Turning Back Time with Faux Finishing

Turning Back Time with Faux Finishing

Ah, the wonderful humidity of SW Florida. It’s great for the native plants and even our own skin. But it’s not great for metal. Over time the humidity wins and starts and begins to rust and corrode metal items. With a little sanding, priming, and recreating a metallic faux finish look, however, what’s old and corroded can be new again.

The beauty of these majestic entry doors has been given new life. Metallic Exterior Paints from Paint Laboratory helped bring it back to its original look and luster. I’m standing next to the doors to demonstrate the size of these gorgeous doors: 

Here’s a closeup look and the wear and tear of time and handling next to the revived finished:

Now the doors are back to being as stunning as the rest of the home:

To give new life to your own entry doors, contact me at Swan Studios Inc 

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media sites:

Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube Threads 

#fauxfinishdoors #metallicfauxfinish #fauxpainting

Dolphins At Sunset

 

Dolphins At Sunset

One of the most overlooked exterior canvases in SW Florida is the wall space just under the lanai. This space is the full length of the home and can be enjoyed while hanging out on your dock or as people boat along the canals.

For this home’s mural, the request was the brilliant colors of our gorgeous SW Florida sunsets. A formally beige wall now bursts with orange, yellow, and purple. And, of course, everyone’s favorite aquatic creatures, the dolphins, are jumping out of the water.

The exterior lanai wall is divided into 2 parts:

The wall space was cleaned and primed with Bulls Eye 1-2-3. Valspar Duramax was used for its tenacity against the harsh Florida sun. Exterior acrylic help make the “Sunset” really pop. And your best friend when painting outdoors on our cloudless days… SPF70!

To have your own custom mural created, contact me at Swan Studios Inc

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media:

Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube

#sunsetmural #outdoormural #beachmural

Greetings from Under the Sea

Greetings from Under the Sea

One of the most beloved creatures in SW Florida (and perhaps even the world) is the Sea Turtle. There are only seven species of sea turtles left in the world (the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and olive ridley). All seven species are on the endangered list. This incredible gentle marine life outlived the dinosaurs. It is our duty to see that they remain on earth for millions of years more.

The sea turtle is a common request in my custom painted murals. Recently, there was an added twist to the commission. The mural was to be painted on the exterior entry way of a home. Outdoor commissions are nothing new. But it is usually on a home’s lanai or for a commercial building. I was delighted to create an underwater scene that greets the neighbors as they drive by the home. The neighbors loved it too and it seemed the whole neighborhood dropped to chat while the mural was being created. It brought a smile to everyone.

The mural has a bit of protection from the elements with the roof overhang and angle of the wall is perpendicular to the sun. The background has been painted in Valspar Duramax (exterior house paint in Satin) The details are painted in outdoor acrylics.

Think bold! Bring a smile to your neighborhood with a custom painted mural at your entry. Contact me at Swan Studios Inc 

 Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media:

Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube

#seaturtleart #seaturtlemural #underwatermural

Pair of Swans I and II

Swans are known for their elegance and beauty. Their pure white regal plumage makes them the most breathtaking creatures swimming above the water. They are also known for creating a monogamous bond with their mate which is why you often see them depicted in art gracefully floating together. Perhaps it goes without saying that I’m a huge fan of swans. Afterall, its in the name of my company- Swan Studios Inc.

Recently I finished painting two canvases of a swan couple. The canvases are to be hung on opposite walls from each other. The background is almost a continuation of the landscape with the loving pair gliding along together. The original artwork is painted onto a 36" x 54" ft hard board canvas.

 

I’ve made the images available as reproduction prints, as well as other various items such as pillows and throws. You can find them at the links below:

Pair of Swans I   

Pair of Swans II

To have your won custom created canvas artwork, contact me at Swan Studios Inc

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media platforms:

Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube

#swanpainting #swanart

A Coastal Cottage Faux Finish for Music and Spirits

A Coastal Cottage Faux Finish for Music and Spirits

A Coastal Cottage Faux Finish is a standard request here in SW Florida. The technique brings in the feeling of waves gently lapping the shoreline, a mild breeze dancing between sunbeams, and the bleached weathered look of fallen tree limbs. I’ve painted variations of the finish over the years on all types of furniture from picture frames, chairs, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, built-in surrounds, to fireplace mantles. But the most recent piece of furniture was a first. It was a homeowner’s beloved cabinet that had been passed down through the years. A family heirloom that was originally crafted as a victrola. Time had won the race against the mechanical parts and some of the intricate woodwork was missing. Since the cabinet could no longer play music, the owner had converted it into a liquor cabinet. (I thought that was quite genius). But the finish didn’t vibe with the casual beach look of their home. So I converted the finish with faux painting and some serious prep work.

Here's the Before and After:

 

As you can see from before shot, the decorative woodwork has large gaps. Too large to just fill in with wood putty.

