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Product List:
White Lightning Cleaner
2 Dixie Belle point colors
Top Coat (in Satin or Flat to seal paint before doing patina
Patina Paint (Bronze, Copper or Iron)
Patina Spray (Blue or Green)
Optional: Gilding Waxes (Bronze, Turquoise Teal, Green Patina, Hammered Copper)
Gator Hide
You will also need: Chip Bushes for patina paint, paint brushes for the 2 colors of chalk paint, stencil brushes for gilding waxes, sponges for top coats, wet wipes and paper towels.
Step 1: Working on a clean piece is critical for a successful outcome. Dixie Belle paints have an amazing adhesion quality to them, but no matter what paint you are using – if your surface is dirty—your paint will not stick properly to last with daily wear and tear. Dirt and grease creates a barrier between the surface and the paint..so get rid of that dirt and grease with a good quality cleaner. I use Dixie Belle White Lightening. Remember to always wipe of your surface after cleaning with a damp towel to make sure you don’t have any product residue left behind.
Step 2: If you are painting a slippery or high gloss” piece take that extra step and use Dixie Belle’s Stick primer. Yes, I said Primer. I know 9 times out of 10 you won’t need a primer, but some surfaces (such as glass slippery plastic, laminates, formica) may need Slick Stick to make a surface paintable and to assure the work you put into your piece will last the test of time. Slick Stick is a primer with an added “bonding agent” in it that will stick to any surface enabling it to then be painted without paint peeling off down the road. This stuff is AMAZING just brush it on and you’re ready to go!!
Step 3: select your two colors that you want ass your primary colors for your piece. I usually use a light color for the top half and a darker color for the bottom half. Depending on the color that you choose, you will need 1 to 2 coats for full coverage.
Step 4: After your paint had dried (I usually wait a minimum of 4 hours before moving onto this step), put on 2 coats of Dixie Belle’s Top Coat in Flat (or Satin) over the entire surface using a sponge brush (or Dixie Belle’s blue applicator sponge). This step is important because when we don’t want the green or blue activation spray to leave drip marks on our paints so using the Top Coat allows us to wipe off the drips without staining our paints.
Step 5: Patina Time!! YEAH Pick your color!! There are several options you can choose from: Bronze with Blue or green Activation Spray, Copper with Blue or Green Activation Spray, or Iron with Green Activation Spray (Iron ONLY reacts with the GREEN ACTIVATION SPRAY to give you that yummy orange rust color).
Step 6: Apply your selected patina paint (Bronze, Copper or Iron) to the transition areas between your colors on your piece__ or anywhere you want the patina look to appear. I use a chip brush for this so that I can throw it away when I’m done. BEFORE YOU BEGIN you MUST shake the patina paint before you use it_ there are metal particles in the paint and you want to make sure the metal particles are not sitting at the bottom of the container because that’s what reacts with the activation sprays to give s the look we want. Let it dry completely before moving onto the next step.
Step 7: For this step, you need to have your patina paint and chip brush, your selected activation spray (green or blue or both) baby wipes (or wet paper towel) and a sea sponge or kitchen sponge. The important thing to remember for this step is that you must apply your activation spray onto wet patina paint so have all your stuff ready before you begin. Using your chip brush, brush on your 2 nd coat of patina paint, then quickly apply the activation spray (either sing the sprayer provided or pouring it into a dish and using a sponge to apply it). You will see that the activation spray will start dripping down your piece, use a baby wipe or wet paper towel to wipe up the drips so they don’t stain your paint. Be careful not to wipe in the arc of your wet patina paint (bronze, copper or iron) … just wipe the drips that run below it.
Step 8: Step away from your piece….let it do its thing. Don’t be tempted to mess with it…let it sit for 4 to 6 hours to see the results. (Iron with the Green Activation spray may take 24 hours to see the full results).
Step 9: after everything has dried for 24 hours, you can add Dixie Belle’s gilding waxes (Bronze, Hammered Cooper, Turquoise Teal, Green Patina) to your patina for some added shimmer and shine. I use a stiff small stencil brush to apply it. This step is not necessary but does add that extra POP of character for some added fun.
Step 10: Seal with Gator Hide using Dixie Belle’s blue application sponges or spongebrush. If you piece will be outdoors, then you should apply 2 to 8 coats, so it will last along time in the weather and outside elements.
All done…. fabulous new outdoor pots that look expensive…no one needs to know how little I really paid!! I LOVE TO SAVE MONEY… woo hoo