Distressing Paint Technique
These instructions explain how to paint an item in order to create a distressed rustic look. You will apply two layers of paint to the item. The base coat will be seen through the top coat as if time has caused the paint to wear off. Choose a ontrasting color for your base coat so that it will be easily seen.
Materials:
- Item to be painted
- Sandpaper
- Acrylic primer (this is the color that will be seen under your top coat)
- Paintbrush
- White wax candle
- Acrylic paint, in your choice of colour
- Protective finish
Method:
- Sand the item to be
painted and then clean it with a dry cloth.
- Apply a coat of acrylic paint. This color will be seen under your top coat. The best results are obtained when this coat is lighter than your top coat. Allow to dry.
- Rub a white wax candle randomly on the surface of the painted item. Make sure that you wax the areas that usually suffer from wear and tear (such as the edges and corners). The areas that you have rubbed with wax will later show through your top coat of paint.
- Apply the top coat of acrylic paint to the entire item. Allow to dry.
- Sand the item focusing on the areas to which you applied wax. Remove all dust.
- Apply a protective finish.
Tip:
Another method of distressing is the crackling paint effect - see instructions.