I forgot to mention that the wall I am painting is a textured wall.(I think it is called knockdown)

You are on the right track. That is a color wash. You paint with the darkest color as your base coat first. Then you can use one or two lighter colors mixed with glaze. It's hard to simulate a certain pattern without knowing which tool was used to create the effect. I'm going to guess sea sponge or cheesecloth, but I am no faux painter so that is just a guess. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to try the darker color first and see how that works. I've been doing the lighter color as my bast coat and then putting the other two colors on (each mixed with glaze)and the result is way too light. I want to end up with a darker result. I guess I thought the picture looked like the lighter color was the base coat and I also read online somewhere that you should paint lightest to darkest.

I think the darker color as a base coat might work. Thanks!

Anyone else have any advice?

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to try the darker color first and see how that works. I've been doing the lighter color as my bast coat and then putting the other two colors on (each mixed with glaze)and the result is way too light. I want to end up with a darker result. I guess I thought the picture looked like the lighter color was the base coat and I also read online somewhere that you should paint lightest to darkest.

I think the darker color as a base coat might work. Thanks!

Anyone else have any advice?

take two woolie pads; both damp-not wringing by no means just damp. Forget the three colors you have; apply the darkest color you have and start manipulating the paint/glaze around with one of the woolie pads (this pad will will the one you use to randomly work the finish into the wall. The 2nd woolie pad will be the one to work the same finish to remove and move around the finish you have already worked "in order to get that cloudy effect".

I don't know whether you intend to do a few practice boards to get the hang of the final look you might be wanting, but it is always advisable to do sample boards. Even though a sample board is only a tiny part of the big picture, it will give you a few ideas of your MOA and colors blended. good luck :)

So you are saying to only use the dark color and not any other? And I don't need to paint a base coat over the gray primer?

I am using sample boards.

I did our basement room in blues with that affect. I used damp rags (hubbys old t-shirts ripped up but flat cloth baby diapers work really well), no glaze. Light color went on first, then the dark, then the medium. Any areas that were too light to me, I went over with the darkest color again.

It's all about layering, layering, layering. You may need to have multiple layers, not just 3; one of each paint color. You need to keep your rag damp and twist your wrist all over the place as you are patting the paint around; adding it, removing it, softening edges. The glaze gives you more time to work with the paint, not really a necessity, you can thin the paint with a tad of water if you want. Another way to do this is with dry brushes, again using multiple layers. I used the dry brush method in a downstairs bath but it has since been repainted.

yes, because in essence when you get through with your finish that is or will be your base and finish all in one and leaving the gray as a background will give it more of that cloudy effect that is seen in the picture.

The manipulation and and different wrist movements you do to move the original one dark paint color around to soften some in more places and to barely blend in others will give you the effect you are wanting above. Just watch the pressures you use , what you move around, how much you remove and leave and how much you mottle.

You mentioned you had TEXTURED knockdown walls, depends on the finish of your knockdown, I have done both that are left smooth to the touch and where there is some roughness to the touch. If the latter, you are going to need to have a tool that is going to dig into the texture without it eating your tool up and spending all day just trying to get it loose from the texture and trying to get it to move around to get into knooks/crannies; otherwise if your walls are smooth a soft lint free rag or two soft "Natural Wool" sea sponges are some good choices.

Iloveflowers, also after you have done a wall and you arent stopping midway - you always want to keeping standing back to see what the overall effect is doing. You may not area's where you would like to have a little more color depth of the burgundy to show up in some places. Then you can take a chip brush and randomly scrub in some areas of more color. I see that wall as soft billowy clouds with the darkest being near the zenith and fluffed over with more soft clouds.

By adding glaze is going to make your mix a little more translucent as well. So that's my approach- good luck.

Our great room has a red finish that's similar, but not quite as soft looking, but it is on a smooth wall. I have used cheesecloth to wipe a lighter glaze over the top of a knockdown wall to do a rag/wiping effect. The trick is picking the correct colors and, if you don't have the recipe, it's quite a process to figure out. (As it sounds like you are doing!)

I had my great room done in a red, not the exact same color as you want, but it's useful as a reference. They used a fairly vibrant red as the primary coat and then they used a garbage bag to rag on a very dark umber/sepia color. (The photo shows it being much brighter and in your face than it is. IRL it is a softer and gentler effect.)

In your case, with the knockdown, you need to decide if you want the dark to recede into the crevices or the light. When I did my back bedroom in blues, I thought it looked better to have the darker color as the primary coat and then dab on a thin glaze over top with a cheesecloth, then smearing it around to wipe some of it off.

It changes things when you are working with a knockoff wall versus a smooth wall. Guessing from your photo, I'd use a vibrant red and then a dark brownish burgandy over the top. (At least that's where I might start.)

Good luck!!