Paint Mediums, Primers, Finishes, and Tools Used by Decorative Painters

Using only leftover firewood from his cooking fire and the red yellow substance he found in the dirt floor of his Altamira cave dwelling, Paleolithic man painted bison on the cave wall to such a relatively high level of sophistication that had Picasso gasping "After Altamira, all is decadence." Picasso must have meant that the use by the cave dwellers of crude charcoal and hematite as their paint, and the cave wall as their canvas to express their innermost fears, doubts, and joy is an art form so primal and pure it could never again be duplicated.

All the modern decorative painter might probably want to do is to come up with faux verdigris finish for the cheap metal wall art he came across a thrift shop in Messina to complement the discount wall décor he picked up in a flea market in Milan, and not compete with Altamira for raves (the bison were remarkably life-like, and employed an early version of chiaroscuro, a technique thought to have developed only in the Renaissance). For this task, the modern decorative painter has far superior materials to work with.

Here's a list of materials other than paint that the modern decorative painter has at his disposal:

Latex Paint Conditioner

Originally developed for use in latex spray painting, latex paint conditioners are also used in making paint glaze for faux finishes. The resulting mixture is lighter and produces a translucent paint finish that's without the overlapping look. It may be used with latex or acrylic paint.

Acrylic Paint Extender

Have you ever wondered how faux marble gets its characteristic veins? Well, the veins are "painted" using feathers, but it's acrylic paint extender that thins the acrylic paint and gives it its translucence to make the veining possible.

Textile Medium

Textile medium allows acrylic paint to seep into the fabric fibers, resulting in permanent painted designs that can be machine-washed.

Acrylic Paint Thickener

Wood graining, marbling, and combing require a thicker consistency of the paint, and this is where acrylic paint thickeners come in.

Flat Latex Primer

Primers are used to seal porous surfaces so that the paint will spread well without soaking in, resulting in fewer coats of paint. Primers also help adhesion. If you're working with an unfinished wallboard or one which has been previously painted, you need this primer.

Latex Enamel Undercoat

This is used for priming most unfinished woods or ones that have been previously painted or stained. This is not used for plywood, redwood, nor cedar.

Rust-Inhibiting Latex Metal Primer

Allows water-based paint to be used on metal without causing the metal to rust.

Polyvinyl Acrylic Primer

This is used in painting plaster or unglazed pottery where a smooth finish is desired.

Stain-Killing Primer

It was mentioned that latex enamel undercoat must not be used on plywood, redwood, and cedar. For this types of wood, stain-killing primer is used. This is also used to prime glossy surfaces like glazed pottery and ceramic, doing away with the need to degloss. This is also used to seal stains like ink or grease.

Clear Finish

After painting, painted surfaces are often given a final finishing coat for durability and scratch- resistance. Clear finishes like urethanes and acrylics may be used.

Aerosol Clear Acrylic Sealer

This is used to protect the painted surface, and is available in matte or gloss. The gloss version adds sheen to the final finish. Imagine Use only the kind that do not have harmful fluorocarbons or methylene chloride.