How to Do Tole Painting
The popularity of needlecrafts such as knitting and crochet comes and goes. But the popularity of tole painting hasn't diminished since peddlers traveled by wagon across the U.S. laden with decorated tin dishes, lamps and pots. Like most arts and crafts, what once bore a price tag ultimately became a hobby. "If it doesn't move, we'll paint it," declares one fan. See if you don't feel the same way after trying tole painting.
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Things You'll Need
- Unpainted objects
- Reference books
- Patterns/templates
- Acrylic paints
- Brushes
- Soap
- Water
- Rags or cotton swabs
Instructions
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Choose an easy object for your first tole-painting project, such as a mailbox, birdhouse or a lamp shade. Don't limit yourself to wood and metal objects; avid tole painters recommend plastic, papier-mâché, leather, fabric and pottery. Find patterns and project suggestions within the pages of tole painting instruction books, or look online for free patterns.
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Pick paint colors that suit the design you've chosen, or scan the room into which the project will be installed to match its palette. Choose acrylics if you're a tole-painting novice, or oil paints if you're experienced or have fine art training.
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Set up a worktable. Cover the area with newspaper or drop cloths. Set out paints, brushes and rags or paper towels. Fill a bowl with soapy water for quick touch-ups, and plan to use the solution to soak or clean brushes that become saturated or clogged with paint. Retrieve a handful of cotton swabs from your bathroom for tiny fixes.
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Trace or transfer your design template or pattern onto the surface of your decorative object with a pencil. Use a fine brush and paint to outline stylistic shapes, and then fill them in with a broader brush. Touch up areas that bleed outside the lines with a bit of water on a rag or a cotton swab. Attend to these fixes quickly, as acrylic paint dries fast--sometimes within 15 minutes of application if the area has received a thin coating of paint. Complete the project and allow it to dry. Add a coat of sealer for a glossy finish if desired.
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Experiment with more complex projects once you get the hang of the techniques. Try layering acrylic paint colors for a thick, bas-relief look and feel. Explore the finished results you'll achieve by using paint extender, glazes, gels and texturizing paints and pastes you'll find at craft stores.
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Pursue your new hobby by taking tole-painting classes at local high schools, community centers or craft studios to improve your range and learn about new techniques and materials. While you're there, make a few tole-painter friends to share the hobby that offers you so much joy and satisfaction.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep yourself (and your wallet) in check when you visit your local craft store's tole painting section as the shelves are filled with seductive choices.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit painting image by Linda Brotkorb from Fotolia.com
