Turn Paint to Stain
I use a lot of stain finishes in my ceramics after they've been painted. The difference is like night and day.
See before and after photo below.
Stain deepens the colors, and adds dimension and elegance to what would otherwise be considered a drab paint job.
Stain is applied and then wiped away to achieve its magic effect. The stain remains in the crevices of the piece to add dimension. Then gloss sealer
finishes the glam. The only problem is ceramic stains are expensive so I want to share this little trick I learned the hard way.
To make your own stain, there's no set recipe other than mixing in a bit of Mop & Glow into your acrylic paint of choice. I normally use brown or black
but any color will work. Prepare your stain in a clean container in the amount you think you'll need to cover your entire piece. Test a small area on
the bottom of your piece (or another piece) first to insure it wipes away well and dries quickly. If it doesn't wipe away well, add a bit more Mop & Glow
until the desired effect is achieved.
Always wear disposable gloves when working with stains, even if you make it from this recipe. Your hands will get well coated during wipe-away if you don't.
Use a cotton cloth with no frayed edges. Always keep your staining brushes separate from your other brushes. Also, don't forget to protect your working
surface with packing paper, newspaper, or cardboard. This is a messy process but well worth it.
To apply the stain, brush it on and wipe it off in sections. If you leave it too long, it will be difficult to wipe off. Should you suffer difficulty
in wiping it off, you will need to use Drying Time Extender on a corner of your wiping cloth. You guessed it! Full strength Mop & Glow works just as well as
that expensive Drying Time Extender.
When you are satisified with the staining process to completion, allow it to dry overnight before sealing it with gloss or matt spray sealer. Two or three
coats should do but let it dry between coats.