How to create the perfect antique glaze for furniture and objects          

Selecting base colors for your Antiquing project.

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Create a history for your antiqued objects. I’ve discovered that the best approach to antiquing is to think in terms of the passage of time. What would happen to any given object as it matured through time? Passing from one owner to the next, or resting quietly in the back of a dusty shop. Dirt starts to settle. As people clean or move these objects around, the high points, edges and top would naturally be exposed to polishing, rubbing or knicks and dings. Meanwhile, the recesses and deep areas slowly become more distinguished as they settle and mature. In step 8, above, we see just that. The buffing of the ‘high traffic’ points, while our newly applied antique glaze stays put in the details.

The 'Classic Antique Glaze'. A blending of Raw Umber, Van Dyke Brown and Burnt Sienna colorant.

Base Color Antique White - Latex Eggshell

color washing

Glaze color Classic Antique Glaze

classic antique mixture

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Mixing with Color.

Create custom color schemes and color effects in your home or office. Learn how to use the best base color, create a glaze, mixing colors, and more. Using color at home or in the office - for paintings, furniture or any artistic challenge - takes a good eye, a little know how, and a creative imagination.

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Antiquing Video Tutorial

Turn ordinary objects into heirlooms! Creating the 'Classic Antique' glaze finish for objects, furniture, walls and more. This detailed step-by-step tutorial shows how to mix the right colors to create the perfect antiquing solution for any object, furniture, picture frame and more.


Step-by-step tutorial starts here...

Antique paint for objects

Step 1: Prime Object.

Ensure that the object being antiqued is suitably primed. In this instance I’ve decided to antique a set of decorative wall brackets. Since they are cast in plaster I will need to prime them by using an aerosol white primer.


Antique glaze

Step 2: Apply base coat.

Apply 2 coats of latex Antique White paint. Establishing a light base color allows the antique glaze to differentiate from the base color, taking on depth and richness of tone.


Antique glaze finish

Step 3: Create 'Classic Antique Glaze'.

To create the artSparx 'Classic Antique Glaze', loosely mix together Raw Umber, Van Dyke Brown and Burnt Sienna in a 4:2:1 ratio onto the paper palette. This is not an exact science so use your color sensibility to adjust the glaze as desired.

This random mixing of the colors, in a not so scientific manner, allows for small variations of color on the object during application. This will further enhance the mottled and aged appearance of the object or surface.

For larger surface areas, follow the Parchment Glaze step-by-step tutorial.


Antique glaze faux effect

Step 4: Wet surface.

Use a damp rag and wet the working surface with water. This helps your glaze to move fluidly while also extending drying time.


antique walls and furniture

Glazed decorative and faux effects on walls, ceilings furniture and objects.

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Create classic effects such as colorwashing, dragging, striee, antiquing effects, or furniture effects.

Our interior and exterior glazes offer a high-end decorative paint solution that provides soft, delicate, subtle shades with either pearl, satin, or glossy tones for maximum depth and decoration.

Flouart is an acrylic based glaze for interior finishes that creates soft shades or spectacular decorative effects. Available in a pearl base, satin base, or clear, Flouart is a washable decorative paint applicable to walls, wood, metal, and plaster. Its inherent versatility allows for thousands of different aesthetic solutions depending on the tools or techniques used to apply it.

Contrast Pearl is a hard-wearing pearlescent paste specifically formulated to create numerous faux effects with one simple application.Pearl dries to a lustrous, satin finish.

Velur Interior or exterior glaze, Velur is an ideal glazing medium for mineral based plaster and stucco effects. Applicable by brush or other faux tools, Velur glaze creates delicate tones and transitions in a wide variety of saturation and opacity.

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aged and antique glaze and paint

Step 5: Apply glaze.

Brush the antique glaze you created loosely over the entire surface.


how to make an antique glaze

Step 6: Rub glaze with rag.

Ball a clean rag in your hand and then lightly rub over the antique surface with the rag. This will remove glaze from the higher points, creating contrast by allowing the recesses to remain darker, thus exaggerating the natural shadows of your object.


Antique glazing with paint

Step 7: Drybrush.

With the dry brush, gently work over the surface, evening out concentrations of antique glaze.


Antiquing with paint

Step 8: Wipe surface and varnish if desired.

Wipe the surface again using the balled up rag to pull out the highlight and even out the glazed surface.

To protect the surface, a clear water-based varnish may be applied after antiqued surfaces have dried compltely (4 hrs). A Satin or Semi-gloss sheen is best suited for this type of treatment.


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