So you chalk painted a piece of furniture and feel like it needs a little something to make it “pop.” Finishing techniques may be the answer! Achieve your artistic vision with the help of colored waxes, glazes and paint blending.
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Supplies
- Dixie Belle chalk mineral paint in Driftwood, Gravel Road and Drop Cloth
- BOSS primer
- Dixie Belle Synthetic brushes
- Water mister bottle
- Dixie Belle Voodoo Gel Stain in Tobacco Road
- Dixie Belle Grunge glaze
- Dixie Belle Satin Clear Coat
- Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax in Clear
Prepping and Painting
While Dixie Belle paint does not require stripping or sanding, this piece had multiple layers of old, chipped paint and I wanted to start with a fresh, smooth surface. For tips on refinishing please check out my blog on this subject. I primed the raw wood with two coats of Boss followed by two coats of Driftwood. What an improvement!
Waxes and Glazing
Usually I seal my paint with either clear wax or topcoat before applying colored wax or glaze. Chalk mineral paint is very porous and will absorb these products making them more difficult to move or remove once applied. Grunge glaze was fairly light over Driftwood, so I skipped the sealer for greater absorption and a darker result.
Did you know you can use water-based Voodoo Gel Stains over Dixie Belle paint? Tobacco Road adds a hint of brown to Driftwood. I used an artist’s brush to reach into recessed areas that would naturally collect dirt and dust over time.
Blending Paint Colors
Have you wanted to try blending but worry about “messing up?” Dixie Belle paint is well recognized in the chalk painting community as one of the easiest to blend! It is self leveling and reacts well with water, allowing for a longer open time. I practiced on an old cabinet door to build my confidence!
It is easier to blend colors that have common underlying tones than contrasting colors. For example, Driftwood and Gravel Road share brown as a unifying underlying tone. For supplies, I recommend a continuous mist spray bottle, a high quality soft synthetic brush for each color and a spare clean brush help blur the transition between colors.
You will want to keep your paint moist when blending colors. A regular spray bottle can deliver too much water and result in water marks. Remember you already have your base coat so you do not need heavy layers of additional paint. For best results think “light” — light coats of paint and a light touch. Good brushes make this easier. To blend the colors start by brushing horizontally, vertically and in small circles. I use a clean dry brush over visible transition lines to blur their appearance.
Finishing Touches
Dry brushing a lighter color over raised details is a great way to add dimension to your final look. In this case I opted for Drop Cloth, Dixie Belle’s white with a linen undertone, to complement the tones of my grays. I find a chip brush works well for this technique, off loading excess paint to a piece of cardboard so that my brush is truly dry.
To finish the piece I sealed the top in Satin Clear Coat for water resistance while using Best Dang Wax in Clear on the body for a soft, matte finish.
