Annie Sloan Chalk Paint 101

I love to paint.  Walls, furniture, picture frames, if it has a surface I'm going to paint it.  I'd heard of Annie Sloan chalk paint and saw pictures of furniture painted with chalk paint, but I didn't know anything about it.  Rewind to last Christmas when my husband presented me with a Annie Sloan Chalk Paint 101 class at a local store called the Barefoot Cottage.  I was nervous and excited as I walked into class.

The Barefoot Cottage - Google Image

There were roughly 15 women of all ages that aproned up and listened as our instructor began to speak.  The class was 4 hours and we literally jumped right in to painting.  We were each handed a wooden tile that was roughly 2 x 2 inches, a paint brush and told to pick one of Annie's 32 colors.  This process of receiving a new tile, a clean brush, and picking a color happened 6 times as we learned the various methods of painting with AS chalk paint.  The methods are as follows;

-Two Color Distress (Annie's Signature)  I used pure white as my base and covered with old violet

-Smooth Finish - This picture isn't much to look at as it is just pure white, but the finish is as smooth as butter. 

-Rustic Finish - I used aubusson blue and dark wax.  As much as I think it looks nice...I think dark wax gives certain pieces a "dirty" look.  I like it, just not my favorite style at the moment.  

-Sponge Method - I used cocoa as my base and covered with henrietta.  Henrietta has such a sweet look and would great in a little girls room.

-Staining Method - I used Emperor's Silk.  So simple and clean looking.  

-Washing 1 color over another - I used Arles as my base and washed Provence over it.  Both are beautiful colors!  

Prior to class I had no idea why this paint was called chalk paint.  It's not because you can use it to create a chalkboard.  The texture of the paint, once it dries, has a chalky feel, hence the name "chalk paint."  However the best part of this paint is the lack of prep work needed prior to painting.  

I enjoyed the class because working with a color is much different then seeing the color pre-painted on a swatch.  The class allowed us to work with the many different AS colors and practice the various methods of painting.  It was a relaxing setting yet a lot if information was delivered in the 4 hours.  

The class stressed how user friendly chalk paint is.  Chalk paint does not require primer, it's ready to go!  My first project was a hutch that belonged to Scott's grandmother.  It had a shiny finish so I lightly sanded it, although I did not have to.   After a light sanding I wiped down with a damp cloth and began painting.  I used the smooth finish method.

Before

I used Aubusson Blue and Chateau Grey on the hutch.  I did 2 coats of each color and watered down the 2nd coat.  I covered in clear wax when finished.  I did not do any distressing on this piece.  I have well over 1/2 a can of the Chateau Grey and a little less then 1/2 of the Aubusson Blue.  The  paint covers very nice and smooth and is very forgiving when a mistake is made.  The brush strokes are visible which I like as it adds to the texture.  

After

I purchased an Annie Sloan paint brush in a size medium, the 2 quarts of paint, and Annie wax.  Overall I was very happy with the products.  The paint does not have a smell and dries quickly.  I also like that it can go on just about any surface.  

A fresh coat of AS paint on my knife block

The price of Annie Sloan products can be a little rough on the wallet.  The brush was $40, each quart was $38, and the wax was $30.  The brush is a natural brush so it did lose some bristles, which was a bit frustrating while I was painting.  I'm not sure I see enough difference in AS brushes verses a cheaper natural bristle brush to replace my AS brush once the time comes.  

If I had another big painting project I wouldn't hesitate to use AS chalk paint again.  I have experimented with making my own chalk paint, that was also a good experience, but that's for another blog!