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Hi all! Haven't been on in long time! I'm back!! I have a sign-to-do.... the customer wants the New sign to "look old"... The only thing I have thought of being able to do is to paint white under, then the color, then lightly sand off some of the color to show some of the white - hoping that this gives an "Old" look? I read about that crackling stuff - but that said not for exterior signs. This will be an outside sign in the windy, snowy, sunny, you-name-it upstate NY elements... I would love to hear any and all suggestions anyone might have? Or if the sanding idea I thought about - if any knows if that might work?? Thanks so very big much!!!!!~~~Lorna~~~
-------------------- Lorna A. Herman RiverStone Signs RiverStoneSigns@aol.com Posts: 29 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Apr 2003
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For some amazing examples of that type of sign, check out Mark Fair and Mike Meyers' Flying Biscuit Antique Sign Company. Here's a link to their website- Flying Biscuits
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Thanks, Terry!! Great site & Awsome signs!!!! I should also mention that this is a flat painted sign done with 1/2" MDO board.... and I don't airbrush. I have some ancient barnwood that I might try to incorporate into it... I need to keep it a specific shape tho, cuz the guy wants the Neon that he already has around the one he's got up to go around the new one. Yep - Neon! lol! I just can't envision 'old' and 'neon' going together! But - hey! ~~~L~~~
-------------------- Lorna A. Herman RiverStone Signs RiverStoneSigns@aol.com Posts: 29 | From: Upstate NY | Registered: Apr 2003
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I got that crackled effect accidentally once by putting a fast drying, hard, clear spar varnish over a slow drying oil illustration that wasn't completely cured. (artist's oils on an mdo panel). The effect wasn't immediate, it took about 2 months - but then again, I wasn't TRYING to get that effect. That's called a boo-boo. When you do it on purpose its called SKILL.
The effect was wonderful, and I believe it could be duplicated by purposely creating the slow and fast layers over a properly prepared base, and end up very stable outdoors. You should be able to finish your panel and let it cure normally, then make your painting on top of that using very slow drying paints, (either artists oils or enamels with lots of linseed oil or retarder added), then spray overall immediately with a clear alkyd spar. Once that spar starts to tighten up it should split the underlying oil in random patterns, revealing whatever your stable base color was. I would think the tightening/crazing should occur overnight. Your oil painting would still need additional time to fully harden. Might be worth a test...
Here's what my goof turned out like:
[ November 05, 2003, 10:40 AM: Message edited by: Joe Rees ]
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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If you do a search on the Portfolio page, you'll find, several months ago, there was a lot of talk about making antique looking signs. Amy Brown, posted a thread which created a lot of action.
During that time, I took a stab at it and found that 'lightly-sanding' didn't do the trick, for me. Once I stood back, I barely noticed my 'ruined' efforts... Arrrg!
You might want to take a look at this link: step-by-step Although, this method references crackling, it may give you some insight in regard to achieving the 'old look', using background techniques...
Have fun!
Cher.
-------------------- Co-Host: SANDCASTLE Panel Jam 'a Dixie Letterhead Reunion' Fort Myers, Florida
Cheryl Lucas a/k/a "Shag" on mIRC Vital Signs & Graphics, Etc. Cape Coral, Florida 239-574-4713 VSignsNgraphics@aol.com Posts: 987 | From: Cape Coral, FL USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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I did one out of MDO the routed the sheet to look like planks. I then painted it as usual then sanded with 220 sand paper to expose the background color. then beat it with a rusty chain. Then mixed black and clear and shaded it heavy on top light on the bottom. Airbrush some rust on the lag bolts then clear. It worked for me. The good thing is it is real hard to screw up.
-------------------- Ryan Young Indocil Art & Design indocil@comporium.net 803-980-6765
I highjacked Letterville!! Winter Muster 2004 Posts: 904 | From: Rock Hill, SC | Registered: Sep 2001
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Distressing signs are a lot of fun. I've done Ryan's chain-effect, I've hit it with sandpaper with some heavily hit spots and I've beat on the signs with hammers, crow bars and anything else I find. I've also taken small house signs, after painting and put them face down in our gravel driveway & jumped up and down on them. Talk about fun.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Prep your board. (Carve, bash, smash.) Paint your base colour. I try to stick with lighter colours for this. Paint your sign on using the acrylic paints that they give to school kids. Don't put colour over colour or you'll lose it. Wait till it dries. Take it outside and with a fine misting garden hose slowly wash the paint off. Be careful of black as it tends to wash away quickly. Wait till it dries. Using that broad brush that you didn't wash very well last time, smash on a rough coat of varnish. Don't go right to the edges, just cover up the text. Wait till it dries. Lightly score the varnished area in vertical strokes with a blade. Thin down some brown paint (I use offset printing ink as it dries quick and I like the colour.) quickly cover the whole sign with the brown. Wait till it tacks off. Then use a soft rag to wipe away the brown. It should wipe off quite easily from the varnished area and will stick to the unvarnished areas. The rough brush strokes that put the varnish on should show up nicely and the brown also collects in the scored lines and gives good aged effect. Bung on a final coat of Varnish and your finished.
-------------------- Army Dave Oz Posts: 229 | From: Brisbane, Oz | Registered: Feb 2002
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Talk about fun.
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