Creating custom glaze colors, pastel color washes and varnishing techniques

A glaze is a small amount of colorant carried in a clear base (such as Clear Glaze Effects or High Performance Top Coat), and a color wash is a small amount of colorant carried in a white base (such as Whitewash Waterbased Wood Stain or Winter White Glaze). For a varnished look, increase the ratio of colorant to the clear base.

  1. For translucent color hues, any of our Milk Paints can be mixed with Clear Glaze Effects Base. We recommend a 50|50 mix of base and paint. You can further increase the color palette by mixing 2 or 3 Milk Paint colors together before adding the clear base.
  2. You can mix GF's Glaze effects, such as Pitch Black and Winter White to make any shade of grey.
  3. For a wood toned glaze, use Van Dyke Brown Glaze Effects or apply any EF Waterbased Wood Stain directly over the painted surface. Finish off with several coats of High Performance.
  4. Adding Milk Paint to white bases such as water-based Whitewash Wood Stain or Winter White Glaze will create a more pastel color, or a "color wash". Don't use more than 50% paint in the base or you will have so much pigment it will be difficult to wipe out the finish.
  5. To create a "Varnish" mix 1:1 EF Waterbased Wood Stain and High Performance Waterbased Top Coat. Apply several coats of the mix over the painted surface to create a more of an aged varnish look. Finish with 2 coats of clear High Performance.

General tips on Glazing: If you want to slow the drying (especially in low humidity situations) you can add 10-15% Extender. For example, a couple of ounces per pint of glaze. If you put down a coat of High Performance top coat before you glaze, it will give you more control. Apply glaze  LIBERALLY using a Handi Painter applicator –this will make it easier to wipe off. Use Bounty, Viva paper towels or blue cotton shop towels, not cotton rags to wipe off. Cotton rags work well for oil based products but paper towels work better with water based glazes.

Last note: all of GF's retail water base products can be intermixed, so feel free to play!