Waxes: Clear, Brown, White
See the link below to the full tutorial on my YouTube Channel: My Colorful France
The first coat and texture:
I am planning to use light colors and that is why I am applying the white undercoat. I just want to tone down the brown with only one coat.
Applying method:
Criss-cross, random strokes.
Let it completely dry!
Second coat:
The paint: Annie Sloan’s Versailles and Chateau Gray chalk paint
Applying method: blending technique.
For my blend I am using Chateau Gray on the edges and Versailles in the middle. As I am going to do more layers I am not trying to achieve a smooth blend. I want to create shades and with the blending it looks more naturally, leaving some darker shades in the crevices and highlighting the high points.
I am making sure that the darker color gets into all the details. If the paint is too thick you can spray the brush with water. Versailles goes into the middle, and then I am spraying the surface with water and with the clean brush’ I am blending the two colors together.
Let it completely dry!
Third coat:
Repeating the blending.
Let it completely dry!
Next Step:
The paint: Old Ochre chalk paint by Annie Sloan and Old White chalk paint by Annie Sloan
Consistency:
Paint wash 1 paint to 1 water.
Applying method: dubbing ragging technique.
My next step is a paint wash with the old ochre chalk paint. I added a tiny bit of an old white and added some water into the mixture half paint to half water. I am also going to use the baby wipes and a wet rug, the kitchen paper and a small brush.
I am applying the wash and then raging off the excesses of the paint. Here I don’t wipe the paint off I am gently dubbing it. This way it creates more natural look and helps me to get rid of any sharp lines. When the rag get saturated I am spreading the paint around without adding any more of it.
Let it half dry!
Next Step:
The paint: Coco Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan, Honfleur Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan
Consistency: paint wash 1 paint to 1 water
Applying method: ragging technique
I have mixed a Coco with some Honfleur paint and diluted it with water. I am also going to use my first paint wash with the old ochre and I am using two wet rugs, the baby wipes and a brush for each wash.
I am applying my darker paint wash mostly into the details creating more shades. Then ragging off the excesses of the paint, spreading it into the crevices, creating the different shades of the same wash. And taking more paint off with the wet rug where I want to have lighter areas.
I am using the old ochre paint wash where I want to bring back the lighter areas. The main goal here is to make the color transitions smooth making the low points darker and the high points lighter.
Let it completely dry!
Bringing it all together:
Finishing touches:
Slightly brushing the edges of the details with the old ohre wash and dubbing off the excesses.
Some red on the high points, not much, just a touch here and there. I want it to shine through when I finish all the layers. Red looks very beautiful under the gold but if you want to use it don’t overdo.
I have also done darker wash on the bottom of the chest.
How to apply decorative waxes:
After the paint is completely dry I am always covering the whole piece with the clear wax. Then before applying the decorative waxes I apply a second coat of a clear wax to the small parts. It allows me to easily move the other waxes, wiping them off where I added too much.
To accent the corners and crevices I am adding some brown wax, and smearing it with the lint free rug . The middle I am highlighting with the white wax.
Also some antique gilding wax to the details. The red, the mixture of chateau gray and honfleur are visible enough through the gilding wax, the result I wanted to achieve.
Watch the full Tutorial on my YouTube Channel: My Colorful France
You might also like to learn:
- French Dresser Makeover
- Your
- Your
- Your
