ISF Academy · Level 3
Metallic & industrial walls for real projects.
Level 2 gave you discipline on fabric-inspired walls – calm silk and suede readings on light-critical elevations. Level 3 moves that discipline into metallic and industrial surfaces – Klondike Classics & Lights, Meteore 8 Lamé, Valmetal and the Klondike Ferro / Corten families.
Over three days you’ll work large elevations under grazing light, control sheen, patina and direction, and understand where these systems sit as architecture – including how selected finishes interface with Waterproof Artistic Walls bodies for wet zones.
Bay 1 · Textured metallic
Klondike Classic – textured metallic walls with depth.
Klondike Classic is the textured metallic body that many designers recognise from Valpaint. In Level 3 we treat it as a calm, architectural language rather than a loud feature effect.
- Build regulating bases and understand when Classic should lead a wall vs support a scheme.
- Control trowel pressure and direction so the metallic texture reads coherent on full-height elevations.
- Manage transitions into corners, soffits and returns without visible joins in the metallic field.
- Place Classic correctly alongside stone, concrete and fabric walls inside the Framework.
In the UK we usually place Klondike Classic in lobbies, stair cores and feature walls that need depth and metal without becoming busy or “special effect”.
Bay 2 · Brushed metal
Klondike Light – brushed metallic fields under grazing light.
Klondike Light is the refined brushed-metal finish in the family. It’s closer to brushed aluminium or steel than textured plaster, and shows every decision you make with the trowel.
- Run Light over appropriate bases and compare it to Classic in the same tone under raking light.
- Keep strokes long and consistent so the wall reads as one brushed metal field, not broken bands.
- Work around openings and corners so the grain stays continuous and believable.
- Place Klondike Light carefully in corridors, lift lobbies and suites where light is unforgiving.
In the UK we treat Klondike Light as a controlled brushed metal plane – often on one or two key elevations in a space rather than on every wall.
Bay 3 · Weathered steel
Klondike Corten – weathered steel plates on standard walls.
Klondike Corten delivers weathered steel readings on interior walls. The goal is believable Corten plate, not random splashes of rust.
- Build plates with believable proportions and joints, not just random verticals and horizontals.
- Control drips, runs and oxidation so they feel like weathering, not accidents.
- Balance colour and depth so the Corten holds up under close inspection and wide shots.
- Discuss where Corten belongs in the Framework – feature walls, stair cores, spa reception and retail.
In the UK we normally treat Corten as a single industrial gesture in a space – one wall or core – supported by quieter concrete, stone or fabric finishes.
Bay 4 · Oxidised iron
Klondike Ferro – oxidised iron plates with controlled patina.
Klondike Ferro reads as oxidised iron rather than Corten steel. It carries a different energy and demands tight control of oxidation depth and direction.
- Build plates and patina in a way that feels like iron, not generic rust.
- Use vertical and diagonal flows to suggest weight and weathering without losing control.
- Balance Ferro with concrete, timber and hard finishes in stair cores and industrial-leaning interiors.
- Discuss where Ferro makes more sense than Corten or standard metallic systems.
Ferro tends to appear in industrial-leaning stair cores, bars and gallery spaces where a more iron-like reading is needed rather than Corten plate.
Bay 5 · Mineral + lamé
Meteore 8 Lamé – mineral body with lamé veil.
Meteore 8 Lamé combines a mineral relief body with a lamé metallic veil. It sits between stone and metallic, and is easy to over-decorate if you are not disciplined.
- Construct the mineral body, tuning relief so lamé has something to read but doesn’t become noisy.
- Apply lamé in layers to control intensity and direction of reflection.
- Test under different lighting conditions to see when “enough” lamé has been reached.
- Decide when Meteore 8 belongs in a scheme versus classic metallics or pure concrete bodies.
In the UK, Meteore 8 Lamé often appears in lobbies, corridors and hospitality backdrops, where designers want a metallic reading that still feels grounded and mineral.
Bay 6 · Flat metallic
Valmetal – flat metallic language for walls & joinery.
Valmetal provides a flat metallic reading that can unify walls, joinery and small details into one metallic language. It’s less about texture and more about sheen, tone and composition.
- Work Valmetal on boards and selected wall areas to understand coverage, light and colour scaling.
- Test it next to Klondike and Meteore 8 Lamé to decide which surfaces should carry which system.
- Discuss where Valmetal belongs – joinery, niches, panels, details – versus field walls.
- Log mixes and application notes so Valmetal can be repeated faithfully on future projects.
Valmetal often appears on joinery, panels and details that tie into larger metallic bodies – a way to extend metal language through a space without overloading every wall.
