Off topic post here….
We got this mirror for our dining room. The frame is not exactly the right color – but we had a lot of trouble finding a BIG mirror – it is about 4.5’x5.5′. Plus it was cheap. 🙂
The frame is kinda a dark-gray/black with some silver marbling in it and some kinda gold details around the edges. See attached pics – did them in various resolutions so everyone could look at them. Flash close-up pics never come out very good – it seems. The problem is that the faux silver patina (?) really needs to be more gold or brass looking – to go with the rest of the stuff in the room, such as the lamps on either side. The chandelier is an faux antique oil rubbed bronze so it is more or less black too.
OK – this isn’t a quality piece – the frame looks to me made of some kind of fiber composite plastic.
I was wondering if there is some kind of yellowish film or something that I can put over the frame to make the silver appear more gold in color. Gold leaf was my first thought, but I don’t think that would work.
Thanks in advance.
Edited 9/10/2009 8:42 am ET by Matt
Replies
Go to a large artist supply store. They have a variety of faux finishing materials. Modern Masters have an extensive line of metallic paints and washes to get a variety of looks.
http://www.modernmastersinc.com/default.aspx
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
When working on the old Fox theatre in detroit yrs ago...
The craftsman that they brought over from Greece, IIRC,
Used a silver"?" leaf and then used a clear coating that made it look like gold. Hope this helps.
Larry B
I would probably go to an artist's supply store or catalog and buy acryli clear glaze and antique gold metallic paint. The metallic paint (I use "Golden" brand) is like a glaze anyway--whatever you put it over tends to show through until you use several coats (mix it well, as the metallic part settles).
I would probably start with mixing about equal amounts of clear glaze (comes in glossy and satin and even matte) and the metallic gold (bronze may also work--would be darker (natch) than gold) paint and brush it on, more liberally on the silver parts, maybe even doing those first with pure gold paint and then going over everything with the gold paint mixed with glaze. Yopu may find that you don't even need to mix the metallic gold with the clear glaze--you'll see as you begin to work with it...
but...
Note that it will dry much more opaque than it looks when it is wet, so go easy. It may take several coats to get the result you want--but better that than glopping on too much and trying to remove it! When you have it the way you want and it has dried for several days, final coat it with clear acrylic varnish (artist's) or just water-based polyurethane.
Thanks guys...
Danno - yea there is a craft store chain here in Raleigh called Michales and they have all kinds of stuff - I'm sure they have some of the stuff you named...
After I did the initial post a crazy idea I had was to use minwax wood stain like maybe a golden pecan or something.... You know how it is - one tends to try and use materials they are already familiar with to solve problems.
I think the glaze thing sounds better though...
In my first reply I was going to suggest Minwax Polyshades as an alternative--it's stain and varnish in one. Usually frowned upon by fine woodworkers, but it may work in this case.
Matt,
A very easy fix is a technique called flash gilding. It is simplicity personified.
All you need is gold size, a soft brush and some mica powder in the correct shade.
Size is the adhesive you will brush on the surface that you want to alter. It can be oil or water based. Rolco makes both. The water based size comes "to tack" quicker than an oil size. Tack is the point that the size is not longer wet, but tacky. The drier it is the better before applying the powder. Water based size reaches tack in as little as 20 minutes. There are some fast drying oil sizes also.
First, lightly wipe down the surfaces you want to color with cloth dampened with alcohol and dry it as you go.
Apply the size in a thin coat. If using water based, don't over brush it. Just lay on a thin coat. As with any water based product, clean your brush quickly after you're done. Let the size sit for at least a half hour before applying the powder.
Next, put a little mica powder on a paper plate. Using a small soft brush, pick up a little powder and brush it on the sized surface. You'll be amazed at two things; how little powder you need and the transformation you just created. Be methodical and keep the powder moving in front of your brush. Another way is to put a piece of cloth over your index finger, dip it into the powder and then lightly rub onto the sized surface.
When you're done you can lightly polish the surface with a cotton ball and brush away all the extra powder.
It can be left as is or sealed with shellac. If you seal it, let it sit for a day or so first. Apply the shellac with the same soft brush again with a light touch.
If your art store doesn't have mica powder check with places like
Jerry's Art-o-Rama or New York Central Art Supply.
It is a very easy technique, you'll see.
Peter
OK great - so now I have another option...
Like I said, there is a fairly large arts and crafts chain store in the area so I should be able to get the materials.
Making a wild guess, maybe that was how the frame was done in the first place.
Is the "gold size" clear? ie - is the adjective "gold" indicating the color of the material or what it is used for?
My initial thought was to to apply a tinted coating of some type, so that the dk grayish black background could be retained - even if somewhat altered in sheen.
From reading your description it sounds like maybe the entire area that is treated with the size and mica powder will be colored with whatever color the mica powder is? Not sure that is really what I'm looking for... Or perhaps the powder could be applied very lightly and in somewhat of hap hazard manner (for lack of a better term) so as the retain the uneven sort of antique look the frame currently has? I'm guessing that the powder would be applied with a brush that is kinda like one of these makeup brushes I've seen women use to apply powder to their face - as opposed to a regular paint brush? Lastly does the "size" eventually dry so as not to be at all sticky? - wouldn't want a dust magnet... or is the shellac finish coat pretty much required?
Hope you don't mind all the questions...
Matt,
The term gold size is just indicative of the material. It is clear. Usually I add a little color to it to better see it during application.
A dark glaze will alter the look considerably unless you use it with a less is more attitude. When applying a dark glaze I would do it with a dry brush technique. That is done by wetting the brush with glaze and removing most of it. After application you can remove some of the glaze as desired with a soft cloth. This needs to be done while the glaze is still wet.
The only place the mica will adhere is where you size it. You can be very selective and just put it on the high points if you wish. Once it is covered with powder there is nothing that can be a dust magnet. Think of it like this; say you painted something and then while it was tacky you laid a sheet of paper on it. The surface is now covered and no longer tacky. Shellac is an option. If you want to glaze the area you just treated definately seal it first. This will isolate the mica and allow you to add or remove glaze as you wish.
As far as the brush goes, a small nylon filbert brush will work fine. A filbert has a rounded tip that is easy to manipulate for application. A make up brush would hold so much powder it would stagger you. If I were doing a very large surface it may be considered but not on a small project.
An easy way to practice is to pick up something cheap at the art store. There is always some type of molded accents that are used as appliques. These are good models to practice on.
I know this is new to you. Go on line and type in flash gilding on youtube. I'll bet there are dozens of postings.
Once you get over the idea of trying something new with unfamiliar materials, you'll be amazed at just how easy this technique is.
Peter
Thanks - I'll check out utube and go to the art/carft store....
I would use bronze/gold powder from the crafts store, and use my fingers to rub it lightly on the highlights/raised portions of the frame. Finish with a rattle-can clear coat satin.View Image
One of Norm Abram's New Yankee Workshop shows has him going to one of the great old museum homes in New England, seeing a mirror like this, and then making a new copy.
The focus of the show is on the fabulous finish the mirror frame gets, and Norm has a finishing artist showing him how gold leaf is applied. The end result is a knockout.
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"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
I bought one each of the new Rustoleum rattle cans that spray in any postion supposedly, I got a hammered bronze and a hammered copper metallic. I'd shoot it with the bronze where ya want and mask the rest. Just for a start.
The bronze is pretty dark and i'm just itching to find the right thing to spray , like I said, on a whim.
Oh yeah, if its cool and not too pebbly, I might do van in copper. Cool beans baby.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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Edited 9/10/2009 1:36 pm ET by Sphere