Tole Painting Garden Nursery Landscaping Guide
Tole Painting Around Your Home
By Suzzie T Franklin
Tole painting is a rather popular craft hobby. You can go to
a local arts and craft market and you will see a number of household
objects with tole painting.
You can increase the visual art in the landscape around your
home using the decorative art of tole painting. For example, you
can decorate sides of walls, unfinished furniture, lawn swings
and any other structure around your home.
Household Objects As Potential Art
Tole painting is a style of painting that uses ordinary household
objects as potential art. Decorative designs are commonly painted
on wood, tin and other metals.
Unfinished furniture such as chairs, tables, and chests and toy
boxes are favored tole painting objects and often become family
heirlooms, when well done. Smaller items, such as coffeepots and
jewelry boxes are good candidates for the art of tole painting.
Tole Painting Since The 1700’s
Tole painting was first practiced in the United States in the
1700’s, principally in the New England states and in Pennsylvania
by German and Scandinavian immigrants.
Tole painting evolved from a similar craft practiced throughout
Scandinavia and parts of Germany in the same time period, known
as rosemaling.
Interestingly, immigrants from Germany favored tin and metal
as their tole painting medium, while Scandinavians more often
chose wood and furniture items.
Similar To Calligraphy
The art of tole painting bears some similarities to calligraphy
and Japanese brush strokes, where a very precise shape is executed
in a single brush stroke.
The variations in designs seen in tole painted objects are attained
through the arrangement of the strokes. There are only five major
brush strokes in this craft. Their names well describe their shapes:
the comma, teardrop, ’S’, ’C’ and half-circle
strokes.
The proper technique requires that the strokes be completed in
a single move or stroke of the brush, without lifting the brush
from the object.
Many Use Acrylic Paints As It Dries Faster
Although traditional tole painting purists insist on the use
of oil paints, in popular practice, many people today use acrylic
paints for a variety of reasons. Acrylics dry faster and the layering
of colors can produce interesting effects.
Mastering oil paints requires more knowledge and experience than
acrylics. Acrylic paints are also much easier to clean up when
a project is finished. The brush strokes lend themselves well
to floral designs, which is perhaps one reason flowers are one
of the most popular designs with tole crafters today.
Tole Painting For Beginners
When you’re first starting out, it’s a good idea
to review your options and practice your strokes on hardboard
or some other inexpensive practice piece. Beginners often like
using purchased patterns from craft stores to get the hang of
tole painting techniques.
Sooner or later, you’ll want to try your hand at your first
original piece. You’ll probably feel very excited to complete
this first original. In fact, much like knitting and crochet,
you won’t be able to stop! This is a therapeutic craft which
gives pleasure, relaxation and a sense of artistic accomplishment.
Invite Your Friends To A Painting Party
You’ll soon be painting an extensive number of items as
gifts, and inviting friends for a painting party. Spread the word!
This craft is a lot of fun. Your friends and family will see these
gifts as something unique and rare. They will appreciate your
effort and marvel at your artistic abilities.
If you find out you are getting the hang of tole painting, you
could try and sell some of your work. These items would be quite
rare, so you may get a good price.
Sell Your Art Online
You may try at selling your items at local arts and crafts markets
or online. You can either have your own dedicated website, or
try selling them on Ebay and see if you can get some good bids.
If you are successful, tole painting may be your new career.
Better than sitting in a dull office all day.
About the Author:
Suzzie T Franklin has written a number of articles on home improvement, gardening, flowers,
and landscaping including
The Japanese Garden,
Zen Garden,
Cherry Blossom,
African Violets,
Bamboo Plants,
Wire Topiary Frames.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
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