Faux bois makes a real impact.
In a forest of decorative finishes, wood graining has never fallen out of fashion. * Veterans say it's also a skill that painters can grow old with, demanding fewer trips up and down the ladder. And while wood-graining techniques are challenging to perfect, those who make the grade can expect good pay days in a less-crowded field of competitors.
"There are a lot of people out there doing wall finishes, but not many doing wood graining," says Mike MacNeil, a painter based in Southern California who teaches the craft at workshops throughout North America.
MacNeil's projects have included a table for actor Charlie Sheen that replicated book-matched walnut burl. ...