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How to age objects: all the techniques of aging

The current trend now: the transformation of various pieces of furniture, their decorative finishes and aging.

Methods of influence on the surface are chosen in accordance with the interior, preferences, or simply according to mood. In this article, we tried to describe the basic techniques, materials, sequence of actions and their results.

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Consider the options:

Dry brush
. Patination
. Glaze
. Spray
. Crackle
. Technique "Abrasions" (Shabby Chic)
. Etching (staining)
. brushing
. Additional mechanical action

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Dry brush

A dry brush is a technique borrowed by decorators from painters. And if in painting this method creates an image, then in practical decor it is a great way to make an object look old, to add years to it.

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The essence of the technique: a little paint is picked up on a flat synthetic brush, the excess is wiped off, this is done on paper (palette, rag) until each hair of the brush gives a separate line.

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And now, with light movements, lightly touching the object, we “dirty” it, focusing on the protruding parts: ribs, convex pattern, etc.

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Thus, the relief is emphasized and scuffs are imitated.

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Applying patina or patination

Patina is a greenish-brown coating that forms on copper and bronze objects as a result of environmental oxidation. In a broader sense, patina is understood as traces of aging on any objects created from any materials.

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Patination in decoration is an imitation of the darkening of the surface, which in its natural form looks like discoloration after a long period of time and frequent contact with the hands. Patina is dark, colored, metallic, white (laying).

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The patinating composition is applied to the edges, corners of the object, or vice versa, into the recesses of the relief parts. There are several types of patination.

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1. Bituminous patina

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A bituminous varnish is applied to the surface and the excess is immediately erased. The varnish remains only in the recesses, shading the surface. Fixed with shellac varnish.

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2. Patina based on acrylic

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Acrylic paint heavily diluted with water is poured into the recesses of the relief, and the excess is wiped off with a clean cloth.

3. Chemical patina

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A special oxidizing agent is applied to the paint with finely dispersed metal particles, which causes the metal surface to age (oxidize) within a few minutes.

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4. Shellac varnish

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Shellac lacquer gives surfaces a warm, light yellow or reddish-orange tint. Widely used in woodworking, to emphasize the texture of wood, used as a protective and covering.

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5. Wax patina

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It is rubbed over the surface and tones the selected areas. Dries for a significant amount of time. Gives the surface a soft silky sheen.

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Glaze

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Glazing is a painting technique in which the lower layer of the paint layer shines through the upper translucent one. The technique is widely used not only in painting, but also in interior design, including painting objects. The technique allows you to get deep iridescent colors due to the translucency of the glazing layers.

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Various paints and coloring compositions are suitable for glazing: watercolors, oils, acrylics, strong brewed tea. It is convenient to use a solution of acrylic paints. A wide palette allows you to get the right color.
The paints are easily mixed with each other, diluted with water or acrylic paint thinner to the desired consistency, dry quickly after application, then resistant to moisture and mechanical stress and can be applied to any surface.

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Technological process: With a synthetic brush or sponge, apply the solution to the prepared surface, wait for it to dry and evaluate the result. Glazing does not completely paint over the structure of the base or the previously applied image, it only sets the tone. To enhance the effect, you can apply a second layer of glazing paint, and then the color intensity will increase.
If you apply several translucent layers of paint of different colors, as a result we get different shades that show through each other.

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Spray

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Spray- splash droplets on the surface of the decorated product, which create an image of a thing that has passed through time, reflect the history of its use.

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An artistically soiled thing in such a simple way receives a unique visual charm and a relief that is pleasant to the touch. This is all very important, since the items chosen for decoration are designed for the beloved home and for people dear to the heart.

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The process itself is very entertaining. Before you start, you need to prepare the workplace. For example, cover the surface with newspaper or cloth.
Of the tools you need a toothbrush or a hard brush. From materials: paints and water in a glass.

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Progress:

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Wet the brush with water and pick up a small amount of paint on it. We try with a fingernail or a toothpick to launch drops on the still test surface of the sample, simply by running the tool along the bristles.
If you have a small comb, you can experiment with it, run a brush with paint over the teeth.

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With a wide brush, you can simply shake off drops or tap your hand with a brush, then small colored droplets break off the brush and fly down. Having decided on the application process, it's time to conjure.
Spraying is the last operation before varnishing. Drops applied on top of the varnish will differ from the general glossiness of the surface of the object, this effect will introduce an additional effect of a gap in time.

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Crackle

Crackle is a technique of artificial aging, the creation of cracks in the paint or varnish layer.

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1. Craquelures are divided into one-step (single-phase) and two-step (two-phase)

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One step craquelure looks like a cracked layer of paint, through the cracks of which the lower layer of paint or the base of the product is visible. The basis can be any: glass, metal, plastic, wood and similar materials.
Two-step craquelure looks like a network of fine cracks (cracked varnish) on the surface of any image or coating.

