Decorative plate painted with a tole painting technique.
Tole painting is a decorative painting technique used to embellish home decor and furniture. It is also referred to as folk art painting, country or rustic painting. There are many tips you can follow to add different effects to your design and provide a long lasting finish. Adding the base coat properly, layers of glaze, crackle effects and a final varnishing can make all the difference in how well your final project turns out.
Base Coating
The base coat is your background color and often the largest area to be painted in a project. The ideal base coat will have consistent color and smooth, even thickness of paint applied to the surface. To achieve this, make sure the project you are working on is free from dents and scratches before you begin. Use a large, flat paintbrush with rounded edges to paint your base coat. Softer bristles and rounder edges on the paintbrush will help prevent brushstroke marks when the paint dries. You can use sponge rollers as an alternative to paintbrushes. Sponge rollers soak up more paint and cover large surfaces faster, leaving no brushstroke marks. When painting, avoid overloading the brush. Paint in long sweeping strokes.
Glazing
Apply a clear glaze medium after the base coat to add a seal to the project and protect it. Brush on a thin layer of glaze after the base coat paint has dried using a soft, wide paintbrush. You can apply glaze medium in between painting sessions to protect your surface until you come back. To create a glowing, translucent appearance on your project, paint thin layers of glaze in between every object you paint, for example, every time you paint a leaf or a flower. Always let the glaze dry for at least one to two hours in between when painting layers. Add a final layer of glaze medium for sealing and let it cure to fully dry for about 48 hours.
Crackling Effect
Adding a crackling effect to your project gives it an antique aged appearance. Do the crackling after your tole painting is completed and before you apply the varnish layer. You can apply crackling medium to borders and edges or to cover an entire project, depending on the desired effect. Apply the medium with a flat, soft bristle paintbrush or with a sponge for a more open cracked look. Different crackle mediums sold on the market have different techniques and steps to applying. Follow the instructions and experiment a little on a test piece to find which effect you desire. Brushing in a checkerboard pattern will have a different effect than brushing in a straight pattern. When finished, allow the crackle medium to dry for at least 24 hours before applying varnish.
Varnishing
Varnishing with polyurethane is the final protection layer. Polyurethane comes in matte, satin or gloss finishes and creates a hard surface that detracts dirt and dust. You can spray on or brush on polyurethane; do so outside or in a well-ventilated area and wear a mask for protection. Both options give a nice finish, but spraying varnish can take a little practice to avoid drips and uneven coverage. A badly varnished appearance will have brushstrokes, bubbles and uneven thickness. To avoid this, apply the varnish with a flat, soft bristled paintbrush in thin layers using long, broad brush strokes. You can apply two or three coats of varnish.
