Classic antique and designer furniture has a sophistication of look that cannot be imitated by factories or machines. It has to be rendered by hand. You can learn how to duplicate age old looks by the use of these advanced finishes learned in this class.

You will first learn how to prepare and paint a piece of furniture first, no matter how old and dirty. Then you will learn up to eight different finishes that you can put on your furniture to suit your client's or your own needs.

Students will work on moldings, panels and their own pieces of furniture.

Authentic milk paints are also used in this class. Learn advanced techniques in applying, distressing and decorating with this “primitive” paint, to age and give character to any piece.

Antiquing, Crackle paint and varnish, image tranfers and painting, Classic Renaissance finish over gold leaf, Distressed paint, Milk paint application and distressing, Matte gold leaf application, Striae finish and clear coat varnish techniques.

We will also cover how to prepare, prime, paint and antique kitchen cabinets. This is a hot new finish which should be in your portfolio.

This is not a class where everybody works on the same generic wooden box. We encourage you to bring an old/new piece of furniture in for refinishing, repair or restoration. That way everybody can learn the ways to refinish/finish many different types of furniture.

Please phone studio prior to class to discuss a piece to bring. No large cabinets or pieces please as we only have a limited time to finish. You could however, bring in a drawer or door or two.

Class Information:

Paint furniture

Click on image to see examples

Antiquing or the art of gently aging:

As we past the millenium, people are looking back over the past century and learning to value things that last. This is especially true in today's "throw-away" electronic culture. A well-built piece of furniture will last several generations and it may go through many transformations during its life. There is satisfaction in owning something that someone thought of well enough to keep in good repair while allowing it to acquire "character". After we paint and/or glaze a piece of furniture, the finish is rarely complete until the new finish is aged. This is one of things we try to teach at Dundean Studios: how to take the "newness" out of a finish, gently age it to a certain point and then stabilize it for the next generation. The generic term for this is antiquing. These techniques can be used for both furniture and architecture.

Dean Sickler-1999