Page 17 - The Decorative Painter Summer 2017

SKILLBUILDER
CREATING FAUX METAL
by Prudy Vannier cda
Metal – whether tin, brass, silver, or another – is a traditional surface for decorative painters. A metal piece is also a common addition to a still life setup.
In this issue, you will find Mary Jo Leisure’s Angel Weather Vane on page 74. The original surface for the apple design is an aged metal weather vane. Metal has a base color depending on what it
is, but also lots of subtle colors that come with age and use. You
STEP 1
can even float in colors that create dents and abrasions. All of these subtleties make metal an interesting surface for decorative art, or
a subject that’s part of an overall design.
Below, you will see how that look was duplicated on the angel-shaped wood piece.
PALETTE
DECOART AMERICANA DÉCOR METALLICS Copper
Zinc
Rose Gold
DECOART AMERICANA ACRYLICS Lamp (Ebony) Black
BRUSHES
Large flat to apply paint and Mops to blend
STEP 1
STEP 2
Slip-slap areas of Lamp (Ebony) Black and Zinc to cover the surface. I use plenty of paint so that it is moveable and only clean my brush by wiping. Work fast so that the paint stays wet. If the surface is too large to do this, paint small areas at a time. When both colors are applied, mop so the edges blend together.
STEP 2
Wipe your brush and add Copper, as much or as little as you
like, blending with the mops. I especially like it in the Angel Weather Vane because it picks up the orange colors in the apples. (See the Angel Weather Vane project on page 74.) When doing the background for your own design, keep this in mind. Repeating a color in your design palette in the background is a classic technique. Doing it with some of the new metallic colors updates it.
STEP 3
Add a little Rose Gold to brighten it and add highlights. Mop to soften.
There are 14 colors in metallic paint, so any metal is easy to recreate. You can use them trans- parently or solid. Sand between coats for a smoother finish and higher sheen.
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STEP 3
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