Hey Guys,
There’s been a lot going on here lately on the home front, more on that another time! In the meantime we are taking a wee breather this week with the projects, although the graphics will keep on coming as usual. The post below is one that Heather did just about a year ago, it was her first post here on TGF and continues to be a popular one. I’m republishing it today. If you haven’t tried this technique yet, I hope you will give it a go!!
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DIY Faux Antique Embellishments Technique
Hi Everyone, I want to introduce you to my newest contributor Heather, from Thicketworks Blog! Heather is an extremely talented Mixed Media artist and I feel so blessed to have her on my team. She’s promised to teach all of us some of her favorite techniques and I think we are all going to learn a lot from her! She is quite remarkable at turning ordinary things into something really special, almost magical really! When you see the transformations that she does, you will swear that she is a magician or even an alchemist! I hope you will give her a warm welcome and visit her on her blog as well, for more fabulous Tutorials. I’ll let Heather take it from here!
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Hello there! My name is Heather, from Thicketworks. It is a huge honor to be contributing to this amazing site! I’ve been visiting our wonderful Graphics Fairy for many years, and have found endless inspiration for my crafting habit.
I’d like to share a technique with you that can literally add another dimension to the priceless images that Karen provides for us.
I love the look and feel of antique and patina encrusted surfaces. I also love classic scrollwork and fancy vintage designs, but can’t afford to pick up antique pieces to play with. In order to satisfy my lust for (faux) ancient embellishments for my projects, I make my own, with a little help from The Graphics Fairy and the hardware store.
So, here’s my process – the basis of which I learned from the talented David Neat, in his wonderful book Model-Making: Materials and Methods. He also has a fantastic website: check it out. Mr. Neat might be a little queasy when (if) he sees the sloppy way I’ve abused his meticulous methods, but hey.
Be prepared to devote several hours to this, due to drying times. Have fun!
For this project, I started with these gorgeous images from The Graphics Fairy: Fancy Scroll and Frame. I printed them on heavyweight cardstock, using a laser printer. (Ink-jet prints will run when we apply wet media, and aren’t suitable for this project).
‘Cause we are gonna make a fine mess. Yup. Grab your old shirt, or be prepared with a good story to explain the stains.
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To complete this project you’ll need the following:
- Heavyweight Cardstock
- Access to a laser printer, or have the images printed onto the cardstock by your local copy shop
- Scissors and a craft knife (sharp!)
- Magnifying glasses (if you’re blind like me)
- A Glue Stick
- An emery board or fine gauge files
- A work surface you don’t mind getting messy
- Joint Compound (from the hardware store)
- Water
- A small container to mix your goop in
- A pallette knife, to transfer your goop into the little bottle with
- A fine tipped bottle, or fancy cake decorating tips/bag that you can never use for food again. Darice makes cheap plastic fine tipped bottles.
- An orange stick, or similar little tool to scrape mistakes off with, unless you’re perfect, (which of course you are).
- A heat tool is optional, but will speed drying times
- Gesso or DIY chalk paint
- Modern Masters Reactive Metallic Copper Paint, Green Patina and Blue Patina
- or craft paints in suitable colors to simulate verdigris
- Modern Masters Reactive Metallic Iron Paint and Rust Activator
- or craft paints in suitable colors to simulate rust
- Inka Gold metallic rubs in Copper and Silver
- Distress Stains of your choosing (water them down for best results)
- Distress Inks of your choosing
- Patience
1) Once the images are printed,cut out them out roughly, and glue them to another sheet of heavyweight cardstock, using a glue stick. This double thickness of cardstock serves as the base for the embellishments.
2) Once the glue has dried completely, carefully fussy cut the images out, using a variety of scissors and a craft knife. Waiting for the glue to dry is boring, so go play with the dog or something for awhile. You’ll be glad you waited when you begin cutting.
3) Once all of the images are fussy cut, neaten the edges using fine files (an emery board cut into little pieces would work for this).
