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appearance of painted cast leaf

18 years ago

I just finished painting my first concrete leaf. It looks very nice. The veins are a deep red and rest shades of green with yellow and red hilights.. When I took it outside it looks splotchy in the sun. Because the concrete soaks up the sun? Should I paint again? Marie

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Comments (7)

ltd123
18 years ago
Do you have a photo to show what you mean? Maybe you could place the leaf in a place where the splotchy effect doesn't happen - outdoors but not in the brightest spot????

Has the paint actually faded or does the leaf look "normal" if you take it back indoors?
Laura
Marie_zone5
Original Author
18 years ago
Here is photo, I think it is like you said. The better light makes the difference. I think I will touch up a bit and put it in less direct light. Also, my DH came up with an idea to support in the garden. We bought some flexible copper tubing and shaped a small circle at top to hold leaf with a few more circles of an increading size to support. Would only work for something like my lighlaria that comes to a point.
{{gwi:2018}}
Marie
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billie_ann
18 years ago
Marie, What recipe did you use for the casting and what kind of paint/stain?
Sometimes you get splotchy because some areas are hard and smooth and other areas are more porous. The porous absorb more paint.
Try painting your veins first, they'll blend better. What's great about paint is your can paint over it if you don't like it. I use to worry I'd wreck them because I wasn't a great painter.
Your castings look great. Billie
ltd123
18 years ago
Love your leaves! Of course, now I want to see the neat sounding stand made of copper circles!!
I am just dying to take your leaf in the background and put a couple of coats of satin finish exterior spar urethane by Minwax on it. I think the slight amber cast of that product would really enhance your colors.
I think the foreground leaf has wonderful colors. I want to add an almost invisible very watery wash of metallic dark pink over it. I know that sounds scary but try it sometime on a scrap. Those metallic acrylic paints (I am talking every-day plastic bottles of 69 cent paint from Hobby Lobby) add a real glow if you can get them on and off fast enough to leave just a sheen.
Laura
Marie_zone5
Original Author
18 years ago
I used 1 part portland to 3 parts white sand plus the fortifier and some color. Laura, I tried the metallic paint. I like it. May have used a little too much. I am including 2 pictures where you can see the copper circles. Marie
{{gwi:2019}}
{{gwi:2020}}
ltd123
18 years ago
beautiful setting for the leaves! I love it. Thanks for the new pictures. Now I understand what you mean by the circles of copper - neat idea!
Laura
billie_ann
18 years ago
Marie, Too much fortifier or fortifier not distributed evenly through the mix can also cause that splotchy look. Billie

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