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Tools and materials Spatula of four fingers in width, cloths, water, sandpaper, woollen roller, brush, narrow spatula for filling, paste for joints, paint.�

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When using tempera paint
o�If you are unsure whether the paint is tempera or plastic, you can soon find out. If it darkens a little and spreads easily, the paint is tempera.�
o The first step is to dampen the surface with water. To do this you can use a woollen roller or a receptacle with spraygun similar to those used to water plants.
o�Wait for the water to penetrate right through to the layer of plaster. A few seconds later you can begin to remove the paint. Dampen sections at a time to prevent the paint from drying.

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Start on the left
o�Unless you are left-handed, it is best to begin on the left-hand side of the wall and from the bottom upwards.
o�Scrape with a spatula. Lightly press the metal with your free hand.
o�Avoid hammering in the edge of the spatula, as you could cause deep gashes that would later need to be filled.
o�The spatula should therefore measure four fingers in width to enable you to manage it well.�
o If you have little patience, start from behind the door or a barely seen surface, such as behind a cupboard.

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The finish
o�Once the walls and ceilings have been scraped, pass over the surface with a cloth or
dry brush to remove dust. All the imperfections you encounter should be filled in with paste ready to be used or mixed with water.�
o When this dry, sandpaper the surface to complete the levelling process. Remove the dust in preparation for painting.

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If the paint is plastic
o�If the paint of your walls and ceiling is plastic, the process will be more complicated as it does not absorb water.
o�The solution is a basic masonry job, scraping with a spatula and jabbing with a pickaxe until the drip effect is removed. You will probably be left with small holes and grooves, which you will need to fill in with plaster and level.
o�If the wall's plaster is not in good condition, the solution is to partially or totally pick at the wall until reaching the brick base and later replastering.
o�An alternative to eliminating plastic drip effect is to level the entire wall with special autolevelling paste on which you can then paint.

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