One of the services we provide at Cut & Paste is advice on how to finish off a painted project. Many times customers finish painting with the feeling that it just missing a little something.

We can recommend a whole list of small details that can make your project really stand out. Adding things like polka dots, shine marks, or dry brushing can make a craft come alive.

Polka dots are one of our favorites. These can come in any size and can be applied in a variety of ways. Want big polka dots (say an inch or two)? Use a pouncer. These are little foam circles that can be used to make nice dots on your project. When using a pouncer, always tap it off in the middle of your paint palette before applying it to your projects so you don’t have big clumps of paint.

 

 

Smaller dots are easy to make with the wrong end of your paint brush, or with one of our dotting tools. You can easily add just a few accent dots, or a outline of dots. Adding dots to this watermelon monogram broke up the two toned project and really completed the look. We used pouncers to make the big pink dots, then surrounded each with a ring of small black dots done with the wrong end of a paint brush. You get one look if the dots are inside the big circle, another if your dots on are the edge of the circle and yet another if the dots are completely outside the circle.

When doing multiple dots, I recommend bracing your wrist on the table to give you good control. If you want all the dots to be the same size, dip into paint between each dot. If you would like the dots to vary in size, do multiple dots with one “dip” and you’ll find the dots getting smaller and smaller, like on the leaves of this monogram. 

Doing just a few small dots are a great way to add a little accent to a letter, as well.

 

Shine marks are also a fun trick. If a project doesn’t look realistic, or it looks too flat, add some shine marks! Make it look like the light is reflecting on it, or accent some polka dots. A little curve of white paint really adds a nice touch to a polkadot. Adding a little line of white or black (or both) streaks around the outside of a shape adds a nice element, too, like on Mr. Crab here. Shine marks are easy because there are no rules on how they must be done. Use a small, pointed brush with just a small amount a paint. Don’t like the mark? Just wipe it off and start over.

 

 

Dry brushing is one of our favorite tricks, because it is so easy! Using one of our “ugly brushes”, dip it into paint, when wipe most of the paint off with a paper towel, then swiftly brush light coats of paint all over a project. This gives an antiqued or textured look. Dry brushing can break up large stretches of color or accent edges. Check out the dry brushing on our favorite pumpkin monogram. These are available to order under “monograms” on the website as well as during a class on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 7-9 pm.

 

Metallic lustre is Melissa’s personal favorite. If she could add it to every project, she would. Metallic lustre is a creamy metallic-colored, thick paste that you can rub onto the edges of a project. This Antler monogram was a little too simple until we rubbed gold on the edges of the antlers. It adds dimension and makes the project a little bolder. These pastes are made by DecoArt, who makes all of our paint, right here in Central Kentucky. We have these in gold, rose gold, brown, black, teal blue, magenta, 2 shades of green, silver and white.

 

At the bottom here are some more photos of projects we’ve added small touches to. Paint the basics, and then look at what is missing! What do you want to emphasize? For help with any of your projects, just ask a staff member in a blue apron. We can quickly walk you through all the steps to polka-dotting, dry brushing and metallic lustre.