4) At this point, it’s time to mix a small amount of joint compound with just enough water to make it the consistency of yoghurt. Then the concoction is loaded into a fine tip bottle, (I got mine via Amazon). Or, if you prefer, contaminate your fancy cake decorating equipment in a way that will make it unsuitable for food, ever again.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the goop-to-water ratio – a thin slurry will give you more flowing lines, and a drier mix will be less smooth, but gives greater definition. If you have some fancy artistic texture paste lying around, I’m sure it will work just as well.
Just remember to clean out the bottle tip when you’re finished, or it will clog and make you sad. The mix can last for a few days, if kept air-tight.
5) Because this project can get really messy, (don’t drip this stuff on your nice carpet) it’s important to create some kind of doohickey to allow you to hold the image cut-outs without touching their sides or tops. To that end, I folded up little scraps of cardstock into triangular tubes, and taped them to the undersides of each piece. (I’m sure you can come up with a better solution).
I also recommend working on a surface you don’t mind getting goopy. I use sheets of cardboard.
Now, those of you who have experience decorating cakes will ace this next part. I, however, have never (successfully) managed to decorate any baked goods, and my results just go to show that real skill is not necessary. Really.
6) Using a steady hand, and a good grip on the bottle, pipe along the printed design. I like to start by piping little balls onto the ends of the scroll parts. It’s not important to be perfectly accurate, just select the features you want to emphasize, and go for it. I find this process oddly meditative, in spite of hand cramps.
If you make any mistakes that you can’t live with, just use a small-scale tool to wipe the joint compound off of the surface, and do it again. I use these ridiculously expensive, but oh-so-precise tools, called Royal Sovereign Clay Shapers. Personally, I think an orange stick would work just as well, but what the heck, I have the tools, so better use them, right?
7) Once you have added dimension to your cardstock cut-outs, it’s time to wait for them to dry. Again. I use a heat tool to speed things up, but it’s still tedious.
8) When the joint compound/texture paste is completely dry, coat the little guys with a couple of coats of gesso, or DIY chalk paint.
9) And, yep, you guessed it. Wait for them to dry. Or, grab your heat gun and have fun creating an even more uneven surface as the gesso bubbles up.
During all of these processes, the cardstock will tend to warp when damp, then flatten out again as it dries. Try not to be alarmed. It should be okay.
(The joint compound I use is fairly flexible, so it doesn’t flake off during all this bending business).
You could absolutely leave these as is, for a shabby chic vibe. Could be perfect for weddings…
Or, if you’re like me, you’ll be eager to create some grunge. There are many different ways to create patinas. Now, craft paints can be used for this, so use what you have on hand. I used Modern Masters Reactive Metallic Copper Paint, Green Patina and Blue Patina to get this particular effect.
10) First, a base coat of the Copper Paint. When dry, apply a second coat. While the second coat is still wet, dribble Green Patina over the surface.
12) It looks pretty gross at this point, but I promise, the magic is working! Add some Blue Patina while things are still damp and goopy:
12) Wait for it to dry. I know. Boring. BUT…
The result is so worth it:
14) And, just because I can’t leave well enough alone, a touch of Inka Gold, in Copper on the high points, and we are done.
For variations on this theme, here is an example of Modern Masters Reactive Metallic Iron Paint – again, for a certain look, this would be perfect as is.
Think Victorian Mourning Accessories…
With the addition of Rust Activator, you get ancient deliciousness:
For this example, I experimented with not really fussy cutting – just approximating the undulating profile of the graphic with a cheap pair of scissors, then layering Distress Stains over two coats of DIY chalk paint. A final touch of Inka Gold in Silver, and this look is cool, too:
Finally, one last example of how you can use joint compound to lightly emboss a graphic in your Art Journal, or on any type of papercrafting.
I love how the joint compound takes on the tint of Distress Ink when layered over an inked area:
Thanks for joining me for this project – I hope you have as much fun with this simple (if tedious) technique as I do!
If you like this kind of project, stop by Thicketworks to say hello, and look around.
I’d love to meet you.
Take Care!
Heather
tina says
August 13, 2015 at 1:24 pmThis is absolutely FANTASTIC.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Looking forward to Heather’s next post.
Karen Watson says
August 13, 2015 at 7:21 pmMe too Tina! I’m glad you liked it!!
