How To Create Faux Verdigris (so simple!)

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Learn how to create faux verdigris…the easy way! So simple but gives such an elegant and realistic look.

How To Create Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

I’m back today to share one of two tutorials I promised in this post I shared last week: “How To Paint Light Fixtures (without taking them down!)”

If you missed that post, pop on over and see the tutorial I did in that post for changing the color of your light fixture with paint…and yep, without taking down the fixture. :)

Today I’m I’m sharing how to create faux verdigris and I’ll be back on Thursday sharing the faux patina finish.
You can see both in the post I linked above.

This is how my light fixture started…..

How To Create Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

And how it looked after I gave it the faux verdigris finish….

How To Create Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

So much fun and truly so easy to do.

How To Create Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

I’ve created a video on how to create faux verdigris finish because I thought it’d be easier to show you how than tell you how. ;)
But I’ll also give step by step instructions here too.

How to Create Faux Verdigris Finish:

  1. If the item you are giving the faux verdigris finish to is not already a bronze or copper color, you may want to give it a quick spray of Oil Rubbed Bronze or Copper Spray paint. If it happens to be a light fixture like mine that you don’t want to remove from the wall, you can use something like this product to brush on. Or any other liquid based metallic paint of your choosing.
  2. For this technique, I used Baroque Art Gilder’s Paste Wax.
  3. I create a brush-able product by adding a tiny bit of mineral spirits to the gilder’s paste.
  4. Using a small artist’s paint brush, brush on this gilder’s paste liberally. However, you don’t want full coverage so keep that in mind as you are applying.
    Let some of the bronze show through.
  5. Let this dry.
  6. Next, using an old t-shirt or rag, buff away a bit of the past wax to let more of the bronze/copper show through.
  7. Make a mixture of water/white paint, preferably chalk style paint because it has the correct texture finish for this next step.
    (see video)
  8. With a bit larger artist’s brush, brush on the very watered down white paint. Let it go into the creases but don’t apply so much that it turns white.
    You want it to be almost haze-like.
  9. Using an old rag or t-shirt, wipe some of the white paint away if you’ve gotten too much on there.
  10. Once that is dry, move on to the next and final step. Apply gold paint.
  11. For this step, you will use another small artist’s brush just slightly dipped into the gold paint. Wipe most away on a paper towel and then with a very light hand, hit the high points on the piece. You can apply as little or as much of this as you like.
  12. You are done! You can apply a sealer at this point but it’s really not necessary with these products. A little finish up buffing might be nice.

NOTE: Keep in mind, this is just a guideline. You can go darker on the green/blue or lighter. You can use more white paint or less and you can add more gold “highlights” or fewer.
I went a little heavier on the green/blue (gilder’s paste) on my chandelier than I did in the video. It’s a personal choice and will probably vary by piece and by style, so use your judgment and do what you like! :)

Here’s a few photos of the process described above on how to create faux verdigris finish:

Painting on the gilder’s paste.

How To Creative Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

Rubbing back some of the paste to reveal more of the bronze.

How To Creative Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

Adding the watered down white paint….

How To Creative Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

You can see that hazy white here….

How To Creative Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

And here…

How To Creative Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

Finished up with gold…

How To Creative Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

Okay, onto the video. 

Let me first say, I’m SO not a pro at this!! ;)  And I don’t love my voice…or hearing my voice, lol. Eeek.
And I’m sure there are ums and awkward pauses and such but hopefully, the tutorial will be easy for you to follow and understand regardless. :)

(to watch ad-free, click here)

I hope that made sense! :)

How To Creative Faux Verdigris - SO Simple!! (see the video!) artsychicksrule.com #fauxverdigris #createfauxverdigris #fauxfinishes #gilderspaste #patina

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below. (or email, if you prefer)

More posts in the “back to basics” series:

Happy painting, making and creating!

xo


26 Comments

  1. Wow, wonderful tutorial and makeover Nancy! The video is perfect and really shows how much work it was to do this to a hanging chandelier. Amazing!

    1. Hey Christina! Thank you so much! :) It really wasn’t so bad at all, I did it in an afternoon. A step ladder is definitely your friend though!! lol ;) xoxo

  2. Gorgeous technique! I’m drawn to anything turquoise anyway, and this is beautiful. I think I see a brass ceiling-fan makeover in my future. Thanks for the detailed video/photos.

  3. Oh I love this, Nancy! Thank you so much for the tutorial because it’s very timely. A few years ago we gave our daughter a brassy metal floor lamp and she doesn’t like the finish and it’s sitting in her basement not being used. I know she’d love this faux verdigris and I’m feeling hope for that very expensive light fixture again! Pinned to share with her and refer back to.

  4. Great job on the tutorial AND video, Nancy! I actually think your voice is quite pleasant to listen to on the video. And it all made perfect sense. The depth of color you get on this is quite impressive! Lovely!

    1. Thanks Julie! :) And aw, that is so sweet!! I’m not sure I believe you but I’m so glad you said it!! lol ;) xoxo

      1. Well, just FYI, one thing I won’t do is give a compliment if it’s undeserved. :-) Sometimes I have to think very hard to give encouragement (which may make me a lousy blogger!), but this was not hard to ‘give’. :-)

        1. Aw, I know Julie!! I was just being funny (and self conscious!!haha)! ;) Now my turn, it surely does not appear, from all of my interactions with you, that you have a hard time giving encouragement! Quite the opposite actually! I find you to be a very encouraging blogger/friend! xoxo

  5. I love the color! Great video, very detailed and easy to follow. My one question would be, do you use a top coat of any kind to seal this? How do you clean it?

    1. No, the product I used is like a wax and doesn’t require sealing. Glad the video was helpful to you!! xoxo

  6. Your explanation and skill in doing this technique is impressive! The finished products look great!
    I’m going to do some metal hose guides which will stay outdoors. Would you recommend using a sealer in this case.? I’m thinking I might skip the wax to do this.
    Your thoughts?

    1. Thanks so very much, Marilyn! You don’t have to use a sealer with this wax product inside or outside. But I did do a light wash of white paint. You could use a light wash of exterior white instead and should be fine with that.

      You can add a poly exterior topcoat if you want extra protection but I think since it’s this type of “wax” and exterior paint it should be fine. You mentioned skipping the wax, the gilder’s paste wax here is part of what gives it the effect of verdigris. Did you mean another type of wax on top as a sealer? If so, I wouldn’t suggest doing that. :) Hope this helps!

  7. I love this process…looks so easy! I have a baker’s rack I’d like to finish like this but it completely smooth. No nooks and crannies to hold the colors. It is a smooth black. Will this process turn out well on it?

    1. So easy! You would probably get something similar to the straight parts of my light fixture. Which I think looks good! I say go for it. If you don’t love it, you can always paint over it! (I would probably spray paint over the black with a bronze or dark gold color first) Have fun! :)

  8. Do this think this process would work well on an exterior metal door, lamp post, and mail box post?
    Thanks,
    Greg

    1. Hi Greg!! Yes, I do. As long as it’s sealed properly (for outdoors/weather, etc) than it should be fine. (ex. clear coat of exterior rated poly, etc) Hope that helps!

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