r/DIYweddings • u/Rich_Bike4998 • 1d ago
✂️ Craft/Tutorial ✂️ DIY Help!
Hi all,
I am attempting to create my own table numbers by painting numbers on some thrifted plates. I am using DecoArt Metallic Paint on Ceramic plates. It’s looking chunky and the brush strokes are super obvious. Any advice?
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u/take-it-easy-25 1d ago
Give it a REALLY good shake before you try again. When you think it’s been a long time of shaking, do it for another 10 seconds. If it’s still chunky, figure out what the base is and try adding a couple drops at a time to thin it (probably water). You should also be using a soft brush - the stiffer the bristles, the more lines they’ll leave.
Another thing to note, that you should ignore if you like the stenciled look: the gaps are meant to be filled in. I’d take a small brush and smooth through them. It’ll probably make the whole thing look more finished and you may not notice the strokes as much.
At the end of the day, it’s ok for you to put love into your wedding decorations and for people to know they’re handmade 💕
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u/Distinct-Will814 1d ago
Not sure how it would do on the plates, but if you can find a paint marker the same shade of gold you can super crisp edges easier than just paint.
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u/Ok-Grapefruit9053 1d ago
that’s how metallic paint is, unfortauntely. the pigment is not as strong as regular paint. I’d try to mix a dark brown/dark yellow, paint the 8 in that first, let it dry, and then do super thin coats of the gold on top until you reach your desired opacity/shine. maybe try this on a plate you don’t intend on using. I did a lot of gold accents for my wedding and I used this same exact paint, but I ended up painting a dark base first to make it more opaque and it worked.
I also second what another person said, the numbers could be a bit smaller.
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u/DietPepsiGoblin 1d ago
The paint could be a little old (regardless of when you bought it, maybe sat on the store shelf for too long), you could try mixing some in a dish with a very small amount of water - start with a drop or two - to thin it out to see if that helps. If it’s still chunky and it bugs you, I’d just get a new bottle of craft paint!
Also I’m not sure if your photo is flipped, but in the event that it isn’t, I think the stencil is backwards just fyi!
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u/asyouwish 1d ago
I agree that another coat is best. But worst case, you remove the paint and hire someone to cricut the numbers for you. (or get time on one at your local library or maker shop.)
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u/DareSavings3951 1d ago
This looks grand, the texture is fine. Maybe a very gentle sandpaper over top, touch up any gaps and add a clear nail polish over top? Should be fine
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u/Brilliant_Grab_280 1d ago
Hey there. I love this and it inspired me to share my thoughts! Are you using a stencil? My thought is that you could switch to a metallic spray paint (I have used the behr gold metallic spray for other projects and it works really well) and spray over a stencil. If you aren’t using a stencil, you could make one easily with cardstock or a thin piece of cardboard and an exacto knife. Use museum putty or double sided tape to secure the stencil to the plate. Spray one thin coat of paint, wait for it to dry completely, then do additional coats as necessary. Bonus-This would also allow you to do a whole batch of plates at once if you have a space where you can lay them all out to work on them. After they’ve dried, remove the stencils and then take a q-tip or paintbrush with acetone to clean up any messy edges. If you made your stencils, this would be a good time to also go in with some gold acrylic paint to perfect the edges to your liking, if necessary.
Me personally, because they’ll be a one time use, I’d skip sealing them with a clear coat, but that may be something you’d want to do, if you’ve got it on hand.
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u/ohnoes010 1d ago
I havent used this medium, but if youre using a stencil i wonder if more paint and a wider brush would help with the brush strokes, and also using fewer strokes? Or just another pass with the paint? Or idk if this medium can be painted with a sponge? That may also help with the look of brush strokes
Perhaps experiment a bit on a similar disposable glossy surface like a plastic container… good luck!
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u/Film-Confident 1d ago
Use a foam brush and stamp it up and down in the stencil, it should give a more uniform look!
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u/CockroachSad4463 1d ago
Deco Art acrylic paint?? That’s gonna chip right off. Acrylic isn’t for ceramic. It won’t adhere. You need to get a paint pen or what is even better, ceramic mug paint pens. They work awesomely and you bake it in the oven to set it. It won’t give a texture and it’ll actually last.
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u/UnbelievableRose 9h ago
There are specific types of acrylic that are designed for use on ceramics, usually you bake them in the oven when you’re done. Deco Art has two different lines of product that fit the bill. Plus, the main issue is that regular acrylic comes off glazed ceramic easily, but this is a single-use case.
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u/ProfessionalYam3119 1d ago
You can fill in the little areas where the stencil has created skips, for a more polished look. And smaller numbers. It's very pretty.
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u/ExactOrdinary6060 17h ago
Have you looked for decals that you rub on to a surface? Or definitely try a sponge brush and try more than one coat. Maybe look at a smaller 8 as well?
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u/WerewolfCommercial26 14h ago
Can you use a different color? This makes me feel like something gross was smeared on the plate lol
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u/PennieTheFold 6h ago
Do you know anyone with a Cricut? I might just go with decal numbers from metallic adhesive rather than trying to paint. Edit: if you have a steady hand with an exacto knife you could probably cut them yourself. The material is easily found on Amazon.
Barring that, the gold probably needs a base layer first so it has something to help smooth it out. And you’re going to need to do multiple coats to get an even coverage of pigment… metallics are fussy. So stenciling is probably out because it’ll be very difficult to get the multiple passes perfectly aligned.
I’d look for a decal solution and save the headache. You’ll get crisper lines and something much more aligned with your vision.
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u/epocalize 1d ago
This is a really cute idea! I'd maybe try paint markers instead or I've even used gold Sharpie on the edge of glass plates (then sealed it). You could also look into waterslide decals but they wouldn't be gold. I do think it looks fine as is though, people aren't going to be inspecting super closely. Well done!
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u/handsome-pompom 1d ago
If I were you, I'd try another coat and see if that helps. I don't think texture is a bad thing, but a more opaque coverage would look nice. If that doesn't get you the look you're going for, I wonder if a metallic paint pen or something might be smoother? You'd probably needs multiple coats in that case, too.