Heather says
August 13, 2015 at 9:16 pmHi Tina! Thanks for your sweet comment, and I hope you try this for yourself. You’ll have a ball.
Take Care!
Bernadette says
August 13, 2015 at 1:46 pmLove this! Is it strong enough to be applied to furniture? I’m thinking the edges of a mirror or another area that wouldn’t get too much wear. Thanks!!
Karen Watson says
August 13, 2015 at 7:24 pmI think the mirror is a great idea Bernadette! They might a bit too fragile for furniture, but maybe Heather will have a suggestion for that.
Heather says
August 13, 2015 at 8:24 pmHey Bernadette – I’m with you…I want this stuff all over my furniture…not sure about the fragility issue. You have given me a challenge, missy. Stay tuned. We’re going to experiment in an upcoming post. In the meantime, I can tell you that I often use joint compound through a stencil on my curbside rescue furniture, and as long as the raised pattern is coated with DIY chalk paint or similar, it is incredibly wear-resistant. I have a piece embellished this way in the extreme humidity / temp fluctuations of my bathroom, and it’s holding up beautifully. Raised textures rule!
Marilyn Gray says
August 13, 2015 at 3:28 pmI LOVED this tutorial! Thank you so much! I can see so many things you could do with this, it boggles the mind! Thank you, again. I so enjoyed it!
Elsie says
August 13, 2015 at 3:43 pmOh my word! What awesomeness; who would have thought that these embellishments are actually cardboard. Thank you so much for sharing, Heather. And thank you too, Karen, for finding beautiful images and featuring all the creative people’s skills with us.
Karen Watson says
August 13, 2015 at 7:26 pmThanks Elsie!! I was pretty blown away by it too! Stay tuned for more awesomeness from Heather!!
Jean Bullock says
August 13, 2015 at 4:24 pmAwesome! Thanks for the great tutorial and the inspiration!
mar says
August 13, 2015 at 5:29 pmGracias por este diy, es muy interesante.
Hilda says
August 13, 2015 at 6:32 pmLOVE IT!
Cathy M T says
August 13, 2015 at 8:57 pmAwesome! Thanks.
Susan Homeroad says
August 13, 2015 at 11:12 pmAmazingly awesome! I love them!
Ri Brom says
August 14, 2015 at 5:21 amOMG What a fab idear!! I just LOve this,can think of lots of ways to use this creative gorgeousness for.Thanks for sharing,GREAT Tutorial, easy to follow too,can we have some more please??? xx
Lia says
August 14, 2015 at 8:14 amThis is amazing! I love it and I think I am going to use it for a project soon. I cannot wait! Thank you!
yve hooson says
August 16, 2015 at 7:42 amOOOooOOOOOooooo, fab! I can’t wait to try this but have never heard of “Joint Compound”. I remember never being able to follow an online formula for Paper Maché because of the fact that it isn’t sold in the Uk or EU and couldn’t find an alternative…. does anyone know what it might relate to here?
Karen Watson says
August 16, 2015 at 4:11 pmHi Yve, It’s a construction material, used to smooth out the seams in drywall, when building a house. Try your local home improvement or hardware store. Maybe it has a different name where you are.
Heather says
August 21, 2015 at 5:49 amHi Yve,
In the UK, this is called ‘ready mixed jointing compound’. It’s available at Wickes. Have fun!
Flo says
August 18, 2015 at 5:34 pmGreaaaat! Really love this! Thank you for sharing the technique!
Hi from France
Christine E. says
August 21, 2015 at 7:31 amThanks so much for sharing this amazing diy. I don’t seem to ever be able to find lovely decorative wood embellishments as beautiful as these around where I live so this is really exciting. Can’t wait to give it a try!
Patricia says
August 22, 2015 at 10:04 amUnbelievably amazing! Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Cris H. says
August 27, 2015 at 2:05 pmThis is one of THE BEST tutorial subjects EVER!!! I so needed this for some furniture I’m working on, thank you Karen and Heather, you are awesome!!!
Heather says
August 28, 2015 at 5:55 amThank YOU, Cris! I’m so glad that others find this as inspiring as I do…Take Care!
Manu says
September 17, 2015 at 2:45 pmI have seen many variations of many a technique in crafty blogland. But this is stunningly unique and inspirative. Thanks so much for sharing the process!
