grain a piece of pine to look like oak or mahogany
or even marble, the victorians were masters at it
I do other effects too, malachite, tortiseshell etc, lapis luzi is a lovely effect
like everything else it got cheapened over the years and turned into brush graining where you just run a dry brush through the scumble to give the effect of graining
there was a revival in the 90s but the sheds killed it stone dead by offering kits that in inexperianced hands made it look a mess
also in the 90s decorating trends changed to solid blocks of colour usually white, with the loft style or minimalist look
anyone could work as painter
recently the art of the decorator is back with bold patterns on paper to be used as features
its one step away now from the return of the faux finish or broken colour effects
sponging, ragging etc will come back in for walls
trompe l oi is a trick of the eye where you paint something onto a flat surface and it looks 3d
one effect i did about twenty years ago was to paint a wall to look like it was tiled, i dont know why they just didnt have it tiled, stone blocks is the most common
its interesting work and very skilled
I was asking Rob as a high class decorator if he had experiance in it as its something he would use daily to disguise badly fitted joinery or rough walls
as following the defects emphasise them whereas cutting a straight line with your brush will lose them or decieve the eye
its all part of the art of the decorator