Sculptural painting with decorative plaster step-by-step technology + master class

Using ornamental plaster and sculpture painting is a novel technique to turn plain walls into breathtaking pieces of art. You can add depth and texture to any space by using this technique to create intricate designs. Decorator plaster can realize your vision, whether it’s a bold statement or a subtle accent.

Even though the procedure might appear difficult, anyone who is eager to learn can understand it. Even without a lot of plastering experience, you can still get amazing results by taking a methodical approach. The secret is to know the fundamentals, acquire the necessary supplies, and approach each task one at a time.

We’ll walk you through every step of the procedure in this guide, from priming your walls to adding the finishing touches. You’ll be able to make stunning, sculptural designs that will improve the interior of your house for years to come with patience and practice.

Step	Description
1. Surface Preparation	Clean the wall and apply a primer to ensure proper adhesion of the plaster.
2. Base Layer Application	Apply the first layer of plaster evenly to create a smooth base for the sculptural work.
3. Design Sketching	Draw your design directly on the dried base layer using a pencil or chalk.
4. Sculpting the Design	Use tools to apply and shape additional plaster to form the desired patterns and textures.
5. Drying Time	Allow the sculpted plaster to dry completely before moving on to the next step.
6. Finishing Touches	Smooth out any rough areas and refine details to enhance the overall appearance.
7. Painting and Sealing	Once the plaster is fully dry, paint and seal the surface to protect your work.

What is sculptural painting

Painting with decorative plaster requires a unique method that involves carving relief images from a colored plaster mass that holds the shape with a palette knife (some people even use their fingers). In other words, this is not painting—painting is the process of applying paint to a base using a brush or palette knife to create colorful, scenic canvases.

However, this is not a sculpture that was created by modeling clay. The term "relief painting" refers to the medium-sized artwork that combines the two forms of creativity. Plaster painting requires specific techniques, just like painting in any other medium.

A decorative plaster mass with a fibrous filler and reinforcing agent is the working material. The fibers allow for the easy formation of thin petals in flower arrangements; even the raw mass maintains its shape after drying without cracking. Before applying, the plaster solution is painted. Painting for sculpture does not occur after formation.

Photos of paintings made with decorative plaster

We recommend looking at the photos to get a sense of the interior’s design and the sculpture painting’s beauty using decorative plaster.

Which plaster is suitable for sculptural painting

Watching master class videos will help you understand the techniques used to form high reliefs. But the material itself, which determines more than half of the process’s success and the master’s abilities, is usually prepared by those using this technique. One cannot refer to the mixtures that manufacturers offer as inexpensive. Furthermore, occasionally using homemade concoctions lets you get unique outcomes.

Against the "tradition" of keeping their own know-how a secret, some of the masters divulge the recipe for mixtures that can be prepared on one’s own. It is simpler to learn how to create relief images when using high-quality modeling dough.

However, conquering obstacles results in the birth of a true master, who in all endeavors becomes capable of unearthing fresh avenues for creativity.

Nonetheless, novices rarely intend to dedicate their entire lives to modeling. These recipes for "homemade" plaster are therefore provided below in case the plans are rudimentary and a speedy outcome is required, or if the process of learning techniques is involved.

Fibrous filler and polymer binders make up the bulk.

• have a long service life;
• not be too sticky (do not stretch for the tool);
• be flexible;
• keep a spatial shape;
• not be prone to shrinkage.

Sometimes, materials produced in factory workshops fall short of these specifications. Working with universal acrylic putty VGT is a great place to start. A relief up to 2 cm high is retained by the material. Up to three centimeters of relief forms rising above the base can be supported by the plaster.

From completed goods, the following are well-liked:

• Marmur Stucco;
• VGT Bas-relief;
• Clavel Riviera;
• author"s mix of master Evgeniya Ermilova.

Working tools

"Fine" tools are needed for fine work.

Typical "working hands" list:

Palette knife – a tool used not only by painters. Externally, the working spatula resembles a miniature trowel. The working part is made of a thin stainless steel plate. Springs when bending. The softer the palette knife, the more convenient it is to work with. Palette knives vary in size and shape of the spatula.

You can gain mass by scraping off excess dried material from the base using the thin "blade" of the edge. You can perform sculpting in areas that are difficult to access thanks to the narrow end. The size of the petals that are produced by placing the paste on the spatula depends on the size of the palette knife. The petal size increases with the size of the spatula. The spatula’s tip ought to be rounded.

For novices, two to three palette knives in varying sizes will suffice to begin; the most common petal shape

• A paint brush with soft bristles is used when it is necessary to smooth out sharp edges. A wet brush is used to soften a layer that has begun to dry out, if you need to make changes or correct the shape of the relief. The tool is also used to cover the sculptural works with "invisible" varnish.

• A spatula (medium or small width) is used to form a base layer.
• Knives and scrapers will be needed if you need to smooth or scratch the pattern. Chisels or sharpened screwdrivers will come in handy. You can make a similar tool from available materials.
• Confectionery syringe with the desired nozzle shape. There are ready-made pastes packaged in tubes with tips.

Sculptural painting with decorative plaster

People who have tried or mastered sculptural painting have different perspectives on how to become proficient in the art. While some claim that learning the techniques is easy, others dispute this claim. As a result, each person discovers the level of complexity via personal experience.

The following is the execution order:

• preparation of the base;
• kneading and tinting paste;
• selection of a sketch, transferring a picture to the wall;
• creating a relief panel.
• drying, varnishing.

The mass in the bucket dries up more slowly than the remnants of solution on the spatula.

Proper formation is hindered by dried mortar. As a result, the palette knife’s spatula is routinely cleaned with a wet cloth or napkin.

