Last night’s Chalk Paint 101 workshop was a blast - special thanks to America Juarez at Painted by the Bee for hosting and teaching us. Here are several tips America shared with us that’ll make your chalk paint projects easier to accomplish.
Waxing Tips
Using wax on top of a coat of paint will help tone down your color and give it a bright shine
Always put a protective sealer over your chalk paint to prevent damage (such as water rings)
When applying wax, try doing it in small sections first and wipe it off as you go to make it more manageable
Use a natural bristle brush for wax application. Apply it in a circular motion and remove excess wax with a lint-free towel or rag. PRO TIP: you can use a hair dryer to melt excess wax that’s stuck on your piece!
Clear wax acts as an eraser if your piece looks too dark or has a “muddy” color. When applying dark wax, use a clean brush so it won’t affect the finish
Fun Custom Finishing Tips
Using a gold leaf foil is a fun way to customize your project. Use wax or glue to adhere your foil on your piece (you can find this at Michael’s)
Dry brushing is a technique that adds texture and highlights the original colors used on your piece. Take a dry, short bristled brush and add just enough paint to cover the ends and quickly run it over your piece
Color washing is a technique that uses multiple colors over one another. Mix paint and water to apply. More water makes more translucent color
Brush Cleaning Tips
To clean wax and paint off your brushes, use hot water and dawn soap or Murphy’s Wax Oil