To Short Cut or Not- that is the question...

Remember this coffee table I showed you a couple of weeks ago?

I decided to tackle it with a "what would you do" state of mind... I got out my sand paper, tac cloth, and primer- on these steps I never take shortcuts- it's not worth it. I like to use Gesso for primer- it's water-based, goes on thick, levels out nicely and sands beautifully. A shortcut I normally take but didn't here- mix 1 part of your paint color with 2-3 parts primer for better color coverage.

Like anything, the better you execute these steps the better the results, so take your time, invest in the process and make thoughtful decisions...

Take your time painting the areas you think no one will see- paint them well- even tape sections off if need be for a clean look.

I even paint these sections because you might see them when you open the drawer. I make it all as tidy as possible.

I can handle my brush pretty well so I don't usually  tape off pieces that won't show. But, I do tape important details like this brass trim on the drawers.

And finally, I added the first layer of color. Use long even strokes and don't use too much paint. Several thin layers is better than one thick sloppy one.

After two coats, I sanded everything lightly, and painted the final coat. Here's a shortcut- use satin finish paint and you won't have to varnish the piece- that saves a step!

I decided to paint a fun pattern on the drawers. If this were for a client, I'd measure and template everything perfectly. But this was for fun so I kind of winged it. If you're going to stress over it and make things worse going over and over the same details to get them right, then measure, template, layout your idea. if you're willing to let things go as they turn out, then be spontaneous and have fun... that's what I did here.

It got dark outside now so I brought the drawers into my living room. I love Frog Tape's new delicate surface tape! It's stretchy so it bends pretty well and it really does work better than regular tape

I used tracing paper to transfer the shape onto the drawers. Trace, tape and paint... repeat...

And voila! Like I said, if I'd done this for a client, I'd be more precise on the pattern, it was nice to have fun with this.

So, anyone in the Bay Area want to make a trade for this? Offer something you've made or worked on and let's make a deal! A piece of jewelry you made or revamped, a CD of your music or your favorite music, a top you've designed...  Can't wait to see what you come up with!