The First Real FAT Paint Project!

The First Real FAT Paint Project 

The shop started carrying FAT Paint back in September and although I have done several small furniture pieces since then I feel like this was the first time I took on real project all by myself!

The idea was to create a nice bright piece for my next baby themed window display (you can check out the finished window at 81 Hudson Ave). We found our old doll highchair kicking around my parent’s place, which is really a full sized high chair with the legs cut off and thought it was the perfect thing for a FAT Paint project.

The original piece, a little rough but still usable!

Though the piece was in decent shape it had been painted so many times that the pressed design on the back was almost gone so that is where I started. After an initial all over sanding I used a small chisel to etch out the design. This worked moderately well, the edges were not a smooth as I had imagined but I ended up liking the look anyways. The paint chipped and created a much more rustic look. ( I usually deplore the chronic over use of the word rustic but in this case I think it is the good descriptor).

pressed back design after it has been etched from the layers of paint!

Second step was to apply the first layer of colour. This is the part that I find the most exciting and probably the most exciting! I went with Tuscan Yellow (check out the full FAT Paint colour palette here) which, if I do say so myself, was the perfect choice! It is a nice bright yellow that pops in the window, but has some depth in its reddish undertones.  If you have used FAT Paint before you will know that it is so easy to apply.  I just used my basic ProPainter brush set and kept a damp cloth handy!  The only spot on the chair that  gave me any trouble at all was the back spindles but that is entirely to do with my novice painting skills and not the paints fault! I wanted to achieve a full coverage matte look and after the first coat was dry it was clear that I needed  to apply a second coat.

Clearly it needs a second coat 

Once the second coat was applied and lightly sanded with 220 sandpaper, I realized that the pressed back design was not popping out enough for my liking. I already had decided that I was going to use the new Clear Coat so I decided that I should use the newest product in the FAT paint line Glaze! (The FAT paint glazes will be available in 4 colours – white, raw sienna, brown, and grey/black – unfortunately they aren’t available to the public yet BUT you can achieve a similar look by tinting your clear coat!)

Amazing new clear coat! 

the new glaze colours
 that isn't actually the brown glaze on the far right

Applying the clear coat was a dream, it goes on so smoothly and it goes so far! I was using a sample sized jar and only used about a third of it.  After letting the clear coat completely dry (about 20 minutes in the sun) I popped open my jar of white glaze and gave it a quick stir.  The only experience I have had with applying a glaze up until this point was at the FAT Paint Retailers Training workshop I attended last month and the one thing that Brad (FAT paint extraordinaire himself) impressed upon us it that you have to move FAST when working with a glaze. Unlike FAT Paint, FAT glaze dries quickly and once it is dry you aren’t moving it! So armed with my damp cloth for wiping off excess and my limited knowledge I dove in! I only used the glaze on the pressed design and on the dreaded back spindles. I wanted the glaze to emphasize the pressed design and add a little interest to the piece. 

Finished piece! Ready to go in the window 

Guess what? As you can see it turned out brilliantly and that is the best part about FAT Paint anyone can do it!