Using Paint for Color

[William Rogers]

If you were going to use paint as a color coat, what would you use? I was thinking milk paint covered with some sort of clear coat for protection.

 

[hockenbery]

If you were going to use paint as a color coat, what would you use? I was thinking milk paint covered with some sort of clear coat for protection.

There is so much that can be done with paint. Some of it has texture, it has transparency.
I have used just a few of the paints available to turners.

What I use depends on what I am trying to accomplish or the effect I’m trying to get. Milk paint has a couple of useful properties.
It is easy to use, dries quickly, colors go on in layers, and it reacts with wood high in tannnin.
I use Old Fashioned Milk paint when I want different colors to highlight carving or texturing.
This ball and stand are cherry which reacts with the milk paint. The carved ball was painted and cut back with scotch bright after the paint dried. Milk paint reaction gives the cherry a sort of bronze color and makes the texturing pop. . I can get a similar effect on wood that doesn’t react by painting with red milk paint and then black. Cutting back lighty reveals some of the red on the high spots. Milk paint has to be sealed or it can rub off.

I mostly use airbrush paint. In this piece orange is Transparent and lets the grain show through. The Black is opaque.
.

This piece the ball was painted with green airbrush, the background around the leaves was sandblasted using a leaf vine resist. The back ground was painted with yellow and transparent orange.
So we get sunset&vine Oops I see this photo was taken in progess. There is some adhesive from the resist on the leaves.

This piece is done with black leather dye

 

[john lucas]

Milk paint is wonderful. Extremely durable and a little bit goes a long ways. I use a lot of cheap acrylics from Hobby Lobby. They tend to go on streaky but are great for things like sponge painting or coloring small details. I've just started using JoSanjo irridescent paints. More of a specialized look but a lot of fun to play with. I do use dyes a lot for overall transparent colors. I like Trans Tint dyes. Also like Al I use India inks and Leather dye. I've also been doing a fair amount of airbrushing lately and really like the Golden paints. I think a lot of people swear by their paints both air brush and regular brush paints.

 

[William Rogers]

Milk paint has to be sealed or it can rub off

What do you seal milk paint with?

Those are very nice Al.

 

[hockenbery]

What do you seal milk paint with?

Those are very nice Al.

I think you can use most finishes over milk paint.

I usually use Waterlox over paint. ( it’s the finish I use the most)

Also lacquer. I use the spray cans

 

[Lamar Wright]

Milk paint has to be sealed or it can rub off.

What kind of sealer do you use with milk paint Al?

 

[Lamar Wright]

What kind of sealer do you use with milk paint Al?

Sorry, Al you already answered my question. Did not read down far enough!

 

[john lucas]

I learned when I did Windsor chairs that boiled linseed oil was a good finish over milk paint. Since then I've found most anything will work. Over my airbrushed pieces I use spray on lacquer or Minwax wipe on poly. I've found both work well over acrylic paints as well.

 

[Owen Lowe]

What do you seal milk paint with?

You don’t have to seal over top of milk paint but it will water and oil/grease spot if you don’t. Contrary to what Al said above, it won’t rub off easily at all. Once dry, it’s a pretty tenacious finish. It will scuff and wear on the high points but that is some of the appeal of it — think: that 200 year old blanket chest that has lived an interesting, full, and long life. By top-coating you limit the scuffing and wear only because those actions have to go through the top finish first.

Be aware that oil finishes deepen the color of milk paint as well as impart an amber tint. I’ve never used water-based so can’t comment on the combination. Lacquers will only marginally affect the color if at all. Shellac? I don’t know either but will have to give it a go.

As always, it’s advised to do a paint test board using the same (or very similar) wood as your turning and then test different finishes to see which yields the outcome you want.

 

[Owen Lowe]

I've also been doing a fair amount of airbrushing lately and really like the Golden paints. I think a lot of people swear by their paints both air brush and regular brush paints.

Both Golden and Liquitex are professional grade. If you (generically and collectively) are wanting color fastness, consistency, and wide product line variation go with either of these two companies.

 

[John Turpin]

I sold a painted bowl this morning. We use milk paint and they are always well received. The light green cottonwood bowl sold earlier today. The blue bowl in the middle is cherry. The barn red bowl on the right is also cottonwood.



(Shameless plug: www.territorialboxandbowl.com )

 

[john lucas]

I strongly suggest you test any paint color if you put a finish over it. Milk paint especially will often change color or get more intense. Personally I love the look of milk paint with an oil finish. Milk Paint is very durable. I have a windsor chair that I made in Curtiss buchannan class 17 years ago. It does have worn spots but it's been used every day for the last 17 years.

 

[John Turpin]

Milk paint especially will often change color or get more intense.

It definitely wears over time. This is what we do. My painting department (re: wife) initially lays down thin coats of dark gray. Then, she lays down multiple coats of color. We let buyers know that the color coats will wear over time and that it is just a patina effect. As the color wears with use, the dark under layer starts to reveal itself. It's a neat effect.

 

[john lucas]

Using Curtiss'es technique I painted the chair red then painted it black. I purposely "wore" places when the chair was new. I have done that technique where I steel wool just partly through the black. Just enough to make things look Burgandy. Nice effect.

 

[hockenbery]

Milk paint is excellent for cutting back. To reveal the high spots of turned and textured surfaces.

Kimberly Winkle does a terrific demo using multiple color layers of milk paint and sanding back to reveal the colors.

Saw Al Stirt do a terrific bowl demo in Portland. He turned shallow coves on the outside and inside of a cherry bowl. applies milk paint and cuts it back so that the high spots show wood that has reacted with the milk paint to be a rich bronze color.

 

[john lucas]

You can actually do that with most Acrylic paints but it seems to work a little better with Milk Paint. Kim Winkles demos are great. I've known her since before she was turning. She lives not far from me but we seldom cross paths. Our schedules are just too different. I am planning to call her this next week to try and talk her into a demo for our local club.