Browsing Paint Technique Category

We’re always so busy in our daily lives — both personally and professionally–that we don’t often pause to really think about what was happening in the very, very early times of human development and how it might relate to us today.

I remember when, as a child, one of my favorite subjects was “cave men” and how they lived. Those early cultures held a mysterious fascination for me. OK, so I’m actually a frustrated archaeologist!

The paintings of Charles R. Knight, (1874-1953), influenced our impressions of the prehistoric world.

When the recent New York Times article on the amazing discovery of a  “100,000-year old paint workshop” came to my attention, I not only enjoyed reading it but was compelled to emerge from a sort of “Blog-out” of being absent from posting for quite a while.

This is what it made me think about, to start with:

• Symbolic use of color in many cultures
• Who made the color decisions “way back then?”
• What was the “psychology” of those early people and how did the arrive at their discoveries and uses of color?
• How did they continue, over time, to make new pigment discoveries and record them?
• How were the colors communicated from one group to another, and
• Did they have what we call “personal preferences?”

I’m sure the answers to these questions are elementary to the people who make this study their life’s work.

But this discovery feels like a jolt to the modern world of design, fashion, color trends, and modern paint techniques. If we are open to it, we’ll appreciate new dimensions in our current way of thinking about color, pigment, and paint mixing. Organic color sources of many types are at the foundation of  modern paint colors that we use most often in our own home decorating.

Another way of looking at it is as another example of the connection between art and science and, in this case, history—literally!

Image from the New York Times article.

Image source: New York Times
Grethe Moell Pedersen

But what do you think?
And, what do you know, for a “fact”?

If you do read the article, be sure to go to the readers’ comments there, which are fascinating and informative as well!

I”ll certainly be interested your thoughts, too.

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It’s not often that a client is adamant about a house color. At least not to the extent of being so fixed on one color family that all others are not available for consideration.

With that caveat, I began to look at various yellow paint colors for the exterior of a Victorian home in a Boston-area suburb.  Not only was the only option to be “Yellow,” but the painting was going to be done by an area company specializing in a ‘never-paint-again!’ method, and so it had to be the right yellow to last…and last…and never be changed.

One view, from the back of house, "before." Note existing color-testing by the owner, on the siding

Originally built as a single family house, as were most structures of this general style, this house has been made into apartments.

Stuck on Yellow, the owner had done a few swatch tests and come up "empty."

The house was already yellow…

Before: looking for the right change to make the difference

Selecting a different yellow for the body, with a more subdued color for the doors and an earthy color for porch floor and steps, was not a huge color change but it was a significant one overall.

The new palette: Sherwin Williams colors

• Body: SW 6374 – Torchlight
• Shingle accent:  SW 2817 – Rookwood Amber
• Window and door casing trims, and stair risers: SW 6372 – Inviting Ivory
• Porch floors and stair treads, front and back: SW 7053 – Adaptive Shade, a stoney gray
• Front and back doors: SW 6278 – Cloak Gray, a deep plum
  

  The palette: all from Sherwin Williams. Note: your monitor will not look like mine so please get the actual paint colors to test them.

New colors, almost done - but lacking the detailed accents

I had specified Rookwood Amber to be used on the details of millwork as well, which would have been a lovely detail, and would not have appeared over-decorated. Some of the column detail was done, but other details that were to have been done on the peak trim and some of  the other decorative millwork would have completed the picture.

Ultimately of course it’s up to the homeowner, who is the person hiring the painting contractor. Sometimes the finishing touches are omitted due to the budget constraints and the result, even if beautiful, seems to be missing something.

Three quick tips

• In homes with architectural detail, consider using color in the architectural details as a way to add balance and refinement. “Painting out” the detail sometimes works but the inclusion of the right, subtle color can make a world of positive difference in the overall appearance of your home.

• Even a simple color change can make a big difference. In this case, where Yellow was the only color family considered, it was a matter of getting the right one to suit the building.

• Testing: you can see that the tiny strips of color-tests, applied close together, don’t provide you with much ‘information’ about how the color will look on the house. It’s important to test on large areas that you can move around the building at different times of day, on the different surfaces.  Testing your paint colors on primed card stock or even pieces of wood (ideally, using siding to replicate the shadows) is a better method that small swatches. Be sure to use 2 coats of any colors  you are considering.

Overall, it's a big improvement!

View from the street. The colors of doors, porch and stair treads complement the roof color.

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See larger image Small Wall SW001-1212-2PK 12-Inch by 12-Inch Adhesive Backed Paint Sample Board, 2-Count (Tools & Home Improvement) List Price: $9.99 USD New From: $7.94 In Stock

Getting ready to paint? Try these tips for testing your color choices
Testing paint colors on a surface large enough to see the color is critical to making your best color decisions. Now, Small Wall paint testing boards are finally available from Amazon…you don’t even have to go to a store to get it.
Just click on the picture above!

Tip 1: Tools
Use a foam or microfiber roller, 4″ or 6″ size is fine, to apply paint to your Small Wall boards. Do NOT use a brush. Be sure to evenly coat the entire surface of your Small Wall sample board. Use 2 coats of paint, just as you would if painting your own walls. Color always comes out better with the 2nd coat.

Tip 2: Coverage
Using 2 coats of your paint  is the best way to see the true color. That’s how you would be painting your walls. On Small Walls you don’t need a primer, but when you’re ready to paint on your walls, use the right primer for best results.

Tip 3: Deep Base Colors
Don’t expect all deep-base colors to cover in 2 coats. Because of the way paints are made, the deep base colors are often less opaque. So for a sample, you might need more applications.   In the case of deep base colors, you can get the primer tinted to the same formula as your top coat. Then, 2 coats of finish will probably do it!

Tip 4: Enjoy!
Small Wall can be moved around your room, repositioned to see the color from many angles. There are 2 to a pack, so you can do 2 pieces of 1 color, or 1 piece each of 2 different colors. Changing your mind? You can re-paint Small Wall as many times as you like.

I’ve tested these with my new paint colors and love the results.

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See larger image Ndebele: The Art of an African Tribe (Paperback) By (author) Margaret Courtney-Clark List Price: $34.95 USD New From: $22.83 In Stock Used from: $15.72 In Stock

Decorative, functional and symbolic, the art of the tribal Ndebele women of South Africa continues to amaze us with its beauty, simplicity, and drama.

This book was first published in 1986. Many of the buildings shown are no longer standing, giving us even more reason to appreciate these amazing painted dwellings and the people who created them.

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Are you ready for this?

Beadwork and Painting of the Ndebele women.      Click on the image to go to our Design Library, where you can order this book.

Decorative, functional and symbolic, the art of the tribal Ndebele women of South Africa continues to amaze us with its beauty, simplicity, and drama.

This book was first published in 1986. Many of the buildings shown are no longer standing, giving us even more reason to appreciate these amazing painted dwellings and the people who created them.

I could not say it better, so will quote from the statement of Nadine Gordimer on the book’s flyleaf.

“Margaret Courtney-Clarke’s book is a revelation…of a glorious continued existence, under the most destructive forms of physical and psychological hardship imaginable, of an artistic culture at the very center of life itself.  The art of the Ndebele women is uniquely rooted in that guardianship; its canvas is the shrine of the home, where children are conceived and reared and family life is housed in the spirit.  The beauty of this book is unsurpassed in its combination of content and meaning. Its art is also the art of life.

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