DECORATIVE PAINTINGWhat Is It?Decorative painting is an art form that doesn’t require any previous knowledge or the ability to draw. Well now, that is good news! All you need is the desire to learn, a little quiet time for yourself and a cup of tea at your side.
You really don’t need a fine art degree to learn how to paint...and here’s what we mean.
Generally speaking, most decorative painting today is done with acrylics, available in a huge assortment of pre-mixed colors. So you don’t need to know anything about color theory. As a matter of fact, for most painting projects you’re told which colors to use and how to use them … what could be better? When you’re painting with acrylics, you’re using paints that are non-toxic and relatively inexpensive. Another great thing about acrylic paints is that they dry fast. This also means they’re very easy to use. Oh, and clean up is a breeze! Decorative or tole painting can be done on lots of different surfaces. Go ahead and paint anything from a jewelry box to a huge wall canvas. There are not limits. You can even do projects that will be used outdoors!
While it’s hard to know the exact origins, decorative painting can be traced back several centuries to Europe. Many European countries developed their own regional styles.Some people became grand masters and were extremely skilled in their craft. Their services were only available to the very rich. It wasn’t long before untrained "common folk", in an attempt to imitate, began decorating their own walls, furniture and functional items, in a charming, more simplistic way.Eventually, colonists came to North America bringing their cherished painted items with them. Just like in Europe, in no time at all, this style of painting spread by way of itinerant painters and peddlers.
No doubt you’ve heard the term “tole painting”. Ever wonder where it came from?Well the word, "tole" is French for tin or sheet metal ... so tole painting literally means, "to paint on metal". You didn't know you'd get a French lesson, did you? Ooh la la! If we traveled back to the days when those peddlers sold their wares, we’d see a lot of painted tin. These items were inexpensive, became very popular and the paint helped to control the rust! Tole painting or decorative tole painting, are terms that mean exactly the same thing.
And look at that little tin tea pot! These are very fine examples of tole painting. Literally, painting on tin.
Another phrase you may have heard is“folk art painting” …Some people use it to refer to “peasant painting” or the old ways of adorning household items, furniture and walls. Others may use it to describe simple, more primitive styles seen in contemporary painting today. We consider "decorative painting" to be an accurate, contemporary term since it includes many, many painting styles on a whole range of surfaces. Today, the terms tole painting and folk art painting are interchanged to mean decorative painting. That’s why we use them all on this site. Since we began painting many years ago, the creativity of decorative painters worldwide has blossomed and transformed itself. Traditional techniques have combined with new ones to produce effects that are limited only by our imaginations. Every year, more products, mediums and color choices become available to make our play even more fun. Whether you’re a newbie or a well-seasoned old pro, we know that you always want to know more. So go ahead and browse through these pages and check out all the great info we gathered for you. And just so you know,
we'd love to receive your decorative painting questions, tips and ideas.
Please take the time to visit this very informative website and support the art of decorative painting. We are very proud members of the SDP.
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The beautiful tin tree on the left is a design by Rosemary West. Gorgeous, isn't it? Jodi painted it. :o)
