Paint Magic coming back
Today, as promised on the Weekend Newsletter, we are announcing 3 lucky winners of Paint Magic by Jocasta Innes.
The winners were drawn at random numbers 9, 14 and 15, (aka subscribers: CC, TL and MDecs) They signed up to an upcoming Furniture Painting Golden Tips newsletter, which, with better organisation, will be coming in the Autumn.
There will be more of these Magic books up for grabs for subscribers to this new newsletter, so get your name down, and have a chance to win a book and a hook into what is possible decoratively.
All about painting furniture
The monthly newsletter will provide all decorative furniture painting enthusiasts with an inside alternative / additional view on how to paint furniture, and create decorative finishes, showing ideas beyond chalk paint. Lee Simone will be sharing some of his step-by-step tricks to create effects like this:
His trip through faux finishes, tromp l’oiel, distressed colour, broken colour and all the rest of it, will be well worth a look, for sure, with the emphasis always on perfection, not, that’ll do.
Proposed list of topics to be covered in the newsletter
Antiquing
Distressing
Distressing and Antiquing Combo
Leather
Marbling
Stone
and more…
Paint Magic
If you are of a certain age, you may have heard of this book, Paint Magic by Jocasta Innes. Artistic, decorative and spectacular use of colour and pattern, adding interest to dull spaces, highlighting features on furniture and bringing out the best in architectural detailing.
Since it was first released you will have seen similar bibles from Kevin McCloud, Annie Sloan, each with their interesting slants and angles. And before Paint Magic, well, there have been many bibles since the dawn of decorating.
Dragging forever
One of my first jobs as a painter was dragging the walls of a reception room in a rectory. It was quite something. When asked to drag furniture at a royal household, it was quite easy in comparison! A little bit fiddly, using the coarse sandpaper to create the joint at the stile and rail, steady hand, mix enough glaze for the whole piece…
Dragging is still a request on kitchen cabinets and furniture, ably demonstrated by Mark Nash.
One reason for dragging is to emulate worn painted surfaces. The original shabby chic, I suppose. We are starting to see more interest for it appear in kitchen work, also features of cabinetry picked out with a touch of glaze and wipe…all looking at adding a sophisticated aged effect.
Rag rolling could be mind-blowing!
Many a painter and decorator will tell you that the 80’s and early 90’s rag, bag and drag era was one to forget, please don’t let it come back. I totally disagree.
No denying that these sorts of conversations went on, on sites.
Oh, that new Dulux chamois flapper roller thing was such a good bit of kit, you could whack out walls in hospitals and commercial premises in no time, didn’t need any skill, they even had the bases and colours pre-mixed and sorted for you.
That was the beginning of the end to rag rolling.
There is a problem with decorative effects when there is no appreciation for what the aim is, and when many a tradesman’s experience of decorative effects begins and ends with Dulux Duette, nuff said. (It seems to be over in India and Africa now, judging by search results!)
Rag rolling was not intended to be created with a purple background with off-white blodges and roll and skid pattern. It is imitating crushed suede, the fabric the jewellers display rings and necklaces on. Strong colours are OK, and used discerningly even better. So colour choices for ragging are supposed to be close, to imitate the difference in colour when you rub your fingers over the suede pile.
And bearing in mind that rag rolling imitates fabric, best to use it where you might actually see fabric – more likely on walls than lounge doors, and only in certain properties or areas that lend themselves to that effect. Just because you can, doesn’t necessarily mean you should!
Stripe a way forward
Stripes are being requested again.
It is 2014 and the colours in vogue are the greys and neutrals, which lend themselves to elegant end results. Distress the banding… no limits to customising.
And with digital cameras, we can capture and share these effects better than when Polaroid was the rage in the 80’s!
Furniture painting golden tips
As I said, in the Autumn, the newsletter will be starting from scratch with preparation (sorry but it makes most sense) and working through the paint choices and on to the fancy finishing. A good journey awaits.
In addition to the list of effects mentioned earlier, there will be:
Wood Graining
Colourwash
Oil Glaze
Dragging
Metal Effects
Large Geometric Design
To sign for the Golden Tips monthly newsletter, it’s a simple form (we require an email only, and no purchase required of course.) There will be more prizes open to subscribers.
Back to the home of Paint Magic
Jocasta Innes lived in a period home in Spitalfields, and her house is like a temple to her creative ideas. I have kindly been given permission to use this photo from the local Spitalfields Life site.
permission from The Gentle Author
Take a look.
Please share it on Twitter, Facebook, or print it out for reference. Thanks.
|
|
One comment to “Paint Magic coming back”
Dear Paint Magic
I used the Duette system extensively in the mid 90’s.
I want to use the system again but despite extensive searching and inquiries I am unable to locate the paint or the rollers for sale.
Would you know where I could purchase the system from?
Regards Russ