Graphite Continued

Last week I did a post on Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and her color Graphite.  I was surprised to receive so many emails in response to this post.  Here is the original post from last week.

Graphite is not black.  Many of you were disappointed because you thought it looked black but when you started to paint, you realized that it is more on the gray side.  Here is the lid with what I think is a pretty true look at the color.  It will be darker or lighter depending on where you put your piece.

Last week I started to paint a tall dresser.  It use to be a sweet little piece for a girls room, but it was pretty beaten up with a broken drawer on the bottom and a drawer that didn't close very well.  My son needed a dresser in his bedroom so I thought I'd do a quick makeover.

I started out with a quick coat of graphite.

With a pale wood to begin with, the first coat didn't look so great.  But don't worry....by the time you do a second coat, all will be well.

Ahh.  Second coat and my son will be happy that the flowers are gone :).  I love the dark color and the transformation.  Now, in this room above, it looks pretty dark.  Almost black.

But in the bedroom, under a light.....the Graphite comes true to it's name.

I did this piece in one afternoon.  Chalk paint is so easy to use.  Remember, you don't have to prime and it dries very quickly.  It's one of the benefits of using it.  :)

Hope you have a great week.

Paula

Graphite or Black

When painting with Annie Sloan chalk paint, you need to make sure you understand that the Graphite....is not black.  It is close to black and looks like black with certain colors and backgrounds but it is not black.  It's more like the color of a lead pencil. Check out the lid below.

Clearly, this does not look black.  And, if you choose to paint with Graphite, be aware that this will look darker or lighter depending on where this sits in your house.

I worked on creating a french dresser above awhile ago and paired this with gray and white.  So yes, the graphite looks black.  I was super happy with the depth of the graphite because I wanted it to look black.  Look at it below.

I brought the dresser into a room with yellowish beige walls....and it still looks black.  But, Graphite is not black. I pulled some images off of Pinterest of Annie Sloan Graphite and here you can really see the differences.  This first piece looks more gray or "lead" like.

 This piece in a darker room against cream, gray and green...looks black.

 With sanded edges, this looks black to me.

With silver accents, I see more grey.  Look at the legs where the light hits it.  Grey.

These headboards from the "Rustic Pig" really show the Graphite as more gray than black - right?

I'm working on a piece this week in Graphite and I'll show you how different lighting can really change this color from somewhere in between gray and black.  If you are looking for black and choose to use graphite beware. 

I would recommend visiting your Annie Sloan stockiest before you choose Graphite.  You will want to see this in different lighting before you start your piece.  

Happy 2016!

Paula

Hello 2016

New year, new start.

Are you looking to do things differently this year? Wanting to make changes in our lives brings the opportunity for new ideas, ventures and experiences to us.  Change breaks old habits that bring the same old results our way.

What will you challenge yourself to do differently this year?  What changes do you want to make so you can be a better person, friend or loved one? In order for our lives to change, we have to do things differently.  We have to consciously create a different path in order to bring new results.  Sometimes the steps of change can be difficult and make us uncomfortable. But the reward that comes with change can be beautiful. If you want to be in the same place at the end of 2016, keep doing what you are doing.  If you want to be in a new place, make a few changes.  Change is good!

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” 
― Maya Angelou

What changes will you make this year?

Paula