I didn't use the Granite, but I just used the Valspar Seaside Retreat Sandstone finish which is very similar minus the crystals.

If it is like the Seaside, it is VERY messy. When you start to roll it, it splatters everywhere, and you have to tape off everything and use eye protection. It doesn't say this on the can at all. If it is in a bathroom or other high traffic area, you have to put two coats of clearcoat on after it cures for 7 days. So, it's a bit more involved than I envisioned. I don't have any pictures yet. We used aqua.

We wanted to cover up imperfections in the wall, and it did do that quite nicely, though.

Boy, gsciencechick, that sounds way too involved for me. What is the clear coat made of - will you be able to paint over it if you change your mind on the color later?

The granite look was less trouble (I just got done with my wall art). I painted it on canvas. First I painted a semi gloss base coat of a similar color and then I stirred in the granite crystals into the translucent top coat and painted that on - it was pretty easy. I put in lots of the crystals in a small amount of paint in a cup (and reserved the rest of the paint for some other project) because I was only going to use enough to cover the canvas - which was 2ft x 3ft - and I used a paint brush - I don't think it would have spattered if I used a roller though.

I just remembered I did use textured paint in a garden shed at my last house and it did spatter a lot - it saved me from having to pay a texture guy to do the walls though - I painted over the tape and texture seams and it covered well - I think I had to put two coats and some of the sandy stuff did scuff off the walls easily - that was before these new techniques came out. I just wore old clothes and a shower cap on my head to keep it out of my hair - and it was latex based for easy clean up.

It's a Valspar polyurethane clear coat that is recommended for faux finishes like the Sandstone and Venetian Plaster. I don't ever plan to paint over these walls and change the color. They will eventually need to come off. However, if someone wanted to remove it, they would have to sand it off.

Valspar granite paint goes on just like the swatch if you use a textured paint gun, put on the lowest setting for spraying paint.
I first used granite with a roller in my daughter's room and it turned out horrible. A COMPLETE nightmare. If you look at the link below, you can see the 1st 5 photos I used the roller. The rest of the photos I used a spray gun. I had to scrap my daughter's room & fix it best I could, but when I had a fresh start on a new wall using the spray gun it turned out absolutely PERFECT!

Here is a link that might be useful: Valspar Granite Paint