Finish inexpensive plaster statuary -- including pedestals, busts and animals -- with acrylic paint for an expensive decorator look. Furnishings designer Renee Sparks gives examples of two faux-finish techniques for statuary. French-Wash Technique Materials:
White plaster statuary
Deco Art acrylic paints in black-green and light greenish-blue
Small flat paintbrushes, 1" to 2" wide
Clean rag
Plastic cup and water for thinning paint
- Use an old paintbrush to clean any dust out of the cracks of a plain white plaster piece (figure A), then wipe the surface clean with a damp cloth.
- Apply a base coat of black-green acrylic paint to the statuary, and let dry.
- Shake a bottle of light greenish-blue paint until it is thoroughly mixed, and squirt a small amount of paint into a plastic cup. Add water to the paint to make a 50/50 solution, about the consistency of ink.
- Paint over the base coat with the light-colored wash, then use a clean rag to wipe some of the wash from the painted area, leaving paint in the creases (figure B). Paint and wipe one small section at a time to prevent the paint from drying before it's wiped.
Dry-Brush Technique Begin with a base-coated piece, as above. Dip the tip of a dry paintbrush in the paint, then dab or wipe it off until very little pigment remains. Go over the plaster item with the almost-dry brush (figure C). This technique may be applied over a French wash, if desired.
RESOURCES :
Deco Art acryllic paints and other art supplies.
| 
)
)
)
)
)
