How to Add a Crackle Finish to Print or Drawing
Use a Decoupage Trick to Create "Instant" Old Masters
Aug 25, 2009
Although the real thing may be beyond your reach, it's easy enough to "acquire" a few old masters without breaking the bank. There are commercial products that produce an antique finish on furniture which can be adapted to use on paper, but the method shown here is so easy and inexpensive that you'll be able to whip up your own antique works of art in no time at all and at very little cost.
With a photocopy or scanned printout of your favorite print or drawing, a couple of used tea bags, a bit of clear varnish and our easy instructions, you can create your very own "masters" that look so real that you might even be able to fool an expert! Note when choosing a print, make sure that it has a light background as this will be where the crackles and faded varnished appearance will be most evident.
This is an easy activity for those nothing-to-do days when the kids are stuck inside and bored. This project is safe enough for the younger kids as long as an adult or older sibling is around to help. Your kids will be delighted as their prints are transformed before their very eyes into what look like original, faded works of art, complete with a wonderfully aged and crackled appearance.
Set into old garage sale frames, your new old prints will enhance the decor of any room and make great gifts, too. For sources of prints, check out calendars at gift shops, and old art books and magazines at the library. You can also check out your local thrift shops and garage sales.
What You Will Need
- Black and white or color copies of prints or drawings
- Used tea bags
- Clear semi-gloss varnish
- Small paint brush
- Iron (use cool setting)
- Wooden picture frame
How to Do It
- Have your print or drawing photocopied at your local copy centre or scan and print out on your home computer. Make several copies as you may have to experiment with a few to get the right effect.
- Take your copy and squish it tightly into a small ball. Smooth flat with your hand.
- Lay the print onto a flat surface and gently rub a slightly moistened tea bag over the entire front surface. The more often you rub, the darker the effect will be. Moisten the bag in warm water if it gets too dry and replace the bag if it breaks.
- Let the print dry and when dry, place face down on to a clean sheet of plain paper and press flat with a warm iron.
- To give the appearance of an old canvas, cover the front of the wrinkled print with a thin coat of clear, semi-gloss varnish. Let dry and apply a second coat.
- When thoroughly dry, place the print face down on to a clean sheet of plain paper and again press flat with the warm iron.
- Place in an antique-style frame and hang it in a favourite spot.
For more decoupage home decor projects, check out Darwin Rice's book Decoupage: Transforming Your Home with Paper (Potter Crafts, 1998).
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