Lol, I got it 180 degrees wrong, thinking you bought a dark deer and made it lighter! Your stag is beautiful!

Mine is resin with a sort of brownish gray cast, very en vogue at the moment but, not being en vogue myself it doesn't go with a thing here in it's current color. I will poke around downstairs for some paint and see what I can come up with. I guess I could always wash it off if I do a terrible job :-)

Thanks for answering!

Here is the resin stag:

(I have been polishing silver tonight getting ready for a dinner so the table is a jumble.)

So, do you think this could be lightened, or should I do some judicious gold rub 'n buff on it?

He's beautiful, both are. I am envious of the space that he would fit on a sofa table!! Gold would be beautiful for Christmas..but you would get much longer use of him if you stick to browns/tan and think Fall!!

Handsome fella! I wouldn't suggest gold either. Anything can be painted. Ask your local paint store if you should paint (or spray) with an undercoat of primer so that paint stays. I would use a paint with no sheen. Since my stain was just wiped over the factory finish, I'm not sure how it will wipe off over the paint. I have done an antique mirror with paint and glaze, so I would suggest glaze instead since it is made to go over/wipe off of paint easily. Test on something else, or the bottom, first.

Ok I will restrain my natural inclination to turn everything gold!

i think I will try an off white glaze on the bottom just to see how ---and if-- it takes.

And people wonder why I get started so early! Just ordered a new tree for the library and wish I had done it sooner as there were no coupons or promo codes to be had. (Switching from regular, burned out lights to warm white LEDs this year)

Btw, I have been checking Lowe's all year for those holiday living shatterproof pine ones and they are still unavailable. None on eBay during the last year either, they are well and truly sold out. I guess once people realized how great they look everyone who bought them went back for more!

I primed with latex Kilz then used used craft store acrylic paint to change this

into this.

( Martha Stewart gold glitter paint for the antlers.)

Thank you maddielee, for the pictures---was your stag resin also?

I am looking for a less stark white appearance....sort of whitewashed looking, iykwim. I'm afraid the kilz would kill that idea, lol. But it's a possibility, I guess, to kilz it, paint it and then glaze it brown like Allison's. I am not very crafty, though, and am afraid my attention span for the project will not last that long!

Yes, resin. You can tint the primer (with some darker latex).

Good idea, if it comes to an all-over paint job.

I need a Christmas elf!

kswl2,

I'd buy just one of the small 2 oz. plastic containers of craft paint that they sell in AC Moore, Michaels, crafts supply stores, in an off-white color, and the same size container of glaze, although mine shown below is larger. This is what I used on the faux tortoise shell mirror. The glaze make your paint less solid looking, flows easier, and allows a bit more drying time. Brush the combination on an area, getting it into the crevasses, and then wipe it down to your taste with a rag or cheesecloth. I think it'll look great, and you can layer it on if you want it lighter.

I fell in love with Allison's deer when she posted it a few years ago and found it after Christmas on clearance at Wisteria. It's up under the eaves and seeing this ought to get me going to use it this winter, although I don't have the display space either of you have.

Thank you, mythreedogs! So, do I combine the two substances in one application?

I guess I am still not clear on the process. I wanted to use the base color it is now, just lightening the resin color with a thinned white paint or glaze. But from the replies it seems I will have to paint it, then change the color.

It's probably obvious at this point that I have no painting experience and even less creativity.

Full disclosure...if I wanted to get the same look as Allison's stag I would first paint the piece with a cream craft paint and then use a brown glaze over that. The burnt umber paint & glaze shown make a good glaze - I usually mix equal parts paint & glaze. Apply lightly & wipe right away. More can always be added if needed. Or, you could use a dark wax, I use the Annie Sloan dark wax, over a cream paint

I would try a test on the bottom first.

You can use chalk paint on resin. I've read some reviews saying it's easier to make a wash with chalk paint than latex. No primer needed either. Then after you get the wash the way you want it, add a dark wax for contours. There are a ton of youtube videos illustrating the process.

I also have that deer from Wisteria and so far have left it as is.

After a cat knocked it to the floor and broke an ear & foot I discovered that it's made of papier mache.

To repair, I mixed white Kleenex w/diluted white glue and made my own papier mache .

I rebuilt/sculpted the ear and foot, let it dry well and then painted w/diluted acrylic paint to mimic orig wash

That is pretty cool, chijim!

Thank you for the clarification, Gigi. I thought the glaze was already a color and didn't realize it had to be tinted, duh! Well, this is a learning experience to be sure.

Magda, I think I would probably leave it as is rather than mess about with chalk paint.... the fact that there are threads about how much people hate it makes me skive off!

I understand, but you never know until you try! I've used chalk paint many times and have been delighted with the results each time. I find it much more forgiving than regular paint.

I may try it if I completely blow the other processes. We have a pressure washer so I am confident I could "start over" any number of times :-)

By mixing the acrylic craft paint and (clear) glaze that I mentioned above, it thins the craft paint a bit and it would go into the crevasses easier. You may find that you don't need to add much of the glaze to get a whitewashed look. You poor thing - if I lived closer, I'd walk right up that long driveway with the supplies and do it for you. We're all giving you suggestions and it must be very confusing to someone who doesn't typically do something like this. Is Handy Guy coming back any time soon? :-)

Confusing, yes! HG is coming to help decorate for Christmas but his time is limited this year---no time for shopping or trying out a lot of new stuff, so i am trying to have all supplies in place and any new stuff ready to go before he comes the week before Thanksgiving.

He mentioned you a few months ago as a lady who knows bubble wrap and isn't afraid to use it!

Thanks for these tips, i am making a craft store run this week :-)

Oh, didn't realize you wanted to keep the brown showing a bit! Follow My3Dogs advice then.

Chijim, I called (or did live chat?) with Wisteria before purchasing since I didn't want the inexpensive looking hard/shiny poly resin. They told me it was (something) and when I looked up the name, it said it was a resin like material that had sawdust, or something, mixed with it. The material can be made to look more "hand carved" than resin. I searched and found the old thread, but I didn't post this info there and cannot find the material name searching the internet.

We need to have a deer/stag thread this Christmas to get them all in one place!

Allison0704, Wisteria says it is made of magnesia LINK, or at least, this year's model is magnesia. Yours might be different.

LOL I didn't think to even look on their website. Yes, magnesia! Thx!