How to Paint Light Colors on Wood Art

Painting on wood is a great way to revitalize or decorate an otherwise drab piece of scrap wood. Acrylic paints are a great choice for painting on wood, because they do not need any additional compounds to adhere to the wood. Sometimes painting light colors on wood can be a challenge, especially if the wood is particularly dark.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scrap wood
• Acrylic paint
• Pallet
• Water
• Paintbrushes
• Paper towels

How to Paint Light Colors on Wood Art

1. Apply a base coat to the art. If the wood is particularly dark, it is best to coat the area you intend to paint with alight-colored paint. This is called priming.

2. Allow the base to dry completely before adding any additional colors. If you still see dark wood poking out through the light colored base, add another coat and let dry.

3. Add a medium. If you would like the paint to have a texture, gloss or sparkle, you can add a medium of your choice to the paint. This can cause the paint to have a stiffer appearance and may make the paint thicker, so remember to take that into account when mixing your colors. Remember to make a little bit extra color, so that you do not run out

4. Paint your design. Paint your light-colored paint on to the primed surface. Look to see if a second coat is needed to make it as light as you want it to be. Using light colors next to dark ones can be tricky, so let the light or dark colors dry before you try a differing hue. This will keep your art colors from running into one another or damaging your art altogether.

Resources

• Crafts fair online
• Art boards