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Urban Rust Panels

ALEXANDRA KRANYAK

This is a great way for a non-painter to create an original piece of art. These canvas panels can add intense color and texture to a room without overwhelming it and can be customized for any color scheme. If you don’t have room for these very vertical panels, adjust the design to fit smaller canvases that can be found at any art and craft supply store. Use the canvases that wrap all the way around the sides so you don’t have to purchase frames, and make sure they’re pre-primed.

MATERIALS

Three 12 x 30-inch (30 x 76cm) pre-primed, wrapped canvases

Satin or semigloss latex paint in golden brown, brown and deep red

Purple acrylic craft paint

Rolco Water-based Gold Size

Gold composition leaf

AquaSize

Faux Effects Black Crackle

Modern Masters Metal Effects: Iron Paint, Rust Activator, Baroque Paint, Baroque Activator

4 plastic spray bottles

Clear spray paint

Rubbing alcohol

Silver holographic foil

2-inch (51mm) chip brush

Small plastic containers

Small wedge-shaped makeup sponge

PRO TIPS

1. Personalizing Colors
All paint colors can be changed to match your décor and your own personal taste. My base colors were golden brown, brown, and deep red. I like how they look with the gold leaf and the color of the rust.

2. Use Leftover Paint
To save money, you can use leftover latex paint you have around the house, or ask for mis-tints from the paint store.

3. No Straight Lines
Uneven, organic, ragged edges are desired when applying the colors, gold leaf and rust. Work freehand and let the products do what they may.

4. Let Everything Dry
It’s important that even though this is an organic project, you need to let each step dry completely before going on to the next step. There are many layers to these panels, and you’ll get the best results if you don’t rush it.

STEP 1: On all three canvas panels, using a 2-inch (51mm) chip brush with a crosshatch motion, paint golden brown latex paint along the upper edge, blending into brown latex in the middle, and deep red latex along the bottom. Let dry completely.

STEP 2: Mix a small amount of deep red latex and purple craft paint with about 40 percent water to make a wash. With a chip brush, wash this mix over the top of each canvas (approximately one-third of canvas). While it’s still wet, spritz rubbing alcohol over the wash. Let dry.

STEP 3: With a chip brush, apply a thin layer of Rolco waterbased gold size on the upper one-quarter to one-third of each canvas. An organic random edge is best. When dry but still tacky (about 15-20 minutes), apply composition gold leaf over the gold size. Lightly spray with clear spray paint.

STEP 4: With a chip brush, apply AquaSize in a random crosshatch pattern on the lower two-thirds of the canvases. Let dry overnight. With a chip brush, apply Black Crackle in a random pattern over the Aqua-Size. Let dry completely and then spray with a clear spray paint.

STEP 5: Along the top of the black crackle edge, paint a thin (but generous) band of Baroque paint, spritz with water, then lift the canvas vertically so the paint runs down through crackle. Add more Baroque paint, spritz with water and lift the bottom of the canvas, letting it run up the canvas. When completely dry, spray with Baroque activator.

STEP 6: Just above the Baroque paint band, repeat Step 5, this time using the Iron paint followed by the Rust activator. You can spray activator again to achieve your desired level of rust. When dry, lightly spray with clear spray paint.

FINISH: With a small makeup sponge, dab a few random spots of Rolco waterbased gold size on the gold leaf area of each canvas. When the size is dry, apply silver holographic foil (shiny side up) and rub until it transfers to the painting.