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Decorative painting is a broad category that encompasses numerous painting techniques and mediums applied to a variety of surfaces. Contemporary decorative painting includes tole painting, folk art, and faux finishing.
Originally, tole painting referred to decorative painting specifically on tin. Tole is a French word meaning lacquered or enameled metalware. The original tole painting medium was oil paint and common elements included fruit, flowers, and leaves. Traditional folk art originated with peasants and the style incorporated the use of natural-bristle round brushes, primary colors, and a great deal of stroke work, such as the comma stroke, C-stroke, and S-stroke. The style of traditional folk art varies according to the culture that it represents.
Contemporary decorative painting is applied to many surfaces, including plastic, wood, glass, fabric, and fiber board. Other possible surfaces are tiles, porcelain, ceramics, and pottery. Frequently, acrylic paint is the medium used for decorative painting because it dries faster than oil and because it's water based, and therefore easier to clean up.
Decorative painters use many specialty brushes, along with extenders, glazes, and gels, to create special effects. Contemporary decorative painting does not involve as much stroke work as traditional folk art. Common subjects include flowers, animals, fruits, birds, people, and scenery. Decorative painting is relatively easy to learn, and therefore quite popular. |
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