Pour a small amount of primer into a paint tray. Roll the paint roller through the primer. Do not to overload the roller with too much primer. Prime the flat or set pieces that require the brick facade. If you run out of primer in the tray, pour in more as needed until the set is primed. Allow to dry completely as directed by the primer manufacturer.
Pour a small amount of white paint into a paint tray. Roll the paint roller through the paint. Do not to overload the roller with too much paint. Roll the paint onto the flat or set pieces that require the brick facade. If you run out of paint in the tray, pour in more as needed until the set is covered in white paint. Do not let completely dry.
Texturize the base coat. Dampen a sponge in clean water water and wring out until only slightly damp. Dab the sponge into the gray paint. Lightly tap the gray paint on the still moist white paint. Continue until the entire piece is covered in white paint with gray texture. Allow to dry and cure overnight. This texture will be revealed between your bricks as grout lines.
Sketch the layout of your brick facade on a piece of paper. Mark the height and length of each brick and lay out the pattern for the facade. Arches in a wall have different patterns than the rest of the wall. Walkways have different patterns than other surfaces.
Mark the horizontal grout lines. Use your level to draw horizontal guidelines. Add 1/2 inch to the height of the brick and space the horizontal guidelines by that amount. If you choose to have a 1-inch grout line, add 1 inch to the height.
Tape horizontal grout lines by keeping the bottom edge of the painter's tape along the drawn on guidelines. Leave a 1-inch overhang on both sides of the set piece so you can remove the tape later. For precise, sharp bricks, press down on the edges of the tape using a straightedge or your fingernails. For a rougher brick edge, press the tape down with your fingers and do not worry about being precise when placing the painters tape.
Mark the vertical grout lines. Add 1/2 inch to the width of the brick and space the vertical guidelines by that amount. Stagger the vertical lines row by row as you would see in an actual wall. If you want 1-inch grout lines, add 1 inch to the width of each brick.
Tape the vertical grout line edges. Follow directions in step 3 for sharp versus soft grout lines. The vertical tape should overlap the horizontal tape slightly.
Scoop a trowel load of joint compound onto an upper corner of the set piece.
Smooth compound with the joint taping knife, leaving a thin coat about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick and covering the surface of the set piece and the tape. Continue from top to bottom until you have a 3-by-3-foot section completed.
Stipple the joint compound with texture brush while the compound is still damp. Stipple until the desired brick surface texture is achieved.
Continue to apply compound and texturize until the entire surface is covered. Allow the surface to dry to touch.
Paint a coat of the base brick color on the set piece. Pour the paint into a paint tray and roll a paint roller through the tray. Roll the paint onto the facade surface in small overlapping strokes.
Dip a sponge in water and ring out until it is slightly damp. Dab the sponge into black or brown water-based paint.
Tap the black or brown paint onto the red surface to deepen the texture and to show more characteristics of the bricks.
Repeat the technique with white or lighter colors to add more depth to individual bricks.
Remove the tape to reveal the grout lines between the bricks.
Use artist brushes to touch up any mistakes in the brick wall.