Two shades are better than one!

I admit, my personal painting style is a little layered. I'm not super interested in a straight forward, one color, one note type of painting. I have done it....and I can do it. But I much prefer to layer my paints and I love to finish my pieces with washes.

Why a wash? And further more....what is a wash?

A wash is a very thin, watered down paint that is applied onto a piece of furniture and then wiped, blotted or ragged off. I like washes for several reasons. First, I feel like it softens any imperfections in my paint job. Drips or dings in the finish seem more intentional than accidental once covered by a wash. Think of it like a tan over cellulite...somehow your thighs just always look better tan ;) Ha Ha! I also like the way a wash will give a piece of furniture dimension and depth, it's also a great way to highlight cool details, such as carvings.

How do I mix a wash?

I like to start with about 2 tablespoons of paint watered down with about 1/2 cup of water. If you are a first time "washer" I suggest washing with a light color over another light color. Maybe try a grey and wash over with white. As you get more experienced you can try washing a vibrant color over black to get a layered aged look.

How do I apply my wash?

I brush on the wash in small sections and then blot off with a rag. A wash will drip and run...but don't fear...just keep wiping and blotting. Step back and take a look at the effect, do you want a second coat? Is your wash to thick or thin? All of these things are easily fixed. I often do two or three washes to get the layered aged effect I'm looking for.

Here are two examples of washes. I used Miss Mustard Seed milk paint with both of these pieces.

This table was painted with "Shutter Grey" and washed with "Grain Sack"
Shutter Grey is a very blue grey and Grain Sack is a creamy white grey

 

This table was painted with a first coat of "Typewriter" which is a black

I then washed over the black with a mix of "Flow Blue" and "Boxwood"
which when combined was a very electric blue/green


 

All of these colors are milk paint but I've had great success using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the wash form as well. I've also washed pieces that I painted with chalk paint as a base with a milk paint wash. There really are no rules...just experiment and see what happens. After all...it's only paint!