How to alter frame color?

[Richard Bingham]

All good suggestions. The only problem with starting out to do this is that as an initial experiment, you can't "guarantee" the results without the benefit of previous experience.

Varnishes, lacquers, clear coats in rattle-cans from the hardware store can be useful to "stop" the absorbency of a frame finished in gold leaf or dutch metal, to control the amount of "patina".

Oil paint is the perfect thing to tone a frame, that's what we're working with! Slow drying? Why? Add a siccative, and/or a rapid drying varnish like copal or damar.

[Allan Rahbek]

I have often used Shellac to darken and give a warmer glow to gold frames.

If you dare, you could "age" the frame by putting some marks on it with different tools, like steel wool and a handful of key's at first and then patinate with a dull color, before the Shellac glazing.

The best way of understanding patina is to look at a really old frame.

Allan

[Julie Deane]

I hadn't thought about shellac.

I've painted two JFM frames so far using oil paint . Both were plain gold to begin with. I added ivory black with both, plus a transparent other color of my choice to blend with the painting.

[Debra Norton]

When I know I will be altering a frame I order a corner sample in addition to the frame. That way I can experiment on the corner first.