Strie': Dry Brush Techniques for Dragging Glaze

Strie' or dragging glaze is a decorative dry brush technique that creates a unique vertical or horizontal pattern against a white latex paint. It uses a colored glaze to create the pattern. As complicated as it sounds, it is one of the easiest to use dry brush techniques. Typically it is used for walls that are divided horizontally, such as with chair railing or wainscoting, but it is only limited to your imagination.

To begin you will need to buy a few supplies. Typical painting supplies are needed such as drop cloths, painters tape, roller cover, etc. The two items that are special for this project are the colored glaze and a 3-inch stiff bristle brush. These two items can be found at nearly any painters supply store. If you plan to do a large wall, you will want to buy oil-based glaze. For shorter projects, water based will provide an easier clean up, but will tend to dry quickly.

Begin by prepping the wall. Remove all the cover plates and tape all fixtures. Mask tape any trim or other areas that you will not be glazing. Place a drop cloth around your work area. Roll on a coat of eggshell or semi gloss paint. Let it dry for 24 hours before you continue to the next step.

Mixing the paint and glaze requires 1 part paint to 1 part glaze. Mix in a paint bucket and stir it well with a paint mixing stick. Use a medium nap roller to apply the mixture from the top to the bottom of the wall, making your strokes vertically. Don't worry about cutting in with a small brush at this point in time.

Use the stiff bristled strie' brush to fill in the paint less voids at the top of the wall. Now drag the strie' brush down vertically in one stroke, applying even pressure as you work you way down the wall. Keep the brush as straight as possible will doing this. Once one stroke is complete, overlap the previously brushed area very slightly to avoid any noticeable transitions from stroke to stroke. Continue along until you have completed the wall. If you are working on a large section, roll a small section first then use the brush to create the pattern as you work the wall section to section. This will give you enough time to strie' the glaze before it dries.