In this video I can show you how to use single step crackle as well as how to do shading around images.
I start from wiping my watering can with white spirit to remove dust and grease from the surface. Next step is priming the surface of my watering can but because this item is quite fiddly I’ve decided to use spray. Unfortunately this had to be done outside in the garden so you can’t see this part of my video.
Once my paint is dry I can start preparing rice paper by tearing it out of large sheet. I have so many leftovers and from now on I will try to use them instead of new papers. This lovely paper with doors was last used several years ago but I think it works quite well with my can. You can apply my technique with any paper you like.
When my pictures are ready I start gluing using decoupage glue and wide synthetic brush. First I apply generous amount of glue on my can, then I position my paper in the middle, and I apply another coat of glue starting in the centre, smoothing paper towards edges. Rice paper is quite strong and even if you mess something up you can remove it and start all over again.
Now we can start thinking about crackle. I use single step this time, and I want my cracks to be white, therefore white primer will be ok as base colour. I apply generous amount of crackle in places where I want my cracks, and I leave my project to dry overnight. Then I mix blue paint and I use either sponge or brush to apply it on top of the crackle. Now the most important thing: once you apply stroke of paint do not go over it again as you will remove it straight away. Just let it be. Thicker layer of paint will give you larger cracks. Also cracks will appear in the direction of the stroke, or if you use tapping sponge they crack like egg shell. Once applied leave it overnight for good drying.
When everything is dry I mix several paints to get blue/beige shade to match my paper. I take very little paint on my tapping sponge and apply around images to blend them in. I mix my paint along the way adding either water, or more of white paint.
My watering can is pretty much finished but I purchased those rubber stamps with snowflakes, and I’m excited to try them, so I apply thin layer of white paint on the stamp using tapping sponge, and I press them against the can. I hoped for very light not too perfect snowflakes here and there, and I’m quite happy with the way they turned out.
When I’m happy with the finish I can start varnishing. I apply several layers of gloss water based varnish around my watering can. Then I use fine sand paper to smooth surface, then I apply another several layers of varnish. I repeat the sanding/varnishing process until surface is perfectly smooth. This process will even the paper level with the rest of the surface that’s why it is crucial to repeat it so many times, even if that means you have to do it 40 times. I do my sanding/varnishing process only on parts with rice paper.
I was going to finish at this point but had another idea of adding eighter white lace or stencil at the bottom of my can, and stencil won the battle. I use white sand structure paste which will look little beat like snow. You can apply this either before or after varnishing. I applied mine after because I like this frosty matt look of it.
Voila my watering can is finished, I hope you like it? Thank you so much for watching and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel.