Professional Painted Finishes: A Guide to the Art and Business of Decorative Painting;

One lovely feature of this volume is that it shows the real material that inspired different faux finishes next to the excellent painted imitations. After extensive coverage of all aspects of getting started (tools and materials, preparation, safety concerns, and design and color considerations), and of working with glazes, there are dozens of detailed recipes for various marble and graining effects. The final chapter, "Professional Practice," explains how to set up your own decorative-painting business, including assembling a portfolio, identifying and reaching your market, financial planning, calculating rates and expenses, preparing samples, organizing the workspace, and working with clients. You'll even find a prototype contract and a checklist of supplies to bring on the job. Those who want to produce spectacular faux-finish results will learn a lot from Professional Painted Finishes.