This was a quick project I did to try out some ageing techniques. I used a scrap piece of wood I’d had in the studio from an old project and made a simple design I wouldn’t be too precious about.
I’ve documented my process below. I really accentuated the effects for this project so I ended up with quite a theatrical finish!
I started by mixing talc powder with water and glaze and applying in patches over the wood, paying particular attention to the edges of the wood panel.
I added a red base coat
After this had dried, I used a scraper to scrape off the patches of talc to expose the under-layer of wood.
I sanded this back further by hand in one direction to get rid of the residual talc and add some finer detail.
I painted the text using an off white emulsion paint, which I allowed to be a bit patchy in places.
I sanded this back once it had dried.
Finally, I applied some darker washes to give the text a more yellowed stained effect and make the overall piece look a bit dirty. I used a natural sponge and a spray bottle to help soften the washes.