Greets from Germany!
Manu
Natalie says
September 28, 2015 at 1:12 amWoweee!! These are simply gorgeous! Do those lovely Modern Masters paints and patinas come in any smaller sizes or perhaps a starter kit? They’re a little pricey.
Heather Tracy says
September 30, 2015 at 10:15 pmHi Natalie, I hear you about the cost. The cool thing is, although it’s a bit of an up-front investment, the products have lasted me for years. A little goes a long way. There are lots of ways to simulate patinas and rust with inexpensive craft paints, too. There’s really no requirement to use the Modern Masters Metal Paints/Patinas. Whatever you decide, I hope you have as much fun playing with these effects as I do!
lacyquilter says
October 9, 2015 at 9:41 pmThis is awesome! Looking at the completed project, I would never have guessed that it started as cardstock.
Karen Watson says
October 10, 2015 at 1:19 pmLacyquilter, Heather sent me these in the mail as a gift and they even feel like metal!
Terry Madison says
October 11, 2015 at 1:42 pmOH my brain is spinning, would the joint compound stick to embossed Tin. I wanted to try it on a lid, after embossing, have you tried it on anything metal yet. I already have the Modern Master rust solutions and love them as well.
I love this technique thanks so much for sharing. Terry Tin Snippets
Heather Tracy says
October 13, 2015 at 10:54 amHi Terry, I haven’t used it on metal yet. Here are my thoughts: the joint compound needs some ‘tooth’ to stick to – so, if you rough-up the surface of the metal with a coarse grit sandpaper, I would bet money that it will work. The key thing is to seal it with a coat or two of paint once it has completely dried. Best of luck – and come back and let everyone know the outcome!
Take Care!
Tracy Johnson says
October 11, 2015 at 2:31 pmThis was a great tutorial! Not only is this helpful and easy to follow, but your personality comes out shining and makes it fun to read. Although I will still sift through bins of old junk at thrift stores and garage sales, it’s nice to know I don’t have to in order to do a project.
Heather Tracy says
October 13, 2015 at 10:51 amHey Tracy! You’ve made my day with your thoughtful remarks…thanks so much.
Rummaging through bins is one of the MOST FUN things in life. Second only to creating your own cool embellishments, of course!
Anita Pirkle says
October 17, 2015 at 6:19 pmThis is killer! I need to go through my rubber stamps to find images to embellish this way! Thanks for sharing!
Heather Tracy says
October 19, 2015 at 4:51 pmAnita, you are gonna have so much fun….I just used the same bottle of joint compound mix that I made for this project two months ago, so I’m happy to report that the shelf life is longer than anticipated. Thanks for your sweet comment!
Odile says
January 20, 2016 at 8:46 amHi Heather and Karen,
Thanks for sharing this tutorial! It’s amazing!
I’m wondering too, if this could be used to embellish furniture or otherwise wood pieces?
What about the really thin sheets of birch wood (or whatever it is called) from a home improvement store?
Heather says
January 20, 2016 at 4:36 pmHi Odile, Yes – you can use this technique on many different materials. Just make sure to lay the item flat while working, and until the joint compound dries! Have fun.
Pam says
February 18, 2016 at 10:23 pmThis is one of the coolest things I ever seen. It incredible that you can get this effect from cardstock. I love it, can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the post.
Karen Watson says
February 18, 2016 at 10:33 pmI hope you try give it a try! They even almost feel like metal, it’s so cool!
Sara Silva Lima Meira says
March 4, 2016 at 8:38 amMuito interessante esta técnica
Heather Tracy says
March 4, 2016 at 9:47 am¡Muchas gracias!Sara 🙂
Becky says
March 12, 2016 at 9:37 amWhat a cool idea! I’m going to have fun with this!
Heather Tracy says
March 12, 2016 at 7:50 pmHi Becky – you will have fun! So many possibilities…
sandy plinski says
March 17, 2016 at 3:41 pmluv luv luv this tutorial, opens up a whole world of possibilities thanks for sharing!
Heather Tracy says
March 17, 2016 at 8:18 pmHi Sandy! So glad you found this useful – hope you have fun exploring those possibilities!
