I was painting sample boards for my Chalk Paint® Class at the shop when I thought of how much I rely on sample boards to "guide" my painting. I almost always paint a board first, before I commit paint to furniture. It helps to guide my direction and to see what the outcome will be before I paint.
I first painted on sample boards during my "Train The Trainer" sessions when I first became a stockist for Chalk Paint® and have been doing this ever since, without giving much thought to it until now. But I rely quite a bit on these....
So, I am urging you all to take a few minutes before you start painting your masterpiece and paint sample boards!
I buy baseboard or crown moulding from the local hardware store (they even cut it for me). Don't buy plain wood - most furniture has detail which is why I choose moulding.
I buy baseboard or crown moulding from the local hardware store (they even cut it for me). Don't buy plain wood - most furniture has detail which is why I choose moulding.
I like to cut the boards to 12" to 18" to give me a good idea of the concept, using natural wood since I rarely distress down to the wood. If you usually paint already painted furniture, you may want to purchase the white moulding (it may better mimic painted wood finishes) and, if you do a lot a distressing down to the wood finish, you might want to stain the wood first, but that seems like an awful lot of work to me!
I also usually paint half with Annie Sloan Soft Clear Wax and half with Soft Dark Wax to see the effect. (Frog tape comes in handy to separate them.)
Every once in a while I purge the old boards - they also serve to remind me of projects past and how my techniques have changed. So, I always put the paint color and technique on the backs (well, almost always!).
Happy Painting!
Rachel
Happy Painting!
Rachel
P.S. - Wednesday, 3/20: Chalk Paint® Class in Richmond - Using Color - this class is full! but we will be holding more
Thursday, 3/1: Chalk Paint® Workshop in Irvington - still room in this 2-hour workshop
Thursday, 3/1: Chalk Paint® Workshop in Irvington - still room in this 2-hour workshop
Click to see more tips, tutorials and photos: Paintbrush and Pearls
Click to see my Brocante Home Blog
Shop Hours: Irvington - Wed thru Sat from 10 to 4: Richmond - Tuesday thru Sat from 10 to 6.
Click to see my Brocante Home Blog
Shop Hours: Irvington - Wed thru Sat from 10 to 4: Richmond - Tuesday thru Sat from 10 to 6.
