How to Paint a Primitive Frame

Learning how to paint a primitive frame is one of those easy to learn techniques. After learning this you can move on painting primitive wood decor on  your own. That’s because these techniques work well many types of wood decor like shelves, bread boxes, and stools.

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How to Paint a Primitive Frame

Paint Supplies Needed:

• Sanded unfinished wood frame
• Flat black paint or black craft paint
• Color craft paint of your choice for a topcoat
• Paste Wax
• Small piece of sandpaper #120 grit
• MinWax Stain Special Walnut
• Rubber Gloves
• Foam Brush
• Soft Lint Free Cloth

Step One: Adding the base coat

Paint the frame black with a foam brush. I find it easy to do the inside edges first, then the outside edges, lay it down and do the top surface. Let dry about ?? hour.

Step Two: Applying wax

Apply the Wax Paste, with a lint free cloth. Let dry about 20 minutes.

Step Three: Adding Top Coat

Paint with your choice of topcoat color. Let dry at least 1 hour.

Step Four: Sanding for a Distressed Look

With the sandpaper, sand all of the edges down to the wood and lightly over the flat surfaces to expose some of the black paint.

Step Five: Staining (Antiquing)

With a lint free cloth apply the stain over the entire frame. Let dry overnight.

Finished project:

 

Updates to our frame painting tutorial:

While this is a basic how to paint a primitive frame, there are more techniques you can add to this. Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you could try distressing the wood more. Some artist will hit the wood with a hammer, or length of chain to make dents. Of you spatter paint over the surface using a tooth brush. With this technique you apply paint to the brush bristles and run your thumb of the bristles making the paint spatter.

I found a helpful video tutorial that shows a neat technique when adding the base coat. Instead of one solid color, the video shows how to use accent colors. So, when you sand your top coat you get more depth in the colors lying underneath.

 

Original Tutorial submitted by Teresa Miller, http://www.teresasprimitivetreasures.com