Shining Shimmering Splendid: Painting with Glitter

Colorful. Shiny. Captivating. Photo by Humbak from ShutterStock.com.

Using glitter is always a great way to add a little more pizzazz to almost anything mundane. An affinity to glitter and all things shiny and shimmery is not exclusively associated with little girls, but even to some grown-ups who enjoy a little whimsy on the side. Adding a little bit of glitter to your ordinary items can easily turn your home from drab to fab with just a few strokes.

There is no need for a special kind of paint since glitter will basically stick to almost anything. Even just a little glue would do the trick. However, to achieve a cleaner look and even finish, you may want to consider applying a base coat of the same colour as the glitter you are going to use. Glitters are available on almost all crafts supplies stores and are very affordable. The kind of paint you want to use will depend on the project that you are going to tackle. If you are working on wood, ceramics, porcelain, steel, or cement, you should choose the right kind of paint, primer, and sealant to use.

Once you have decided on your design, colours, type of paint, and what piece you are going to work on, you may begin “glitterizing” your items. For most paint jobs, it is best to begin by sanding off the piece or surface and cleaning it off with a damp cloth. Depending on the material that you will paint, a coat of primer may be needed. If you did apply a coating of primer, let it dry completely before proceeding with the next step. Once the primer has dried, you can apply a coat of the base paint and let it dry completely. You can use a pencil to draw or trace your design on the surface or a stencil pattern, which makes the design job a lot easier and faster. Simply paint over your chosen pattern using a fine paint brush or an airbrush. Once you’ve painted your desired pattern, sprinkle some glitter over the design while the paint is still wet. For easier clean up, it is best to cover your work area with old newspapers. Lightly press on the glitter to the paint to make sure that it sticks. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to air dry and then shake off the excess glitter. Let the piece dry off for another hour or so and then use a light brush to brush off any loose glitter. Once the piece is completely dry, you can opt to seal your artwork with a sealant.
– See more at: https://canadianinquirer.net/v1/portal.php?mod=view&aid=3716#sthash.2SoHoCnz.dpuf