DIY
DIY Enchanted Iridescent Stenciled Tray
[According to FTC regulations, I must disclose to you that I did receive free product and payment from DecoArt in exchange for this post, however all opinions and project tutorial are my own]
Scroll down for tutorial.
Hey y’all! It’s been a while since I posted a fun mixed media tutorial, but I’m back today with one! I really wanted to show you this cool product that released this year: Americana Enchanted & Enchanted Shimmer. These are acrylic paints with an iridescent shine that I just love. They are new from DecoArt, now at Michaels! I used them to make the DIY Tray below. Here’s a short blurb about them from DecoArt:
The dazzling glow of iridescence has made a recent appearance in many industries; fashion, automobiles, jewelry, art, & more. Many crafters want to add the look of this special glow to their own pieces. Americana Enchanted is an iridescent topcoat that can create this magical look. Americana Enchanted Shimmer delivers the same iridescent look with an added subtle glitter effect, but still quite distinct from glitter paint itself. Create projects that pop with shimmer and iridescence with these translucent topcoats. Millions of luminous particles recreate the unique sparkling shimmer of a butterfly wing, as they dance in shifting angles of light. For the most dramatic effect, use over Enchanted Ultra-Black Basecoat or other dark paint colors.
DIY Enchanted Iridescent Stenciled Tray
Okay, time for the DIY!
Supplies:
- Wooden Tray (The tray I’m using is from Walnut Hollow)
- Enchanted Ultra-Black Basecoat
- Americana Enchanted or Enchanted Shimmer, Available in five 2-oz shimmering colors
- Paint Brush
- Paint Knife
- Blending Palette
- Stencil (I used these 8×8″ Succulent Stencils from DecoArt)
- Gel Medium
What are the differences between Enchanted and Enchanted Shimmer?
- Enchanted is an Iridescent Topcoat Acrylic, it’s more of a solid shine rather than glitter.
- Enchanted Shimmer is an Shimmering Iridescent Topcoat Acrylic, it is less opaque, with more of a iridescent glitter effect.
I swatched them in my sketchbook, as you can see below. Iridescent paints work best over a dark background and are nearly invisible over a white background. The color will shift depending on the angle of the light.
I also tried mixing Enchanted in with some different mediums with mixed results: Modeling paste dries white and it dulled the iridescence slightly, whereas gel medium dries clear, so it let the Enchanted paint do it’s magic while still adding some texture.
(Above: Enchanted on the left, Enchanted Shimmer on the right.)
Step one:
Shake the Ultra-Black Basecoat well. Using a wide brush, paint your tray with the Ultra-Black for a dark base. Let dry.
Step two:
Use a palette knife to mix a bit of Enchanted Shimmer in with Gel Medium on your palette. I recommend about a 40/60 ratio.
I’m using two different colors of Enchanted for this project: Violet and Magenta.
Step three:
Use the palette knife to scrape the gel medium/paint mixture through your stencil and onto your tray.
It’s helpful to have some baby wipes or paper towels on hand to wipe off and excess paint you might accidental get past the edges of the stencil.
Note: I love the texture that the gel medium adds, however, if you want to use Enchanted as a more solid look and avoid streaky brush stokes, Use a soft brush in long vertical strokes and while still wet, brush over in long horizontal strokes for a uniform finish.
Step four:
Remove stencil, wipe off, and repeat, adding designs across your tray.
Step five:
Let dry. As it dries, you’ll see the white fade away and the magic iridescent start to shine!
I wish you could all see these stenciled succulents in person, because seeing how the Enchanted paint changes in the light is so cool. Remember they’re Now available at Michaels, so go grab some and get crafting!
Want more DIY’s? Check out some of my past DecoArt projects:
