My Methods by Della Wetterman
PREPARING OLD AND NEW TINWARE FOR PAINTING
Tin is a great surface to paint on. It is
important for you to know the proper way to prepare it before
painting. First and foremost you should know that if there
is any rust on the surface it must be removed. Rust will continue
to “grow” beneath any layer of paint, sealer and
even a rust inhibitor if it is not removed. The instructions
for preparing old and new tin before painting are not the
same. I do not paint on tin that is rusty. If it has a very
small amount of rust that can be easily removed then I will
consider it if I love the piece. If the integrity of the tin
has been invaded I do not paint a design on it.
If you are painting on a piece of tin that
has rust you must remove all the rust before you begin your
base coating. Use commercial products that will remove rust,
a wire brush or what ever means it takes to remove all, not
some, but all of the rust. As stated above if you do not remove
all of the rust it will continue to rust beneath your paint
and over the years the tin will deteriorate and flake away.
Wash the tin with soap and water and remove
any dirt, grime or grease after you have removed the rust.
Rinse it in vinegar and water to insure an oil free surface.
Allow it to dry thoroughly.
Once all of the tin is dry spray it with
RustOleum Gray Car Primer. After it is primed, allow it to
dry and follow the instructions for base coating below.
PREPARING NEW TIN (Please read carefully
before preparing your tin)
Remove any stickers and the residue from
the sticker. Goo Gone is a good product to use to remove the
glue left after a sticker is peeled away. Wash tin in warm
soapy water and rinse thoroughly with water. Use a final rinse
of vinegar and water to make sure that any trace of oil is
gone. Since tin has seams it is important that you allow proper
time for it to dry naturally. A hair drier may be used to
dry the tin thoroughly or place it in your oven on the lowest
“warm” setting. It will be best to allow it to
air dry for at least 24 hours before you begin any prep work.
Most of the products produced by Folk Art
Tin™ are made of galvanized tin. So they will not rust.
I use the following process to insure a good bond of paint
to tin. In this process we sand the tin to create a tooth
for the base coats to adhere to and allow the subsequent coats
of primer and paint to bond well and create a thick, strong
protective covering for your tin.
Sand in a circular motion with a piece of
grit medium sand paper to rough the tin surface. Pay particular
attention to the edges by sanding them well. Wipe all of the
dust away. Tin must be primed with a rust inhibitor to prevent
any rusting from occurring where we have sanded. It also starts
our process of creating a tough skin to avoid any scratching
or peeling of the paint. I use RustOleum Gray Auto Primer
(a spray). I sometimes use Penetrol (a brush on) on flat surfaces.
It takes a longer drying time, but it is a wonderful surface
to paint when it is dry. Both of these products can be found
in any home improvement center.
When I apply the first coat of base color
I mix all purpose sealer with the paint; 3:1. The 3:1 mix
is approximate; I don’t measure. I pour some of both
on the palette and then brush mix as I go. The sealer helps
to strengthen the bond of the paint. Then I apply three coats
of pure paint with no sealer added to these steps. It is important
to have a good base coat on the tin. Be certain to apply the
paint smoothly and avoid any runs or ridges. If these should
occur you can sand very lightly and apply several layers of
base color until it is leveled.
Allow ample drying time between each coat
of primer and paint.
You may place your tin in the oven on the
lowest setting to cure your paint if it is small enough to
go in your oven. Make certain to keep it on the lowest setting
(usually 180 - 200 degrees) or it can melt the solder that
holds the seams of your tin together. If you cannot use the
oven then allow it to dry for several days before varnishing.
Tin will scratch very easily if it is not
cured. Larger pieces that cannot be placed in the oven can
by cured by using a hair dryer. Humidity affects the drying
and curing time. If possible wait 24 to 48 hours before applying
your pattern.
FINISHING TOUCHES
To antique or mud I use the best quality Burnt Umber Oil Paint I can find. I prefer one that is decidedly in the “red” family. Some have a lot of yellow in them. Add a small amount of Black Oil Paint to the mix for a darker look. Antiquing or mudding is to set shadows, divide, separate, age and mellow the painting.
