Tips and Tricks Friday

Today's tip is for antiquing.  Reading some forums this morning, and one question was on paint for antiquing.  What do you use?  Acrylics?  Wood stain?  Old English Furniture Polish?  (just kidding...although, if you wanted the doll to smell like Mom just cleaned house...)

I have discovered a favorite, that's not too messy, seems to last forever, dries matte, and is inexpensive: Water soluble oil paint. I bought it at Hobby Lobby--I'm sure you can get it, in several brands.  The one I got was Windsor Newton, in burnt umber.

To use it, I put the TINIEST amount down, depending of course on how much area you need to cover, and mix it with water!  That easy.  It takes some serious stirring to get the lumps dissolved, but it doesn't dry as fast as acrylics, which always had the tenancy--for me at least--to over-color the project.  If you want more, another coat does the trick, or a less diluted mix.

The next thing I plan to try is water-soluble oil pastels for coloring/painting faces & features.  Does anyone have experience using them?