Materials:
calculator
measuring tape
carpenter's level
pencil
masking tape
latex satin paint for base coat (Open Spaces 3A-2)
latex satin paint for dark diamonds, trim and wainscoting (Water Fowl 3A-3)
2" angular brush
paint tray
paint roller
roller covers
Steps:
1. Begin by measuring the width of the most visible wall of your technique. This is the wall to base your dimensions on. Divide the width of the wall into diamonds of anywhere from 6 inches to 9 inches wide, or sized to suit your taste. For example, if your wall is 9 feet long, that could divide into 12 complete 9-inch diamonds. Keep in mind that our diamonds are simply squares standing on end, and it would be best if the ceiling and the corners ended on complete diamonds. Next, measure the height for your diamonds; hopefully the 9-inch width (or whatever width you have determined) will divide equally into the height as well. If not, determine whether it really matters if you have full diamonds along the floor, or if you are adding a chair rail, mount the rail right after a completed diamond.
2. Before marking anything on the wall, you need to determine your two paint colors for this technique. Paint one of the colors on the wall as your base coat and let thoroughly dry. If you are using your current wall color as one of your two diamond colors, make sure that the wall is clean and dry, then begin working on your diamonds. To mark the spacing of the diamonds, start at the upper left corner of the main wall. If the diamonds are 9 inches, measure along the ceiling and place a pencil mark at 4 1/2 inches. Remember, the point of a complete diamond will have to begin half of the distance out from the corner. Now continue along the ceiling every 9 inches marking the point of the first row of complete diamonds. Once that is done, go back to the left corner and measure down from the ceiling 4 1/2 inches and make a mark right in the corner. Using a long level, continue marking every 9 inches across the wall. These marks should fall right in between your previous row of marks. When complete, return to the left side of the wall, measure down 4 1/2 inches and across 4 1/2 inches and place a mark directly under the first row of marks. Use the level to make sure all of the diamonds are square. Continue this process until the wall is done.
3. Now it's a matter of just connecting the dots. Start in the left- hand top corner, at the first mark you made, and using the level as a drawing guide (positioned in a diagonal fashion), connect the dots and draw in the diamonds.
4. Determine which diamond will be the second color, and use the pencil to put a light "X" in the block. Go across the wall horizontally marking every diamond in that row with a light "X". Go back to your first diamond, then go down one, and mark that diamond with a light "X". Go across the wall horizontally marking every diamond with a light "X". Go back to your starting point, and mark the third row of diamonds the same as the first, and so forth. As the masking and painting goes on, you'll be glad you marked these because it does get a little confusing. Begin masking off the diamonds to be painted, using the masking tape. You'll soon discover that you can mask off only every other diamond to be painted because of overlapping tape. Because of this, you'll move across the wall twice to fill in all of the marked diamonds.
5. If the diamonds are large enough to paint in with a roller, go ahead--it's much easier and less time consuming. If not, use a brush and be careful to cover the base coat well so the diamonds don't require a second coat. Remember to remove the masking tape before the paint has set up too much so as not to peel off the paint coating.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 for the rest of the walls.
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