Hand
MANUAL
essential life skills // RE-PAINTING A ROOM
in case of emergency, read quickly.
Changing the paint color of a room ideally ends with an opaque, even coating of paint but only on the walls.
Vicki Bass, supervisor of the paint department at Home Depot, 1910 W.31st St., says preparation is everything. Use painter's tape to border the ceiling, floor and door frame to prevent drips and uneven lines. Cover risky exposed areas such as furniture and carpet with plastic and drop cloths.
Start with a smooth canvas — clean the walls, fill and sand nail holes and use a coat of primer. This last step is particularly important when painting over a dark color. Now you're ready to test colors and choose the right one. Bass says a common misconception is that dark colors make a room appear smaller, but that's not always the case. If you're thinking about a lighter color, keep in mind that when it's on all four walls it will look brighter as it reflects off of itself.
Before you apply, make sure you have the right tools in hand and the correct technique in mind. Use a paintbrush to cut in around the edges, but a cheap one might leave streaks, so it's worth it to spend a few extra bucks. A roller creates an even coating on the rest of the wall, and a three-eighth-inch roller is usually sufficient. Bass says, because anything thicker than that tends to get sloppy
unless the wall is textured. With flat-finish paints, you can cut in and paint in two separate steps, but with other eggshell and satin sheens, cut in small sections and paint them as you go. Bass always recommends two coats of paint to make sure you don't miss any spots and achieve an even final product.
// EMILY JOHNSON
Photo illustration by Emily Johnson
Roll on, roll off. Painting can add new life to a room.
Consider the correct tools, application method and color before you start your own home makeover.
in the life of ... // A TATTOO ARTIST
living vicariously through others is ok with us.
Tattooing is just as serious of a commitment as sitting on the receiving end of the needle.
Martin del Camino works into the dark evening hours cleaning, drawing, researching and tattooing at his studio, Ichiban Tattoo, 1912 Massachusetts St., which means "number one" in Japanese.
The Argentina native tattoos in many genres but he fell in love with the Japanese style when a friend asked him to fix a poorly done Japanese tattoo. After that, del Camino studied the Japanese language, mythology and culture to understand the meaning of the tattoos he loves.
"You're drawing in a person, youre painting in a person, and you can't erase it," del Camino says. "It's really mesmerizing."
Passion is an essential ingredient in the life of a tattoo artist, which isn't all human coloring books and pointy pens. A common misconception, del Camino says, is that tattooing is an escape from having a real job, but good artists often become workaholics. "People think that you come here, you tattoo for eight hours and then you go home," del Camino says. "You have to clean the tubes, clean your station, mop, and then you have to start drawing for tomorrow. You are working way more hours than any regular job."
During the past two decades and countless hours of work, del Camino has tattooed people from all walks of life - boxers, basketball players, navy seals, Americans, Argentinians and Europeans. He says they've taught him to do away with stereotypes and generalizations.
"No matter where you come from, the people are all the same," del Camino says. "Everybody has pain; everybody has the same soul."
// EMILY JOHNSON
Photo by Emily Johnson
Etch a sketch Del Camino sketches a design on a light board. He tattoos many Japanese styles.
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