Rupa says
July 27, 2016 at 3:02 pmKaren/Heather, Hope all is well with each of you. Take care and we look forward to more projects soon. Thanks for the eye candy every day!!
Heather Tracy says
July 27, 2016 at 4:35 pmHi Rupa! Thanks for checking in…life is good! Cooking up some projects, don’t worry 🙂
Irina says
July 29, 2016 at 9:28 amThank you very much for the detailed description of the sequence of execution of the decorations. Everything is very clear.
Heather Tracy says
July 29, 2016 at 11:56 amHi Irina – I’m very glad to know that the description is clear…thank you!
Heather says
July 29, 2016 at 9:29 amIf you want to use this technique on furniture mix your joint compound with wood glue . The finish is extremely hard and once your finishes are applied are virtually unbreakable.
Heather Tracy says
July 29, 2016 at 11:57 amHi Heather – that’s wonderful…thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, I’m sure many of us are glad to know this!
Heather says
July 29, 2016 at 9:31 amoops forgot to mention using the fine tipped bottle for application you might need to water down the joint compound and glue mixture a bit . End product is still very hard , Then apply your finishes
Heather Tracy says
July 29, 2016 at 11:57 amThanks for the additional information, Heather – I’m sure it will help to avoid some frustration 🙂
Heather says
July 29, 2016 at 10:17 pmHi again Heather , don’t know if I can send a picture to show what can be done. I redid some old not very valuable octagonl end tables and turned them into night tables . Used this process and some hammered metal paint . Then finished up with painting the 3d wisteria I created on the front panels with the the glue and joint compound with acrylics &spray sealed when dry with a clear laquer. They are 10 years old now and no damage what soever on the raised 3d wisteria
Heather Tracy says
July 30, 2016 at 6:58 amHeather, Wow! Your project sounds AMAZING! I’m sure we would all love to see your 3D Wisteria…you can post pictures at Thicketworks Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thicketworks/ or, feel free to send images to me via [email protected], and I will post them on Facebook to show everyone what you did!
Donna says
August 5, 2016 at 3:41 pmhow beautiful! What an awesome idea! thank you!
Heather Tracy says
August 5, 2016 at 5:56 pmSo glad you found it useful – Thank you, Donna!
Christal Mac says
August 6, 2016 at 9:07 pmThis process is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. I was looking for ways to make a steampunk clock for my husband without actually using metal and this looks like the perfect solution. I was wondering if you have to use DIY chalk paint or if something like milk paint would work?
Heather Tracy says
August 7, 2016 at 6:54 amHey Christal! Oh, man, your steampunk clock idea sounds AWESOME! My only hesitation with the Milk Paint suggestion is that I understand it is formulated to chip easily – that’s not a quality that you would want for this project. But – ANY paint that creates a permanent ‘skin’ over the texture will be fine. Craft paint, latex paint, gesso. Have fun!
Kitty Forseth says
March 13, 2017 at 6:09 pmAMAAAAAZING!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
graphicsfairy says
March 14, 2017 at 10:05 amYou are so welcome Kitty 🙂
Kitty Forseth says
March 15, 2017 at 7:02 pmI picked up my joint compound and I actually found a cake decorating kit at $ Tree that I am going to try. I like the ornaments just plain white, they are beautiful!! I may make some to sell in my booth but I will definitely use them to embellish my furniture!
Heather Tracy says
March 15, 2017 at 9:01 pmYay! I’m so glad you’ll be giving this technique a try, Kitty…I’m sure it will be wonderful with your furniture! xox
Eclectic Designer says
March 16, 2017 at 4:35 pmDang girl!! This is so amazing! I’m so inspired! I’d have never dreamed cardstock could hold up to such a build, doubled up or not! I’m going to home depot right now to score some joint compound!! But modeling paste would do the same thing…Right? Thank you so much for sharing!
