Abstract: A new method for the production of decorative designs on substrates, e.g., furniture and building walls, basically includes the steps of (a) providing a design printed on a flat release sheet, the design comprising a picture side in contact with the release surface and an exposed back side, (b) applying to an exposed surface of a substrate an imprint layer of imprint material, (c) contacting the exposed back side of the printed design with the external surface of the substrate layer, (d) imprinting the design into the substrate layer, and (e) removing the release sheet leaving the design imprinted in the layer with its picture side exposed. Alternatively, the method may include the step (f) of covering the picture side and any portion of the substrate imprint layer not covered by the design with a clear durable coating. An embodiment using two or more designs on separate release sheets with seriatim imprinting to produce dimensional effects is disclosed.

Abstract: Faux finishes are produced without need for artistic manipulations of coating materials by applying a layer of one or more unique aqueous emulsions to a substrate surface and, while the layer is still wet, applying thereto scattered portions of one or more special blending solvent mixtures, allowing such portions to interact with the color mixture layer to automatically form a faux finish pattern and then allowing the resulting faux finish to dry.The preferred emulsions have the following weight percentage composition:______________________________________ acrylic polymer 5%-15% propylene glycol 20%-75% colorant 0%-60% non-essential adjuvants 0%-10%. ______________________________________The blending solvent mixtures have the following weight percentage composition: ______________________________________ isopropyl alcohol 10%-30% ethylene glycol monobutyl ether 10%-30% water 30%-60% acrylic latex 5%-30%.

Abstract: Faux finishes are produced without need for artistic manipulations of coating materials by applying a layer of one or more unique color mixtures to a substrate surface and, while the layer is still wet, applying thereto scattered portions of one or more special blending solvent mixtures, allowing such portions to interact with the color mixture layer to automatically form a faux finish pattern and then allowing the resulting faux finish to dry. The color mixtures have the following weight percentage composition: 20%-60% acrylic latex, 20%-60% propylene glycol, and 1%-60% colorant. The blending solvent mixtures have the following weight percentage composition: 10%-30% isopropyl alcohol, 10%-30% ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, 30%-60% water, and 5%-30% acrylic latex.

Abstract: Imitation marble or like faux finishes are produced without need for artistic manipulations of coating materials, by applying random portions of one or more different aqueous colorant mixtures to the color absorbent surface of a substrate, while such random portions are still wet, applying thereto scattered portions of an activator solution of a small amount of water-insoluble volatile organic liquid, e.g., mineral spirits, dissolved in a water-miscible alcohol, e.g., isopropyl alcohol, allowing such scattered portions to act upon the random colorant mixture portions to automatically move them into a faux finish pattern, and then allowing the resulting faux finish pattern to dry. Aqueous colorant mixtures so used each contain a major amount of water and minor amounts of colorant and, selectively, detergent and/or water-miscible alcohol.