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How to Paint an Antique 1815 Wood Frame With Leaves & Musical Notes

In the early 19th century, artists created paints by hand from natural materials. Madder root created shades of red. Chrome green from chromium oxide dates from 1809. However, chrome green and other early paints are toxic--some contain lead and other poisons. For this reason, take care when handling an antique painted frame. Ornate gilt frames, carved frames and hand-painted frames from this era provide a fitting setting for period art. To paint an antique 1815 wood frame with leaves and musical notes, select paints and tools suited to the subject and colors.

Things You'll Need

Soft-bristled, natural-hair paintbrush, any size
Tempera paint in leaf colors and black
Paintbrushes, 1-inch and fine
Crackle finish (also called crackle medium)

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the antique frame with a soft-bristled brush to remove any dust or debris.
- 2
  Paint the frame's background with a 1-inch brush in smooth strokes. Paint along with the wood grain. Paint only the background, leaving the leaves and musical notes visible.
- 3
  Paint the background near the leaves and musical notes with a fine brush to fill in the color without painting over the art. Alternately, leave the background unpainted to highlight the decorations.
- 4
  Paint the leaves with a fine brush. Start at the top left corner of the antique frame and paint from left to right if you're right handed. Work from the opposite direction if you're left-handed. This helps to reduce the risk of smearing the wet paint. Paint the leaves green or select fall colors such as orange and gold.
- 5
  Use a darker shade of each color to add veins and shadows to the leaves. Allow the leaves to dry.
- 6
  Paint the musical notes in black with a fine brush. Roll the brush tip in black paint to keep the brush tip pointed. Slowly paint each musical note, working left to right if right-handed or right to left if left-handed. Allow the leaves to dry.
- 7
  Allow the antique frame to dry completely.
- 8
  Apply a coat of crackle finish in even strokes to create an aged paint effect, if desired. Paint in the direction of the wood grain.

Antiquing