Heather Tracy says
March 17, 2017 at 6:26 amHey, Eclectic Designer (cool name)… Yep, cardstock and joint compound = super cool dimension for very little money. Yes, modeling paste will definitely create the same effect, but the cost is several magnitudes higher 😉 I just know you’re gonna love working with this technique! Thanks for stopping by, my friend. xox
Susan Arseneault-Ruchard says
May 6, 2017 at 7:17 amWow, wow, wow! Amazing and beautiful. I am definitely going to try this. Thank you for sharing.
graphicsfairy says
May 6, 2017 at 6:26 pmThanks so much Susan!!
Janie Vantol says
June 13, 2017 at 12:03 pmAbsolutely mind blowing! Wow! I can’t believe my eyes! This is so craft changing! Thank you thank you thank you for sharing!
graphicsfairy says
June 14, 2017 at 8:57 amThanks Janie and I love your term “craft changing!”
Karen Wainwright says
September 30, 2017 at 4:03 amLove this idea! I actually have a lot of experience with plaster and faux finish, as a retired Union Scenic Artist, but am always on the prowl for new ideas. OK, I am a couple of years late to this, but that’s retirement for you, right?!
One thing, for those of you who are impatient, ahem, is if you either want to fork over a few bucks, or have a friend in “the trades” (works on houses, doing paint/plaster type work), there are a couple of “setting-compounds” that dry pretty fast. Brand names for novices to try, would be Durabond or Easy Sand. They come in Trades sizes 30 lbs bags, or smaller boxes, and you have a “set”/dry time of either 45 or 25 minutes to choose from.
Unlike Joint Compound/JC, these have much more Plaster of Paris, so they dry MUCH harder. Anything that dries can be knocked off tools with a hammer (if it’s a lot) and then sanded down, but immediate clean-up is KEY!
For those of you who asked about the durability, I will add a little trick that we use in “the biz”, which is you can toss some glue, yes glue, into your JC mix. This, again, will make your clean up more important. JC is extremely water soluble, or sandable, until sealed, as well as relatively soft. White, or other glue, will strengthen it, make it more forgiving if you have it on a costume (ok, not impervious, savvy?!) and in a way, will sort of prime the JC, so your expensive Modern Masters won’t get sucked into it!
You can also try using those hair dye bottles that OTHER people in your family use, or condiment bottles from a $!+ type store, as options for squeezing out fantastic and wonderful creations.
Thank you so much for this fabulous tutorial! Also, I love this site and hey, if you ever want some odd technique I’ve developed to be shared, give me a shout, and I’ll fill you up with a bunch of them to chose from, Dearest Graphics Fairy.
I’m linking to my old and poorly maintained IMDB page, so you see that I do have a few credits to my name, which is the most organised of any art related stuff I do, beyond Social Media, which is under my Nom De Plume….long story!
Karen Wainwright says
September 30, 2017 at 4:10 amOoops! I almost forgot!
In one Scenic Shop, we used to make these sort of upside down trivets for projects like these. Basically, you get some scraps of wood, maybe one inch thick, by two, or similar, then you drive some drywall, or whatever type of screws you have hanging around, or loose (!) through them, so that the points protrude.
Put four screws through each block of would, close enough for the scale of your project, then flip so that the wood is on the table. The screws balance the work and are fine enough that if some muckity muck dribbles down, it won’t be a major surface to try and separate the piece from after you’re done playing with the dog and it’s dry. Of course, this is only worth your while if you are planning on doing, say, a lot of these for an up-coming holiday gift giving spree, or such. Just saying!
Heather Tracy says
September 30, 2017 at 11:50 amGenius. Yep. Totally brilliant solution for suspending drippy stuff. You rock, Karen! Thank you. I’ll be making several of these to work with. xox
Heather Tracy says
September 30, 2017 at 11:49 amOh, Karen! How I would love to spend a few days with you…your wealth of knowledge is phenomenal! Thank you SO much for the info on Durabond and Easy Sand…plus, the addition of pva glue is something that I’ve since worked with, and it is fantastic. Condiment bottles? Fantastic. Thank you for enriching the discussion…I feel an updated post coming on! xox
gwen says
November 5, 2017 at 7:20 pmWow how amazing. I love this. I think you’re a great artist, your work is brilliant.
Heather Tracy says
November 5, 2017 at 8:30 pmHi Gwen! And I think YOU are a very generous hearted soul, my friend. Thank you. xox