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I think I have a ratio of ponder to actually working of 5 hours of ponder to 1 hour of working on all these projects. Even with sketches and plans on paper---my head keeps getting in the way.
As I'm getting ready to start furnishing the spaces, and I'm also trying to work with what I already have. The two couches in the great room are sort of okay. Eventually I see a sectional---but that's far in the future.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
I went through all my fabric bins-7large, 4 large picnic baskets and 3 grocery totes. Upside, I've now refreshed my memory and everything is sorted to types of fabric. I took a stack of pieces down to the workshop with the idea of modge-podging fabric on the couches.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
The blues were too 'Copen" and the patterns were out of scale, the darks were too dark, etc., etc., etc. The only piece that looked great was some stretchy blue/black jean material---really too thick for the modge-podge. I thought of blue jeans or worn blue leather and decided that would be perfect for the room.
So, I'm going to try painting.
Prepping plastic for painting. First soap and water, then a rub all over with paper-towel soaked in alcohol. Use cue-tips soaked in alcohol for all the crevices. Wipe off all the excess. Make sure your hands have no residual food, grease or hand lotion on, clean with alcohol also. This is definitely necessary for spraying outside also.
These pieces had some nice subtle texture, lots of crevices and stitching detail, I though I could enhance with paint.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
To make a dark glaze:
I took 2 parts Liquitex Satin Varnish (Totally odor free, dries quickly and I have been using it for many things this winter) and 1 part Midnight Blue Ceramcoat Acrylic craft paint. (The color is very old-probably not available) The idea was to make the paint dark but translucent. This may take a bit of trial and error with other colors, and realize the colored plastic will show through here and there.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
I did a trial on the back---if it didn't work I could clean it off with alcohol. To finally start, I filled my brush and quickly spread it on one small section. Think of the how it would be upholstered and do 'one piece' at a time trying not to get paint it into the next section.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Very quickly wipe excess off---you will be surprised at how fast this dries with the varnish mixed into the paint.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Here you can see the grain before I wipe more off. I use thicker paper towel and give one swipe and the use a cleaner part to wipe again to get the desired effect.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Next I did the back pieces and really loaded my brush with the paint/varnish as I found it was drying very quickly.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Sorry this is out of focus...working so quickly. Again, quickly wiping it off, then doing the seats and front. You can see it is uneven, but the paint is sealing the piece as you do this first light coat.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
By the time I got all sides done, the first sides painted were completely dry. Now was the time to even-out the color application and make sure extra paint was in crevices and the stitching.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
I had chosen my OLD rather 'scumble' brush. Scumbled meaning the 'hairs' are overused and not smoothly laying down, more like a feather pin cushion with all the hairs sticking out.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
This is excellent for dry-brushing. I dip my brush tips in the paint, clean them off by dabbing on towel a few times and then ... gently daub the paint on and blotting with the paper towel instead of wiping. I worked from the seams to the center --as the centers of each cushion/area would be worn. After a few layers, I got the couches to match, but still look 'lived in' and definitely like distressed leather!
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
I'm leaving these dry overnight to cure, before I coat them with a thin brushing (with a good brush) of the varnish. They will be washable, but not alcohol proof---but my dolls don't drink that much!
Materials for this project.
Paper Towel
Textured plastic doll furniture furniture
1- smooth 1/2" or 5/8" nylon brush
1-'scumble' brush (used up or spread out)
Acrylic craft paint
Acrylic Satin Varnish (I used Liquitex Satin Varnish)
mixing cup
This technique is great for 'antiquing' or freshening already finished wood pieces also. When working with colored plastics, keep in mind that some colors will show through.
Examples:
Magenta/pink couches covered with this blue would be purple.
Green plastic with the blue on top will be more teal.
Yellow painted with blues will be greenish.
Red Orange/Oranges with blue will be very yucky brownish---test your pieces underneath for the best combinations.
Opaque Whites, grays, blacks, ochre/browns may need additional varnish to be translucent to work, test your combinations on undersides or similar colored pieces.
Give it a try and Have Fun!!!
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
