All I could say is WOW! Dawn has been combing the internet and magazines and pulling together loads of cool ideas that are all done with paint. She started a new website to share them all. It’s like having all your favorite bookmarks in one place.

I wasn’t aware that she was even working on this new website… and boom, their it was:

This is just one of the mural pictures she found… so cute!

And Dawn even has her own Ask The Artist Button… so you can ask her a question and try to stump her. I haven’t been able to do it yet… but give it a try:

Okay… this isn’t a how-to. But… I thought it was so cute I just had to share. Dawn has amazed me with her attention to detail, but this mural shows just how effective painting a simple nursery mural can be.

Get out your watercolor pencils and sketch out a simple tree, fill it in with just a few paint colors and boom… you have the cutest nursery mural, and you can paint it yourself!

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about creating stage sets lately… some for plays and some are party businesses. This week I got a call for help… How To Make A Faux Mirror.

We are trying to do a theatrical set for the Play “Fame”.

We want to do a faux Mirror which is 8′X8′.

Is there a good technique to use that will not give off too much glare, but also give the appearance of a mirror?

I asked THAT Painter Lady – Dawn to answer this question… she has a knack for creating stage set like props.

“Krylon makes a great mirror paint in a spray can called “Looking Glass Mirror Like Paint”. The only thing restriction is that you need to spray it on actual glass in order to get the mirror paint effect.

I would suggest testing it on a small piece of glass first to see what kind of glare it gives off. If it is too much, you can try to muddy up the glass with a thin brown or gray glaze & paint mixture. Brush it on or dab on lightly with a sponge. Let dry and then spray the faux mirror with the Mirror Paint.”

Debra THAT Painter Lady says… I might also suggest using a framed mirror that you already have and brush the front with this “muddy” glaze. The beauty of this is that the glaze will wash off when the play is done.

We really hope this is helpful… Good luck and have fun!

If you haven’t signed up for the “7 Common Beginner Faux Finishers Mistakes” lessons that you get for free when you sign up for the newsletter… you might not understand this question:

Hi Debra,

First, thanks so much for the “seven” mistakes of faux paining.

I have already made one of the mistakes & that is, I put the glaze directly on top of a flat base paint, then my top coat (top coat rec. for such by Sherwin Williams store). Only a very little of the final finish crackled. So, now, I have to start over.

My questions are: do I now add a coat of my flat base coat, or can I skip this coat & add my regular eggshell top coat… before applying a coat of glaze, then followed by my top coat rec. by Sherwin Williams.

I might add that my top coat (made for the crackling & rec. by Sh. Williams) is a deep brick red, so because of this, I may need to begin my process again with my flat base coat, then the eggshell regular coat before the glaze, etc.

Your feed back would be very much appreciated.

I asked Dawn to answer this question… she is amazing! I begged her to start sharing her knowledge with you… and she finally agreed. (She is very pregnant and busy with her mural and faux painting business).

If you haven’t seen the pictures of her work yet… click here: Dawn’s Children’s Murals

Here is Dawn’s Answer:

Because I don’t know what exactly you are trying to accomplish and on what you are painting, so I will answer as if it were a wall. If the final finish did not crackle the way you would’ve like it to, you most likely need to start over in the following steps –

1. base coat
2. crackle medium
3. top coat

If you are looking for a professional and flawless final finish then the wall may need to be sanded, skim coated with joint compound, sanded again, and then primed before starting the crackle process again.

Crackle can be very temperamental depending on the temperature and humidity in a room. Try to work in a room that is not too hot and not too cold (between 55 and 85 degrees).

You cannot expect perfection from this finish. I always suggest that you do samples first before attempting any finish.

Be sure to look at it in different lights at different times of the day. Sometimes colors can change and you may find that it does not look good when the lights are dimmed.

I try to do a few samples with slight variation in color so I can choose the best out of all of them.

The outcome of crackle can change with how heavy it is applied, the direction you apply it with your brush or roller, and also the type of crackle medium that you use. Be sure to allow the crackle medium to set according to the directions on the container.

When applied thicker you will get larger cracks and when applied thinner, you will get smaller cracks. Sherwin Williams asks that you allow the medium to set between 2-4 hours, until no longer tacky.

Once the top coat is applied (preferably overnight), be sure to work quickly and try not to overlap your strokes. This may cause the paint to pull away in areas and it can become a muddy mess.

A gorgeous way to finish a crackled furniture piece is to apply a thin coat of stain, wash it on with a rag and wipe it off. When everything is completely dry for more than 24 hours you can then apply a finishing coat of varnish or polyurethane.

I hope this has helped you and maybe answered a few of your questions.

Dawn….

Dawn Papandrea-Khan
Surfaces with Paint
(845) 669-9093
Website: www.surfaceswithpaint.com