How to Make Paint Look Antique With Crackle Paint

Select paint in two appropriate, antique-style colors. You are not nlimited to ivory and off-white, but steer away from hot or neon colors. Some vibrant colors, such as certain shades of red, can still convey an antique look. Other options include pale blues, greens, and yellows. If you want the crackling to be extremely visible, use a dramatically different set of colors, such as dark brown and pale green. If you want a more subtle effect, use a creamy ivory instead of the dark brown.

Apply the paint color you have chosen for your base coat to the item you wish to make look antique. For a pale green item with dark brown showing through the cracks, paint the item dark brown for now. Let this first coat of paint dry completely, based on the manufacturer's instructions.

Apply the crackle medium to your item using a sea sponge. This makes the cracks random, which may better suit an antique-looking piece. If you want your cracks to flow in one direction, use a paintbrush instead. Only make your strokes in the direction you wish the cracks to flow. The thicker the layer of crackle medium, the wider the cracks.

Allow the crackle medium to dry based on the manufacturer's directions. This typically takes about an hour.

Paint your chosen main color of paint over the other two layers. For example, you would now paint the pale green over the dark brown and crackle medium. If you opted to use a paintbrush for the crackle medium, paint on your top layer in the opposite direction.

Work quickly and confidently as you paint on the top coat. You cannot go over an area again or you will destroy the crackle appearance, so apply the paint as well as possible the first time.