When you have completed your project remove all pattern or graphite lines. Be certain that all of your painting is sharp focus, not fuzzy edges on items that decidedly well defined. Spray the finished project with Krylon Matte Finish. Apply a coat of Linseed Oil with a lint free cloth all over the surface. Wipe as much off as possible with a clean lint free cloth. With these barriers it will allow you to use the same linseed oil cloth to remove any mudding that you do not like. Do not mud without using the Krylon and Linseed Oil first.
Apply mud with a side loaded flat brush in the shadow areas and between design elements. Remove excess paint from your brush and feather the paint out leaving the darkest areas in what would be the crevices and shadowed area. Use a 3/5² or 5/8² to soften, blend and to make the edges disappear. Cotton swabs are good to clean out small areas, i.e. grapes or berries. For larger areas a cloth square wrapped around your index finger works well to blend out the edges before using the mop. I strengthen the shadows by picking up the Burnt Umber Oil in the brush and reinforce the dark area I am trying to achieve. I pay special attention to the edges and any ridges in the surface I am working on. These should be the darkest areas on your project.
The most common mistakes made when learning to do this method is that you do not leave enough of the “mud” on your piece. Use your mop brush to blend edges out. I sweep across the entire piece with my mop. This distributes a faint amount of mud across your work…not seen by the eye, but nevertheless giving it a lovely glow and adding to the aged look.
I never mud on a face. On occasion I will use a very small amount of a Santa’s beard if it is a large Santa. Too much mud will make your folk art people look dirty. Use very little, if any on clothing. I do use some around the outside of their bodies to create a faint shadow.
When the project is dry (24 – 48 hours), spray with Krylon. If you determine more mudding is needed you would should repeat the steps again. (I nearly always mud twice.) Mudding may be repeated as often as is necessary to achieve the desired look as long as you have sprayed with Krylon and applied Linseed Oil before each mudding. You may re-establish high lights or add a forgotten line with your acrylics if you spray a coat of Krylon to seal the oil and create a barrier. If you add a forgotten element, spray it with the Krylon; apply linseed oil then Burnt Umber oil as necessary.
IMPORTANT: Be certain to dispose of your oil paint and Linseed Oil cloths in a baggie filled with water. Place the sealed baggie in an outside garbage container with a lid. Do not leave it in you house. It is highly flammable and a fire could occur.
***Note about Krylon: A year or two ago Krylon changed the chemical composition and that formula proved to be a big issue to some painters and their painted pieces. I can't endorse Krylon for that reason. I'm only stating what has worked for me and cannot be responsible for any adverse affects you may experience.
FINISHES
Apply two to four coats of varnish with a good 1² brush. I use two coats for a project that will not be used much and three or four coats for projects that will receive a lot of wear or be used outside. Sand softly with steel wool after the first coat and before the last coat of varnish. When dry, wax the project to create an aged patina as well as for protection. I use matte or satin sheen varnish. Wax twice a year and see how the beauty of your painting improves with each waxing.
BRUSH CARE
These tips will add more mileage to your brushes.
 Don’t over use them. Change to a new brush of the same size after 2 - 3 hours of use. Clean them well and give allow them a rest. Do not use them again until they  are dry.
Clean your brushes with a good brush cleaner to remove all of the paint. Dress them with cleaner and store them in an upright position in a container.
When loading a brush do not drag or touch the metal fitting on the pallet. This is particularly important when using a liner.
Brushes that separate and are hard at the base mean they were not cleaned properly and/or the paint was allowed to dry in them before they were cleaned.
Never leave your brush sitting in your water bin. This is makes the bristles limp and they will not perform for you.
When wiping your brush on a paper towel, do it very gently. Bristles should not be brushed back and forth over a paper towel. Brush gently in one direction only.
Choose a paper towel that is as soft as a worn out tee shirt. Rough fabrics (old towels and inexpensive paper towel) will destroy your brushes.
Remember these basic tips and you will find that you will not be replacing your brushes as often. When they are worn out, and they will all wear out, replace them. A good brush used properly is as important as your painting skill.
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1995
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