Glossy Glaze Paint
The glossy finish is emphatically modern. From mirror-glass windows,
Perspex furniture and shiny cars to PVC, Lycra and lip-gloss, shine has a
contemporary glamour and allure. Glossy glaze paint is as shiny and
translucent as children’s jelly, fruit gums and pastilles, yet when the
light shines through; it can take on the quality of a stained-glass window.
Gloss paints work best in bold, positive colours that are strong, clear
and uncomplicated, like those of everyday plastics and modern packaging –
brilliant red, strong yellow and neon blue. If paint colours could talk,
these would be shouting.
Layers of translucent colour
Painting with this material is like putting in place translucent layers
of brightly coloured silk veils. Modern artists have used this same type of
paint, gloss and enamel, to create large, abstract fields of colour. As the
colours are overlaid, new colours appear – red over black becomes a deep
burnt orange, while red over blue becomes purple. By using two colours to
create these deep shades, the painted finish has the glowing depth and
intensity of an inky-blue lake.
Use this shiny paint in a room and the walls will reflect colour as the
light bounces off the paint like a mirror, making the room come alive. Paint
a colour over a white base and the white will radiate through the paint to
make it glow with light. The final look is outgoing, gregarious and
optimistic.
Using Glossy Glaze Paint
To achieve this very shiny translucent look, a semi-opaque, water-based
gloss paint is used. If this is difficult to find, use a coloured varnish
with extra colour added, in the form of gloss paint or colourizer, for
strength and depth.
The best way to use the paint is to brush it on with a bristle brush, but
one that is not too hard or scratchy. Apply the paint with a sponge roller
for a very thin layer, but since the paint dries quickly, overlapping areas
may leave a patterned texture. Diluting the paint with a tiny amount of
water will allow it to dribble over a flat surface. To ensure is adheres
properly, apply this paint over a matt paint base coat.
- Apply the paint using a brush with firm but soft bristles that are not
liable to scratch the surface. Spread the paint out and finish by working
with just the tip of the brush to lightly blend the paint and remove
brush-strokes. Leave to dry.
- When the first coat is dry to the touch it is ready for a second coat,
even though it may not be completely ‘cured’. Apply the paint as before,
spreading it over the first coat to achieve a new colour, depth and
intensity. If you intend to allow some of the first colour to show, start
applying the second coat in the central overlapping area and work out to
the edge where the two colours meet. This allows all brushstrokes to be
feathered out.
More Ideas
Glossy glaze paints have a finish that makes them excellent for combining
with other paints to show textual contract and similarity, yet they are
equally effective used alone to produce an enamel-like finish.
Geometric, fluid and offbeat patterns can be reproduced with glossy glaze
paints and matt finishes for dramatic effect, or alongside other shiny
finishes such as pearlized or metallic paints, which complement each other
wonderfully. Glossy glaze paint can also be mixed with glaze and used to
give a new look to frottage or colourwashing techniques, bringing to mind
the natural patina of polished stones and shiny leaves, as well as modern
fabrics or industrial materials |
