Venetian Plaster assistance

I could use someone with experience to guide me here.

I want to contact or learn how to do a particular effect for a room or two.
I've seen a lot of websites selling expensive materials and instruction.

It would be great to use some of these products that contain the real marble dust. maybe some powdered mica effect etc.

I'm in over my head from the get go and am unsure how realistic this will be.
Not interested in big box faux finishes at all. (ragging-sponging)

I'd like to try a 3 layer plaster finish with both shiny and dull finishes if thats not to ambitious. I already know what I want.

Unsure where to start. any ideas? Im in So Cal.

Mike

No good at swinging a wrench and I'm not a techie-don't like to dance and it's to wet to plow.

This I can do. lol

I spoke with a very talented gal in Maine yesterday.
If you want to buy the real product-you have to attend the Italian Plaster School school.
In my case that would mean going to San Diego for a week. School is
1000-1500. OMG

http://www.italianplasters.com/

They simply will not sell to anyone who hasn't gone to their school.
I'm not very happy about that.

Cookie-I'm in the art business and I dont tolerate snobs lightly.
I know the difference between business & elitists.

You know I'm a graphic arts guy and they wont sell to ME??
For crissake this stuff will wind up costing 500-1000 in materials to do a medium sized project.

This is another source that looks pretty good to me:

http://www.marmorinovenetianplasters.com/finishes.html

Instructions:

http://www.marmorinovenetianplasters.com/carrara.html

Issues are as I understand it that the good stuff is Carrara limestone from Italy which is aged. Product contains about 50% marble dust in various consistencies.

This IS truly a specialty product.

OR-You can go and buy Venetian Plaster by Behr or American standard.
These are imitation products. They are however used by high end artisans I am told.

I'm not rushing into this. To the contrary.
By the time I've finished a small room I will have invested a couple hundred hours is research-instruction and buying product before I even start.

The alternative is to buy big box stuff and slap it on and hope for the best.
The good news is that I have some basic Mud and Grout skills and I'm OK with a trowel.

Im going to experiment with all this stuff in my garage-and be ready to
create some high polished marble walls in the spring.

The first thing I need is a rectangle shaped trowel with rounded corners.
This is the basic tool used by all these guys.

Mike

From my dealings so far I'll say this:
You would think these people ran up to the mountain top only to announce to everyone that they were the first to discover lightning.

Today, I spent an hour watching a video at my local Dunn Edwards and discovered the professional line of Venetian Plaster & Metallic Effects paint.
The bronze/rust effects this product produces is worth looking at folks. Not Cheap.

http://www.modernmastersinc.com/