Antique items are usually associated with something expensive, noble, beautiful and refined. Antiques in specialty stores sell for a lot of money, and finding something worthwhile in flea markets takes a long time. But you can make unique items with a touch of antiquity yourself. For example, a picture frame covered with a light patina will become a real work of art.
Necessary
- acrylic primer;
- gray, blue, green, white and gold acrylic paints;
- rice paper or napkin;
- red brass;
- glue for tombak;
- brush;
- stain;
- umber;
- liquid wax.
Instructions
Step 1
Wipe the frame well to remove dust and dirt. If it is a wood frame, prime it with acrylic primer. Polymer or plastic frames can be painted directly. Take a light gray acrylic paint and cover the frame with one coat. Wait for the layer to dry.
Step 2
Take unprocessed rice paper (this paper is used for decoupage on glass objects, you can find it in an art store), it is a structural material that absorbs moisture well. Make a small swab out of paper. You can also use a napkin, but it shouldn't leave any fibers on the frame. Using a swab, apply gold paint to the frame on top of the gray layer.
Step 3
Prepare the frosting - in a small jar, make a mixture of blue, green and white acrylic paints. Better to start with white and pour colored ones into it. Mix, but not completely, to get a heterogeneous color from several independent shades. Use a swab to glaze the frame. Before it dries, wipe it off in several places so that the gilding shows through. This will give the first gray layer a patina tint.
Step 4
Instead of gold acrylic paint, you can use a special gilding, for example, a tombak "gold", sold in the form of sheets. It looks very impressive, gives the impression of real gilding, but it costs less. First, it is better to cover the frame with colored paint of any shade, you can take both dark and light. Paint over the curly sections of the frame well. Apply special tombak adhesive to ensure that the metal adheres to the surface. Let the glue dry a little, but it should stay sticky. Lay the tombak sheet by removing the backing. With a small brush, smooth and press it into the surface of the frame. Sweep away the remaining scales that have not adhered to the frame with a clean brush. Then rub the natural umber into the frame profile with a piece of fabric to achieve an antiqued effect.
Step 5
You can age the frame without gilding, to do this, cover it with stain, making a test smear from the wrong side. If the color is too dark, dilute with water. Dry the frame, run in several places with sandpaper. Cover the surface with white water-based paint and wipe with a soft cloth while it is still wet. If you like the result, dry the frame and cover it with liquid wax.
