There are two parts to this short (and a little late) issue. The first part,
some last minute gift ideas for your finishing family and friends; the second is
a fun finish you can store away until a slow day in January.
For those of you (okay, us) that get that last-minute panicky feeling this time
of year, consider some of these for those who would appreciate them properly:
A bundle of disposable brushes such as "chip" brushes (wooden handles with
natural bristles) or foam wedge brushes wrapped with a ribbon. (I won't be
getting too Martha here, make up your own wrapping ideas.)
A box of rags, available at most paint stores. Ah, what luxury! (Probably best
to give this to guys, who will genuinely appreciate the thought and usefulness;
women don't seem to find the same romance in things this practical.)
A set of artist oils or acrylics. Usually 6-12 tubes of the most useful colors in
a box, and usually selling for less than they would separately. Prettier to look
at than the box of rags, -equally useful.
A good brush. Though you don't really NEED a whole lotta nice brushes,
everybody always likes one more. It doesn't matter if it's a bristle or synthetic,
generic housepainting brush or specialized artist's or faux finishing brush. If
it's high quality, the recipient is gonna be very happy with this gift. You can't
go wrong, and you can name your own budget.
Okay, one last wrapping idea. Whether it's paint and varnish related or not,
empty paint cans make great containers for presents. I don't mean your
slopped up used cans, I mean shiny, bright, brand new empty cans in pint,
quart, and gallon sizes available cheap at most paint stores. Pop some surprise
into it, press the lid on, and stick a label on it. (They're even legal to mail like
that!) And better 'n saving bows for next year, after opening the present, the
container is darned handy...
And of course, one last gift idea. I admit to being biased, but think a copy of one
of our tapes would make a great present...
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The finish I'd like to describe for you is called verdigris (meaning the "green of
Greece") which is the color that copper and bronze turn when exposed to
moisture and/or time. (Think Statue of Liberty.)
This is sometimes on the fringe of "furniture finishing," but it's fast and fun and
good looking on a variety of objects that are metal, or at least could be metal. I
personally think it loses some of its effect when done on something that would
obviously be made of wood, but to each his own...
There are two reasons that I'm mentioning this finish now. The first reason is
because this is a look that works well in latex or acrylic. There are some finishes
that are clearly (in my mind) better done in oils, others in water-based. With out-
door temperatures in the single digits as I write this, I'm not too keen on running
a fan to keep down the fumes of oil-based stuff, and verdigris works quite well in
stink-free acrylics.
The other reason to offer this addition to your repertoire is that you already know
how to do 95% of it, and if you're crazy enough to still be making your own gifts,
this is one that is fast enough to do in one evening and gift wrap it the next morn-
ing. Otherwise you can wait to try it out in the quieter winter days to come...
The verdigris that I'll describe it a natural looking one, which is a soft blending of
the colors that appear. Within those colors is room for variation, favoring some
over others if you prefer, and of course you're always free to experiment with your
own ideas.
The basic technique of verdigris is the same as faux granite, but with these colors:
A black, or dark brown base color. I prefer to use raw umber for (what I think is)
a deeper, or richer color than black provides.
A blue-green. This will be the dominant color. Something in the range of turquoises
works well here.
A lighter blue-green. I get this color by adding some white and a touch of bright
yellow to the darker blue-green. This color will then be harmonious, but a visible
step lighter and slightly greener than the darker turquoise-y color.
And finally, a rust color. I get this by adding a little orange to burnt sienna brown,
and maybe a tiny bit of white.
To get the effect, start by painting the object with straight paint, either the black
or umber. There can be a certain "scaliness" to the texture of verdigris, so surface
prep and painting techniques aren't critical (though again, I don't think you should
have obvious woodgrain patterns telegraphing through).
The base paint doesn't have to be dry to continue, though if it's too wet, you'll get
a muddy blending with the dark blue-green that goes on next. Use a sponge just
like the tape demonstration for faux granite to apply the blue-green. You can use
straight paint for all of the colors, but I prefer the softer, more translucent effect
that you get by mixing the colors with an equal part of glazing liquid.
I also like to use a sponge, or a part of the sponge that has a little finer pores
than for the larger, distinct flecks of granite. The whole effect will be much quieter
than most granite textures. But otherwise dab the color on, covering about 70%
of the base color.
Follow right on top with the lighter version, maybe mooshing the sponge a little
here and there to get a range of transitions from the full dark blue-green to the
full light blue-green. Try a 15 -25% coverage.
And finally, finish up with a little rust color, oftentimes smeared on with an almost
empty (of color) sponge.
A variation is to keep the two browns predominant with the blue-greens used
more sparingly. It's easy to experiment to see what you like.
This really needs no topcoat protection, you can apply a water-based varnish
clear to change the sheen (I like an eggshell gloss on this) if you want.
Verdigris can look good on furniture hardware, picture frames, metal tables and
chairs, (that definitely counts as furniture) baker's racks, fireplace utensils and
screens, and many small objects like candlesticks, trivets, etc.
If you walked into a crafts store, you'd probably see plenty of stuff that would
look appropriate with this finish. So if you like giving handmade gifts, here's an
easy last-minute opportunity.
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Happy Holidays to all!
Please forward this newsletter to interested friends.
Best wishes,
David Sorg