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2. Eggshell crackle

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Gives a bright high relief cracking effect. A clean shell is glued onto PVA or acrylic varnish in pieces at some distance from each other. Sometimes the relief is additionally emphasized by patination or the “dry brush” technique.

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3. Facet varnish

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Color self cracking lacquer. It is applied to the surface in a thick layer and left to dry. Forms large cracks.

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4. Two-component microcraquelure

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Gives the effect of thin cracks - cobwebs. Transparent, due to which it is often used over images. After drying, cracks are often emphasized by patination.

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5. Paint-craquelure

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Self-cracking paint with one-step craquelure effect.

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Gentle scuffs in the style of Shabby Chic or Scuffing Technique using a candle

The technique is simple and consistent. The corners, sides, joints of the primed planes of the object are covered with paint of a saturated shade, the paint layer is rubbed with paraffin, then covered with light paint, most often 2 layers are required.

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Now the mechanics: sandpaper in places where paraffin and the 1st layer of paint are applied, the top layer is removed. Thus, scuffs, imitation of use, the effect of aging appear.

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Delicate pastel colors are traditionally used in this technique. with "sweet" shades, as if sun-bleached or faded from time to time:

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Light pink;

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Ivory;

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Creamy;

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Hyacinth;

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Lavender;

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White (but not snow-white, but as if slightly yellowed from time to time);

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pistachio;

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Linen.

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You can add “shabby chic” with painting, motifs from decoupage cards or napkins, add splashes. The final coat will be several layers of acrylic matte varnish.

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Etching

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Suitable for objects of any size made of wood . Deciduous trees lend themselves best to this method of processing. In this way, you can give the wood noble, rich shades, without losing the natural beauty of the texture of the material.

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Etching is carried out with various compositions - mordants . Some of them have complex names or a strong smell, but along with them there are many recipes available for making your own hands, such as tea, coffee, leaves, bark compositions; potassium permanganate, blue, vinegar are used. For those who feel like a bit of a chemist, tinting wood surfaces is a good idea.

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The process can take place in two ways:

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1. Hand painting with a lint-free swab or synthetic brush.

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2. Dyeing by soaking in the etching composition.

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Most often, the process takes place at elevated temperatures. After selecting and acquiring (mixing) the desired composition, the wood is cleaned of excess and cleaned with sandpaper. Then the etching-staining process itself. As a rule, the time of exposure to the composition and the expected result are attached to the mordant recipe. Basically, all the same, control is carried out visually and, of course, here is the place for creativity.

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brushing

The most common method of mechanical aging of wood is brushing. Its name comes from the word Brush - "brush".

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The surface is treated with metal brushes, choosing the upper soft fibers, leaving only hard ones.

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The ideal way to age if the furniture is from:

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Larches

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This method will not work if the furniture is made from:

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Wood brushing with firing or smoking

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It is carried out using either an open flame, or, which is much more convenient, using a blowtorch or gas burner. Directing the flame to the surface of the wood, you can achieve a different shade of wood - from light golden to black. The color depends on the initial color of the wood and on the number of fire passes. Then brushing is performed - processing the surface of the wood with a stiff wire brush. At the same time, the softer, burnt parts of the wood are cleaned out, while the harder ones (annual rings) remain in place.

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Another way - firing in hot sand
Fine clean sand is poured into a metal container and heated to a temperature not exceeding 200 degrees C. Place the items prepared for firing in the hot sand and hold there until they darken. If the tone of the individual parts of the product should lighten gradually, then these parts are immersed vertically in the sand. The lower layers of sand heat up more than the upper ones, respectively, the lower part of the piece will be darker than the upper one. Thus, a tone is obtained that changes from light yellow to dark brown.
The surface treated with brushes and fire can be toned using the glazing or dry brush method, adding images using decoupage technique or adding colors by splashing.

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Additional mechanical action

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Sometimes time comes in the form of a wood-boring beetle. To simulate such damage left by insects, craftsmen use an awl, a drill, and even a laser. In the same way, minor damage is applied - chips or scuffs similar to those that surfaces have received for decades.

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Another way of doing noble damage - put nuts, bolts in a rag and beat an object with this bag. And then artistically ennoble to the desired result.

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Imitation of past decades aging techniques and techniques, combined with chemical and mechanical processing, give excellent decorative results.

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For practical decoration, most of the materials in the arsenal are deservedly occupied by acrylic-based compositions.. They are convenient to use in work: almost odorless, diluted with water, easily washed off the tools. They have a variety of effects (imitation of metals, oil paints, matte tempera) and various textures. A color scheme can inspire a makeover, even if it hasn't been planned. They are durable, resistant to water and sunlight.

