Chalk painting

Last weekend I attended a course in chalk painting. It wasn't a miniature-making course, but it was organised by a miniature society, and I thought it would be a good way of starting to learn new things. I had a vague idea of what chalk painting was (totally wrong), but I had a slightly better idea of some other techniques that were announced, such as patination, crackle-painting and decoupage.

The course was based on Annie Sloan's paints and techniques. I knew absolutely nothing about them, and I learned a lot in just one day. Some of the techniques can be simply applied to miniatures, other need adjustments, but it's the paint itself that makes all the difference.

I love upcycling ugly things, particularly cheap plastic furniture, but also made-in-Asia miniatures that are often of good quality, but not nicely finished, far too shiny. I have upcycled utensils, a fireplace, chests, clocks, shoes, a sofa, and two plastic houses, one Playmobile, and one half-scale. In most cases, painting plastic surfaces was a nightmare, while painting polished wood was challenging. Polished wood should ideally be stripped of polish before repainting, but I have never done this because I lack skills, tools, supplies and adequate space.

This is why Annie Sloan's chalk pain is a revolution for me: it can be used on any surface, and you can work miracles with it.

I will need to practice, practice and practice, but I have tested it on a few things, and I am really pleased. I had bought some cheap plastic stuff at a car boot sale, and after making sure it wasn't Kleeware, I used it to experiment with chalk paint.

I started with this dresser because it was straightforward. 

 

  

I used  Versailles (see colour scheme), and it was immediately clear how this paint was superior to any other: smooth surface, no more than one coat, neat and nice. As we were taught at the course, I used a hair dryer (purchased cheap at the same car boot sale). The paint dries as you blow, which is amazing. Then I used the aging technique I learned, applying first transparent and then dark wax. I bought the supplies from the course instructor, and it's fully possible that similar effects can be achieved with other paints, but here it is:

 

The knobs are too large, but I needed them to cover the heart-shaped plastic ones. 

I tested the piece inside the only dollhouse I have at the moment, my Triang. It is wrong style, but a piece always looks more interesting and authentic in an environment. In a way it fits quite nicely.

Next, I decided to test painting one of the pieces I bought at a car boot sale on one of my last days in Cambridge. I have already shown what I have done with a vanity, but that was before my chalk-paint conversion. I will repaint it soon.

I tried the bookcase, that, as I said, is good quality, but really badly finished.

I had been uneasy about it for exactly the reason I mentioned above: ideally, the polish should be removed with chemicals, otherwise it's sanding, sanding and sanding because normal paint would not cover the shiny surface smoothly. But chalk paint does! I used Duck Egg Blue and again, finished with transparent and dark wax.

I admit that the result looks more like a kitchen dresser than a bookcase, but it doesn't really matter; I am just playing, and it is not going anywhere.

My final challenge for this round was this monstrosity:

 

When I saw it, I had a vision of a haunted castle so this is how I worked. I used Country Grey, dabbing it on rather than painting, to create an effect. Here, drying with a hair dryer was useful. The roof, the interior and some details I painted with ordinary acrylic and felt the difference at once. Again, I used wax for distressing.

I added bars on windows, some cobwebs inside and more realistic vegetation. I am not happy with the torches, but haven't yet figured out how to improve them.

I will add some objects inside, maybe a luminescent ghost, a skeleton or whatever; but my main goal was to test the paint, and I don't think I need to persuade you.

I am going to test more techniques so stayed tuned.