[TheForge] re thin black paint

[Catherine Jo Morgan]

I agree about the black heat resistant paint. Of all the spray paints,
that's about the nicest.

Other options:

If you can clean the music stand well with something like OxiSolv that
leaves a light zinc coating, then spraying with Krylon satin black works
well. I used to do hooks this way and got good adhesion and a good
finish for indoor use.

Another option that can look best of all - clean up the music stand
well. Wipe on a regular black solvent-based enamel, and wipe most of it
off while it's still wet. It might also work with a Direct to Metal
waterbased paint like Rustoleum 5200 satin black, but if I've tried it I
don't remember for sure. (You might like to do a few small test pieces
to see how this works, to be sure you like it.) If you mix a little
graphite into the black, it will be more subtle, more of a dark gray.
Then with sandpaper or a fine file, very lightly highlight some places
on it. This needs to be subtle to be most effective. Then clearcoat the
whole piece with a clear varnish. If you've used solvent-based enamel,
the varnish will also need to be solvent based. I used to use Valspar in
a very matte finish, but that's hard to find these days. If you've
succeeded in using a waterbased black paint, you can use a waterbased
acrylic varnish like General Polyacrylic. You might even be ok with 2 or
3 coats of wax instead of the varnish for interior use, if it's for
someone who will keep it waxed.

Catherine Jo Morgan
Morgan Sculpture
Iron and mixed media vessels
cjmorgan@hemc.net
706-754-3812

online artist journal: http://radio.weblogs.com/0120691/