Sebilkova Anna

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You will need

• - a piece of genuine leather;
• - sketch of the future product;
• - plywood stretching, small nails and a hammer;
• - razor blade, press, hard brush and emery;
• - a spray bottle and water;
• - medical and ammonia alcohol;
• - glycerin;
• - Castor oil;
• - cotton wool and rags;
• - lacquer-crackle or paint for the skin;
• - sponge and brush;
• - salt.
• - shoe polish;
• - old iron;
• - oven;
• - wooden form;
• - marble powder.

Instruction

Think carefully about the appearance of the future product. Sometimes it is enough just to stretch the skin, stretch it diagonally in different directions. With sandpaper, you can make the finished product more or less worn in certain places (for example, on the elbows or knees). For clarity, draw a network of decorative creases and cracks on paper, in some places you can even make cuts.

To create an enhanced effect of antiquity, the skin will have to be pre-prepared, made softer and more supple. Moisten the cut with water from a spray bottle, stretch it over the plywood with nails and dry it in the sun.

Rub castor oil or glycerin into the surface of the leather. After the material has dried, wipe it with alcohol and start kneading and making a thoughtful wrinkle pattern. Scratches can be made with a stiff brush, and creases can be done with a press. Work carefully and slowly, because the process of creating artificially aged skin is irreversible!

Wipe the aged material with clean water, dry rags and dry it again on the stretch. While the pores of the canvas are slightly damp, soak them with castor oil with a little ammonia. After fatliquoring, the material must dry, and it can be removed from the plywood. Knead the skin again so that the fat penetrates well between the collagen fibers.

To style a leather item, you can use a special patinating agent for leather from a store for designers and artists. Read the information on the packaging carefully and follow the instructions exactly. The composition - crackle turns a new product into cracked, as if from time to time.

Try leather dye, making the color of the item patchy, with dark spots and discoloration. This can be achieved by rubbing the surface with a sponge, brush and sandpaper, as well as by combining different shades of paint.

Finally, use the shoemaker's leather aging method. Take a brown cut and soak it in salted water (50 g per liter) for a day. After that, remove it from the container with the solution, let the liquid drain and wrap it with a soft cloth to dry. The surface of the canvas should become slightly wavy.

Lubricate the skin with shoe polish and iron at a temperature of 120 degrees, trying not to burn the material. For these purposes, craftsmen specially keep an old iron on hand. When the shoe polish stops sticking to your hands, remove the remnants of the product with glycerin alcohol. You can make it yourself: mix glycerin and alcohol 2:1 and heat the mixture a little in a water bath. As a result of your manipulations, brown skin should turn black.

Pull the dyed material over the desired shape (for example, a log) and place it in the oven (120 degrees). After the appearance of a strong, remove the material and quickly dip it into a container of cold water. After two or three repeated procedures, the skin will be covered with intricate cracks, and a brown color will appear in the seams between them. For a worn effect, additionally treat the canvas with marble powder.

Useful advice

The process of aging leather with the help of various paints and varnishes requires a certain skill. It is recommended that you first try out this or that tool on a small sample of the material, and only then proceed to the decorative processing of the rest of the canvas. Protect your hands from chemicals with rubber gloves and work in a ventilated area to avoid breathing harmful fumes.

Sources:

• How to age a leather jacket

Facial aging is a retouching of high complexity, which is performed by highly qualified specialists. But Adobe Photoshop allows you to make an old face in a simple way, accessible even to beginners.

You will need

• Tools: Adobe Photoshop CS2 or higher

Instruction

Save your work (Shift+Ctrl+S).

Related videos

Paintings can be a great way to decorate an interior. At the same time, they look very noble. There are many techniques to age a piece. Some of them require skill, so try it on some material, and then start processing the picture.

You will need

• -painting;
• - hot chamber;
• - cold chamber;
• -lacquer;
• -sandpaper;
• - tea brew.

Instruction

Try to make a sudden temperature change. First place picture in a hot dry chamber for 24 hours, and then keep it in a very low temperature chamber for the same amount of time. Repeat the procedure several times until the paint cracks, then varnish the painting with a patina effect.

Another possible way is to rub some places of the picture with sandpaper (with fine grain) until cracks form, and in some places until the picture is completely erased, and then cover the work with varnish with a patina effect.

Get a craquelure effect polish. Such a varnish gives the effect of cracks on the surface of the picture. You will need two-step craquelure, but do not apply it to the picture right away - try it on other surfaces to get a feel for the material - it is quite capricious. Then apply varnish to the picture only in those places where you want to add an antique effect, do not cover the whole picture with such varnish, it will not look good.

