Plaster craft items are beautiful works of art with the look of ceramic but without the expense. Plaster craft pieces can be completed at home, and unlike ceramics, they do not require firing. It is a very affordable hobby that is fun and very addicting. When carefully painted and coated with gloss, plaster craft items are extraordinarily impressive, and the following tips and ideas will help you get started.
Choosing and Mixing Colors
One of the biggest mistakes people make when painting anything is taking the color straight from the bottle. Colors straight from the bottle are fine for signs and cartoons, but they are not ideal for recreating realistic colors. When trying to make colors look richer and more realistic, take the time to mix them with other colors. For example, gray down bright red with a touch of black for more realistic roses. Tone done bright green with a touch of brown and a dot of blue for more realistic grass. Experiment by mixing colors and you will discover how to make them appear richer and far more realistic than anything straight from a bottle.
Choosing Brushes
Plaster craft items will only look as good as the quality of the craft brushes chosen. For creating details, select high-quality acrylic craft brushes with soft bristles and fine tips. For larger areas, select larger brushes of the same style and level of quality to efficiently and effectively cover plaster craft pieces. Not only will they be easier to paint if high-quality brushes are used, but it will take less work if the tips are in good condition.
Covering Mistakes
When painting plaster craft with acrylic paint, mistakes are very easy to hide. Acrylic paint dries very quickly, and once it is dry it can be easily covered with another color. You do not have to settle for anything less than what you expect when painting plaster craft with acrylic craft paint, and if you take your time the finished pieces will look outstanding.
Adding Special Touches
Instead of just using ordinary acrylic arts and crafts paint to cover and color plaster pieces, use acrylic craft paint infused with glitter to embellish flowers, ribbons, and other decorative items that can use a little glitz and eye-catching detail. After the entire piece is painted, look for ways to add special touches. Cover the centers of flowers with glitter gloss, or use it in other areas for something highly decorative and unique. You will never paint plaster craft again without using gloss with fine glitter on a portion of the project.
Applying Gloss
The final step after painting the plaster is the addition of a protective acrylic gloss coating. Not only will the gloss help add strength and durability to finished plaster craft pieces, but it will also give it a finished appearance. A plaster piece is not truly finished until it is coated with acrylic gloss like a fine ceramic piece that has been fired in a kiln.
