HELP! Underwater Faux Finish Needed

[JenniMA]

:coffee: I am getting ready to re-paint my boys bedroom. I am trying to find a faux finish technique and colors that make them feel as if they are underwater in a tropical lagoon. Something tranquil that reflects the sun shining through the water on a beautiful sunny day. Does any one have any suggestions?

[Annette]

Hi and welcome to DIY.com! sounds like a great project, but i can't think of any techniques that would be "easy", because those are meant for "all over" looks. i would think this would be a fairly labor intensive artistic project, because you'd have to graduate the colors and also their shading from darkest on the lower part of the wall to lightest at the top. i'd start with dark blues on the bottom and work up to teal/jade, then light blue, then light gold. but i'd think you'd have to practically freehand the whole thing.

[JenniMA]

THANKS! Annette, you gave me ideas I had never thought of! Would it work to freehand the graduating colours up the wall and then sponge over them in a light blue glossy glaze that would give the depth, texture and shine. Would the under lying colors come through the glaze enough?
Cheers
Jenni :rolleyes:

[Annette]

there is a clear, pearlescent glaze that you can buy. i'd use it sparingly and brush it (not sponge) on in flowing waves (ie wavy horizontal lines of varying widths), here and there. if you simply sponge something on top everywhere, you'll just make the whole thing look foggy (a friend did that & it looks awful!). your idea would work for clouds & sky, but water is a whole different thing. to achieve depth, you'll need to use darker colors, interspersed with lighter ones.

also, i'd use glossy paint for the "wettest" appearance.

[fauxillusions]

You can also do a color wash in several colors of blue and blue green. The best results come from diluting your paint with water. First do a base coat in a medium blue. Then take a very light blue and dilute it about 50/50 with water. Start at the top and work your way down and over. Repeat with turquoise. Another idea is to paint the ceiling blue and do a white wash working from the very center out. Put V shaped lines going to the corners and sides kind of like a starburst. It gives the illusion of being underwater and looking up at the sun. Do a google image “underwater sun”.

[toniekb]

Another option to your art work is to begin with the deepest blue color and then shade and fade up using white with your blue. Another color that is good for doing this is purple with the blue...remember it is better to mix your own colors than purchase ready made...also satin latex paint is the best way to go ...it dries fairly quickly so you can not delay when blending colors but it gives you a wonderful washable finish