As I said in the last post I made I planned to redo my garage into a make shift jewelry/misc. art studio. And in the process I came up with what I thought was the brilliant idea to paint my work table with chalkboard surface paint so that I could write notes or draw designs as I go. So far it has worked wonderfully! So without further adieu here is how I did it:
Need:
-Sand Paper
-Primer
-Chalkboard Paint
-Paint Brush
First I started by removing the laminate that was on the table. I did this by poking a hole in it and getting it very wet and peeling it away from the table top. You do not have to do this however. If you have a laminate table lightly run sand paper over the top to where it's rough enough that the paint sticks to it, and then apply a coat or two of primer. **(Note if you remove the laminate you may not have to primer. My table
was press board and I did not have to primer it, so it is completely up
to you.)**
If your table is wood then sand the top down to where most of the finish is removed then primer the top. Now you are ready to paint!
I went to my local hardware store and bought a can of chalkboard paint for $15.00. It comes in an array of colors from black, to green, to blue, but I went with simple basic black. (They also sell chalkboard paint in a spray can).
I painted four coats on mine, but for something like a dinner table you probably only need 2 coats. Play it by ear and see what works for you.
As you can see the table turned out gorgeous, and is a PERFECT surface to work on and write notes to myself, or to just draw silly pictures on.
One note to make is that you need to wait 24 hours before you draw on the table. It does dry fast so you can keep putting on coats, but if you draw on it before this time is done whatever you draw will likely leave marks on the table resulting in you having to add another coat of paint!
So I hope you enjoy! It was a very fun project for me and I am considering chalk boarding some other stuff...shall we call me a chalkboard addict?
I don't know about everyone else, but for me as an artist I have always sort of been all over the place focusing on several different things at once. Meaning, I will get into one thing, and give it my best, work my hardest to master it, and when I'm either done, (or so close to being done I can taste it) I find something else I'm interested in and dive headfirst into it! So as I work to build a career as an artist I have been thinking of ways to make this work for me instead of against me as it has for so many years (with too many unfinished projects to count).
As I work to build this career as an artist I have been focusing on jewelry (which is something I have been doing for years, but only recently decided to have a go at it professionally). So I thought to myself how can I make it to where it keeps being new and interesting for me? How can I make it to where it is consistently on the right path so that I can allow my business to grow and change as I grow and change?
And this phrase hit me like a bag of bricks: Just go with it. It seemed so simple, in fact a little too simple, but aren't way too many of life's issues solved by a very simple solution?
In all of my life as an artist, as someone who draws, paints, and makes ceramics on the side of my jewelry making I never thought to utilize this hunger of always something new and different to work with. And I sure as hell didn't think of it for my jewelry career! But the term just go with it made so much sense.
So why does this phrase mean so much to me? Well it means that instead of getting too focused on any one thing to level my focus, and to allow the new ideas to flow into me and out of me, finding balance in my own creativity not being too into or not enough all at the same time. To try new things within moderation, but also to keep working towards my initial goals and FINISH my projects! It keeps blockages from forming in my subconscious which make it difficult for me to create any one thing. I decided that it would be easier to let my inspiration flow within me and out of me like water, or waves lapping on and off the shore. After all jewelry has so many different artistic elements you are not bound just to some pretty beads and wires, or chains. It is a world full of endless opportunities! I can take all of my interests, drawing, painting, sculpture, and ceramics and put it together in a meaningful and delicate manor.
So the next project to make this happen in a more efficient way is to set up a better workshop for myself. At the moment I create mostly while I'm sitting in the office at my job (yes I am allowed to make my jewelry on the job), but when I am at home I'm mostly on the dining table, or in my bedroom. I think setting up an actual studio sooner than later in my garage is more like it. This project is something that has been on the back burner for the past couple of months, my excuse being that it was too cold to organize! But now with spring just around the corner and my new just go with it attitude it seems to be more of a necessity than ever! After all without a TRUE place for me to work the ideas flow on creative energy are not level which create blockages. So while I like to work on making items while I sit in my bed or at the dining room table a place that is truly mine to create in would help with the whole just go with it attitude.
Wish me luck!! And don't forget to just go with it!
So with all of that said as I work on my journey to a career as an artist I should announce that my Etsy shop is open!
Uniquely Yew Shop
Come by and check it out, and don't forget to like my shop on Facebook!
