Maybe someone else knows better than I. I have done the same, used watered down craft paint, rubbed on, wiped off. Repeat if not enough black coverage. I guess you could also use a dry brush technique.

I've used the same technique SisterSunnie has. It works well, mutes the gold. If you're interested more in having it a solid black and less translucence, with almost "chippy" areas of gold, I'd say rub candle wax fairly heavily on edged areas of the frame, use your craft paint over the whole thing, and then rub away the waxed areas. That works pretty well too.

--Jenn

Nice table legs Robolady - I like how you framed them.

I tried using some black stain on the frame last night, but that didn't work. Thanks for the tips on getting the look I want. I must have some black craft paint around here somewhere!

This may be too late for you, but there is a product called Rub 'n Buff which is supposed to be good. I haven't tried it yet but plan to when the right project appears. It comes in many metallics, colors, and ebony which looks like black to me.

Not too late Luckygal :) I think the kids used all the black craft paint. I'm going to run over to Hobby Lobby tomorrow and I'll see if they have the Rub n Buff (sounds sinfully fun, doesn't it?)

I use shoe dye for things like that and have had good luck. It has a nice sheen when it dries. If I want it thicker in some places, I just put it on evenly and then quickly rub out the places that I want more gold to show through. If I want a thinner coat of color all over, I use wax shoe polish and buff it well!

Jaybird, that's a good idea... It seems like such a natural choice, shoe polish, but I don't know if I've ever heard anybody else say they used it before for that.

--Jenn

Jaybird is right. The wax shoe polish would add color and be able to be buffed to a nice sheen when dry too.

One of the published primative painters always added burnt umber paint to paste car polish to antique her pieces.

Luvs

I'm going to try the wax shoe polish tonight and I'll let you all know how it works. I've used it before to freshen up our bathroom cabinets - worked great. If the polish doesn't work then I have some black interior house paint that I'll mix with some water. I never did make it over to the craft store for paint :)