Rolling & Ragging

Skill Level: Intermediate

Time (not including painting base coat): 1 day

Roll & Rag adds interesting texture
to standard walls.

• Three flat paint colors within the same family on the color chart
• Two small paint rollers (available in the decorative paint aisle of the crafts store)
• Two paint trays and liners
• Blue painter's tape, or another quick-release masking tape
• Bucket and stir stick for diluting paint
• Soft cotton rags
• Latex or rubber gloves

Step 1.

1. Tape off moldings, trim, and ceiling. Select two colors from the same family that are near one another on a color chart. (Two shades of olive tans are used here.)

Step 2.

2. Pour each color into a separate paint tray. Using small rollers, randomly roll each color on the wall.

Step 3.

3. Blend some as you go so the wall is covered with variations of the two blended colors. Don't leave any hard lines. Allow the walls to dry thoroughly.

Step 4.

4. Choose a third color several shades lighter than the lightest color used. Dilute the color with three parts water to one part paint. Wear gloves for protection. Submerge a cotton rag in diluted paint. Squeeze out paint. With the rag loosely wadded, press it against the wall. Try to have enough paint in the rag so it shows but not so much that it runs when pressing. Continue to turn the rag in your hand, re-gathering it and pressing it against the wall a dozen times or until you decide you need more paint. Continue this process over the entire wall.

5. After the wall is dry, rag on another layer of watered down paint if you think too much of the underpainting is showing through.

• This technique works well for smooth or textured walls.
• The technique is very messy; have lots of clean rags and drop cloths on hand.
• Half of a clean, cotton T-shirt, with sleeves, neck, and hem removed, works well for this paint application.