Folk Art Painting- Basecoating
Basecoating is very important to the look of your finished product- you want the layers of paint as smooth as possible. The tips below I have found helpful when basecoating an object or piece of wood.
Use a good brush. Many people basecoat with sponge brushes which can work well for a large area and are inexpensive and can be disposed of. I prefer a 3/4 wash brush for most project, with this brush I can achieve a more even and smooth coat of paint.
Do not overload your brush with paint. To much paint will leave ridges on either side of the brush. Pick up paint from the edge of your puddle of paint on your palette and work into the bristles of the brush ( do not work the paint down into the shaft portion- this will ruin your brush).
Always use the largest brush possible for the space- I know this is scary but will lead to less brush strokes which will make smoother work.
For background basing use your sponge brush or 3/4 wash brush. Basecoat the design area by first outlining the section you are painting and then filling in the middle- this will lead to few strokes.
Do not put the first coat on too heavy - it will take more than one coat to cover. Sand lightly between coats and wipe with a tack cloth before applying a second coat. Most colors will only require 2 coats but colors such as certain greens, red and yellow will require more. Be patient and put nice smooth coats on. Sometimes it helps to paint the first coat under red an orange color.
Clean your brush if the paint begins to dry in it - this will cause the bristles in the brush to split thus giving you an uneven coat.
Good luck with basecoating !
Posted by:
Debbie
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