A Craft Project.. cool. Thats what I think of any project that doesn't involve walls.
Hi Debra
I would like to know what painting technique I should follow to make my wooden picture frames have that old vintage black look.
I was previously told to do the following steps (but would like to know if it works or do you suggest another technique);
1. use sand paper to rubb off old varnish from the wooden frame.
2. paint white
3. paint black over.
4. sand paper the frame again lighly to reveal a two tone look.
Thanks
Kelly
First… I am not sure why you would want to paint anything with white if you want it look aged. White… no matter how little it shows through will look new.
The best way to get an aged look is to start with raw wood… so sanding or stripping off old varnish / paint is a very good idea. It's a pain and I may suggest it… but I probably wouldn't do it.
I would paint the frame with primer. Yes I know it's white, but it will be a layer between the varnish and anything you paint. Primer prevents paint failure more times that you can imagine. I learned this from some very hard learned experiences.
Then… I would paint the frame with a dark tan color in flat paint. A bottle of acrylic craft paint from the craft store is perfect and only cost about a buck.
Then…. get an old candle and rub it on the frame… after it has dried. Rub it along all the edges where normal wear would occur.
Now… paint it black. Paint right over the entire frame including the waxed edges.
The next step is easy. After the black paint has dried… you would get some sand paper and sand on the edges where the was was applied. This will be easy because the wax is a barrier in the paint and you should easily reveal some nice tan colorations.
For a truly aged look… go over the entire frame with dark brown shoe polish. Wipe off and buff.
The frame should now look like an old vintage black frame.
Have fun and good luck!
Debra
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