If you draw yourself, you can get a good effect with a simple varnish. Cover a wet painting with it and the paint will crack.

The effect of an old painting can also be obtained from a reproduction printed on a sheet of paper. Soak the sheet, glue it on another surface, slightly gathering some places of the picture (like folds). Rub some areas with sandpaper. Let the painting dry. And then cover it with varnish with a patina effect.

You can try to age the panel like this: rub the picture with tea leaves (namely tea leaves, not a soaked bag), and then let the panel dry, then varnish it.

You can use several varnishes with different bases. Apply acrylic varnish to the painting, and then oil-based varnish, and so on several times. After drying, cracks form.

Antique paintings can not only decorate the interior, but give it a certain charm and charm. However, as a rule, not everyone can buy a canvas of venerable age, alas, because of the high cost. You can make a picture visually older than your years yourself. This will require a little patience and certain reagents.

Change the temperature

You can age the picture by a sharp change in temperature. To get the effect of craquelure, place the canvas in a warm and dry place for a day. Then the same picture needs to be kept in the cold. The procedure should be carried out until the paint layer is covered with light cracks. To fix the result, a special varnish imitating patina should be applied on top. Similarly, the creation of modern painting will acquire a shade of noble antiquity.

As an alternative to aging art objects, you can use the most ordinary sandpaper. The main thing is that it be fine-grained. For small cracks and scuffs, she should wipe the canvas with light circular motions. The result obtained is fixed with varnish.

craquelure effect

If you don't feel like fiddling with sandpaper or waiting at least two days, use a craquelure polish. Applying varnish, you will get the same cracks, but much faster - immediately after the varnish has dried. Professional decorators do not recommend completely varnishing the surface of the painting, but applying it selectively. In this way, you will be able to create a more believable antiquity. Before applying varnish, test it on any surface covered with oil paint. This is necessary in order to have an idea of ​​how exactly this reagent will behave. In addition, you should strictly follow the requirements of the instructions.

Well, of course, it should be understood that the effect of antiquity can only be created on a canvas painted with paints. You won't achieve anything on paper illustration. Some artists age the painting in the process of writing it. They do this with ordinary varnish, however, they apply it before the paint is completely dry. You can visually add the charm of antiquity to a painting painted with watercolors using boron powder. To do this, apply it on the reverse side, and leave for some time. As you can see, it is not difficult to give a picture a touch of antiquity - the main desire.

This series is dedicated to materials with which you can "age" the product without using craquelure. There are now a great many of them in decoupage and hobby stores. So,

1. Facet (self-cracking) varnish.

Sufficiently thick (like a paste), applied to the surface with a spatula, modeling knife or palette knife, 2 mm thick. Distributed over the surface (around the motif) evenly. If applied with a sponge or brush, you get a different (interesting) pattern of cracks.

Adheres well to all absorbent surfaces (wood, ceramics, cardboard), glass and plastic surfaces must be pretreated with a glossy varnish. Available in various colors, total drying time 24 hours.

2. Microcraquelure facet varnish - two-component.

Transparent, forming elegant cracks, which, after drying, can be shaded with powder or decorated with stained glass paints or liquid bronze.

Suitable for any surface, but for good adhesion, the product must first be degreased and treated with a special primer varnish (step 1). After the primer has dried, facet varnish is applied with a layer of 1 mm. palette knife, spatula or brush. Drying time 6-12 hours.

3. Paraffin candle.

Creates scuffs that emphasize the aging of the product. The bottom layer of paint, after drying in places of alleged peeling, is rubbed with a candle. The top coat of paint in these areas will have little adhesion. We apply the top (contrasting) layer of paint, dry it, with sandpaper we go over these places with light movements - the top paint will easily come off.

4. Shellac liquid unrefined.

Gives a touch of aging to treated surfaces, has a pronounced amber tint. The color (darkening) depends on the number of layers. Can be used as a craquelure paired with gum arabic.

5. Paint-patina acrylic universal.

Gives the product an aged look, used on various surfaces. Apply patina to the decorated object with a brush, remove excess with a soft cloth. If large surfaces are being treated, then apply in parts.

The longer the patina remains on the product (does not wipe off), the denser its layer. Can be used for grouting craquelure cracks. At the end of patination, the product must be left to dry for 24 hours, then coated with a finishing varnish.

6. Bituminous wax. It also gives a hint of aging. Apply with a brush or cloth, after a while remove the excess with a dry cloth (not fluffy).

I have specially processed part of the surface (for clarity). Potal is very well aged - gold darkens.

Since there were a lot of questions on this topic, I decided to end my series anyway. I would be glad if it is useful to someone and helps to navigate in a great variety of produced materials.