Base for sculptural painting

The masters create some compositions directly on plastered or concrete surfaces, i.e., on walls. Generally speaking, you can create a unique sculpture on any rigid base. These materials include plywood, cardboard, plasterboard, ceramics, and even glass (if the mass has a high adhesion). Dried "stucco" has a strength almost equal to that of stone, so the decorative mass can be used to make jewelry or souvenirs.

The foundation is ready. The preparation process is straightforward and resembles that of applying decorative plaster in certain aspects. To improve adhesion, the base must be cleaned and leveled.

Sandpapering the fiberboard’s surface will help it hold the sculpture more securely. The base is primed for the same reason. Apply a thin layer (2–3 mm) of the "sculpting" solution, which serves as the foundation for "attaching" the image’s components. However, plasterboard sheets are still most frequently utilized as a base.

Tinting the base with acrylic paints

The background color of the bas-relief substrate will be uniform if the plaster or putty mass used for the base layer has already been painted. By creating multiple piles of paste that are tinted in various tones or shades on the palette, it can be created with iridescence or color transitions. Next, to create the background, shade and mix the tones when applying the mass to the base using a spatula (and also a brush). When tinting, acrylic paints are acceptable.

Prepare and transfer the sketch

If you’re skilled enough, you can draw a sketch yourself or print one off the Internet. Draw a grid and transfer the drawing using dots, just like you would have done with notebook pages when you were younger, to a wall or canvas.

You can use carbon paper to transfer a sketch from paper to the base after printing it in the necessary scale.

We tint the plaster

The interior color scheme is taken into consideration when choosing the color solutions for the future "art." There are only two colors you really need, and one of them is white. Transitional tones can be achieved by combining them on a palette. Additionally, you can easily achieve any color of the rainbow with plaster that comes in three colors: red, yellow, and blue. Relief surfaces have a chiaroscuro expression in addition to color. This is something else that needs to be considered beforehand.

The plaster is traditionally tinted using the same technique as artists use in the "craft" of painting. Pastes in various colors are piled up on the palette, and then portions are taken off and moved with a palette knife to a free "patch" where the two materials are combined.

We form a sculpture

The idea behind decorative plaster sculpture painting is that every stroke should produce one element. One stroke, for instance, corresponds to one leaf of the "sculpted" flower. One completed petal equals one stroke. Working with an impasto palette knife is similar to this technique.

Applying detail after detail until a completed object is assembled from the vibrant "constructor" yields a three-dimensional picture. There are two methods for gathering plaster mass with the palette knife’s spatula and multiple methods for securing the stroke to the base.

The petal will be thinner when the angle between the palette and the spatula is smaller during the mass collection process using the palette knife. Conversely, the petal’s ability to maintain the shape it takes on during collection and attachment decreases with its thickness.

The palette knife is "wiped" from this edge on the palette to create an even, tidy petal edge using a tiny amount of the gathered solution. Following this, the mass is still being collected while using the other spatula edge to pinch off sections of the mound. In this instance, the collected paste moves the previously collected plaster mass in the direction of the petal’s edge. The petal on the palette knife plate "grows," accumulating to cover the spatula’s edge.

After the "assembled" image has dried, colorless varnish is applied. By shielding the painting’s materials from moisture, the varnish coating increases the painting’s lifespan.

Homemade mixture recipe

Plaster for sculptural painting is something you can make by hand. You can always experiment until you get the hang of the technique, understand the mechanics, and realize what properties the paste needs to work. Leading master classes, as many masters have done (see the video below).

Decorative arrangement 1.

Knauf Fugen universal gypsum plaster serves as the paste base. This material shrinks less and costs less. The diluted mixture can be worked with for thirty minutes.

A portion of plaster can be prepared by cutting a rubber ball in half. It is simple to remove "crackers" of the predetermined solution from such a container.

Fugen will benefit from the addition of fibers from the silk plaster mixture from Paritet (base coat No. 1). Water is required; add the base coat to it first, then allow the fibers to disperse evenly. Next, mix in Fugen a little at a time. The mass can be used after the gypsum plaster has "insisted" (about 5 to 10 minutes) and mixed.

Decorative arrangement 2.

1. Silk plaster (indicated above) is used as a component – a supplier of fibers. You can use fiber instead – 10 ml (1 cap).
2. The base is 200 g. of decorative acrylic composition with marble filler.

• measure out the required amount of acrylic decorative composition, place in a glass jar (which can be sealed tightly and stored for up to 2 months);
• wet the fiber, add to the first solution;
• the mixture is stirred using a palette knife (until the fibers are evenly placed).

Making sculpture paintings out of ornamental plaster is a satisfying way to give your walls a distinctive, artistic touch. With the correct equipment and a little perseverance, even novices can accomplish amazing results that completely change any space.

The secret to success is to pay close attention to every step of the procedure. Every step is essential to realizing your vision, from painting the wall to adding the finishing touches. To get the desired effect, take your time shaping and perfecting the plaster, and don’t rush the drying times.

You’ll gain confidence and establish your own style with practice. With decorative plaster sculpture painting, you can express your creativity and individuality in a multitude of ways, whether your style is more modern or classic.

Decorative plaster sculpture painting is a unique way to give your walls depth and texture while converting flat surfaces into striking works of art. The entire process, from priming your wall and preparing the plaster to applying layers and crafting elaborate designs, will be guided through in detail by this article. This master class will give you the methods and pointers you need, regardless of your level of experience, to easily achieve beautiful results.

Video on the topic

Drawing a volumetric peony. Sculptural painting. Unusual technique of painting flowers. Bas-relief. Time-lapse

Lesson 1. Lotus leaves

Lesson 1

How to thicken plaster for sculptural painting

Detailed master class. Volumetric painting from decorative plaster.