DECORATIVE PAINTER

Craft painting can take on many forms. Painted decorations on preexisting DECORATIVE PAINTER objects, such as walls, cabinets, chairs, and frames, is one way to create unique-looking, special pieces.

Many sign painters still design and paint letters and graphic designs by hand on many kinds of signs. You've probably seen some of their work, including window signs and billboards. If you've ever seen the name of a business or person painted on a glass door, that's the work of a sign painter who used a brush and paint. A skilled sign painter can run a successful small business, or a sign painter can find employment with a graphics company or a company specializing in outdoor advertising.

Stenciling, a technique used to decorate a surface with paint, has recently experienced a surge in popularity. Far from a new craft, stenciling dates as far back as 2500 BC, when it was used by Egyptians. Other cultures also incorporated stenciling as an art form, although its exact origin is unknown.

A popular craft in colonial America, today, stencils are used to decorate furniture, walls, boxes, paper, fabric, and many other surfaces. Visiting a stencil shop, or the stencil department of an art or craft supply store, will give you an idea of the variety of stencil patterns available. You may even get to take a practice lesson, as many stencil stores provide classes.

Once a stencil design has been cut out of stencil paper, the artist uses a stencil brush, a sponge, or a roller to apply the design to the wall or other surface. A stencil artist can move much more quickly than a painter who works freehand, because the stenciler uses the same design over and over again. Using fast-drying acrylic paints will simplify the process for you.