 I took popsicle sticks and traced the missing curves. Once cut to the shape the pieces were glued in from behind (thank goodness there was just enough space to slip them in from behind). Then wood putty and some delicate sanding evened things out. Next it was primed in Bulls Eye 1-2-3. Then base painted a neutral beige. And then the fun part of being streaked in light grey and taupe with a final color of a light whitewash. The cabinet is then given a matt clear coat for protection:

Here's a close-up of the top:

Have your own piece of furniture that could use a change of look? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc 

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media:

Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube

#fauxfinish #fauxpainting #paintedfurniture

Happy National Banana Split Day!

 Happy National Banana Split Day!

August 25th

#bananasplitday #nationalbananasplitday #bananasplitart

Faux Painted Sideboard

Faux Painted Sideboard

When a furniture piece isn’t the color you want it to be, a simple fix can be to have it faux painted. That was the request for a recent sideboard. Online the piece appeared as off white. It arrived pale grey.  Rather than return it the homeowner asked for it to be painted off white with a brown glaze added into the grooves.

The new faux finish fits in perfectly with the home’s warm interior: 

Any piece in your home can be revived with faux painting. Here’s a look at some other fabulous pieces of furniture painted in off-white with warm glazing:

Have a piece that needs a change of color? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc 

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media sites: 

Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube

#fauxpaintedfurniture #paintedfurniture #fauxfinish 

Happy National Rum Day!

 Happy National Rum Day! #nationalrumday #rumday

Stones and Ivy

Stones and Ivy

Stone walls with climbing ivy give a timeless beauty to outdoor walls… and indoors. That is if indoors is faux painted. I’ve had the pleasure of creating several faux stone and rock walls over the years. A recent request was to paint a stone wall with climbing ivy look around a niche mural that was created around 20 years ago. The homeowner still loves the original scene but had always wanted it finished with the stone and ivy look. Extra care is taken when painting adjacent to another’s work. In this case, some of the ivy is painted directly onto the original to give a more 3D effect: 

Stones come in all shapes and shades. Their classic charm can be recreated in any room of the home.

This one was created in a game room:

For a coastal cottage feel these faux stones are painted to appear in wide spaced mortar:

Whatever your choice of stone, Swan Studios Inc can create it as a faux finish, Contact me at  Swan Studios Inc.

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media :

Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube

You can find a full portfolio at:

FLICKR

 

Happy National Lighthouse Day

Happy National Lighthouse Day

#nationallighthouseday #lighthousemural #lighthouseart

 

The Timeless Beauty of Marble

 

The Timeless Beauty of Marble

Since ancient times we have loved marble. Its elegant beauty has graced columns of the Parthenon and Taj Mahal. It is equally embraced in historical buildings and interiors an modern facilities. It is timeless. Of course, there is a bit of a price tag for real marble columns. That’s where faux marbling comes in. Painted correctly, it truly fools the eye and brings the exquisite nature of marble into your home or building.

For a recent series of columns, a faux finish of light marble with warm overtones was created. 

This look happens to be the most popular request here in SW Florida:

There is no limit on the style that can be faux painted. Perhaps you prefer a bolder look:

Whatever your interior needs, Swan Studios Inc can change your plain white columns into a thing of beauty:

Contact me at Swan Studios Inc

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media:

Face Book  Instagram   Pinterest  You Tube

#fauxmarblepainting #marblefauxfinish

  

Happy National Fishing Month! -Bass

Happy National Fishing Month!

#nationalfishingmonth #basspainting #fishart #bassart #fishingmonth

 

Happy World Conservation Day!

Happy World Conservation Day!

#worldconservationday #outdoormural #floridamuralist

 

Happy National Hot Fudge Sundae Day

Happy National Hot Fudge Sundae Day! #hotfudgesundae #HotFudgeSundaeDay 

Happy National Tequila Day!

Happy National Tequila Day! #tequiladay #nationaltequiladay

 

Happy Ice Cream Month!

 Happy Ice Cream Month!

#icecreammonth #icecreammural #icecreamart

A Breath of Fresh Air

 

A Breath of Fresh Air

There is a space in your home screaming for attention. A canvas waiting to come to life hovers just above your head. Your ceiling! Having a custom sky mural brings life, depth, and a breath o f fresh air to your living space.

Here’s one of my favorites:

This ceiling was inspired by the homeowner’s Thomas Kinkade’s art pieces:

 

A recent bathroom area needed a little lift. The space, although small, now feels open and less cramped thanks to the sky mural above the shower area

Of course, sky murals aren’t just for ceilings. This stunning skyscape is painted on every wall of a home office:

Most sky murals give a sense of space and calm. For the more daring, well, the are other options:

Whether you need a breath of fresh air or want a room to take your breath away, a custom-painted sky mural is just the thing for you.

Contact me at Swan Studios Inc. 

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media:

                                                   Face Book  Instagram  Pinterest  You Tube

#skymural #skyart