DECORATIVE PAINTER

There are many traditional faux, or fake, finishes to learn to paint as well as a variety of decorative styles including French country, trompe l'oeil (meaning “fool the eye"), as well as early American. It's a good idea to begin by taking classes in the areas that interest you, advises Janelle Johnson, teacher services and education director of the Society of Decorative Painters. “Find a class and start to paint in your spare time.”

“You should have lots of self-discipline and have good people skills,” says Mary M. Wiseman, president of the Society of Decorative Painters, who has been involved in decorative painting for twenty-five years. “You should have a drive and incentive in all aspects of the career.”