|
My hubby gave me a wonderful photograph by Joe Hoynik for Valentine's Day. I knew exactly what kind of frame I wanted - something battered, aged, and wooden. I searched a number of stores and wasn't able to find what I wanted, so I decided to create it myself.
I found a cheap wooden frame at Ikea. It had a very simple structure that I liked, and was made of unfinished wood. A blank canvas (so to speak) for me to work with.
The process of "aging" the frame was very simple. I started out by banging, slashing, gouging, and poking the wood with all sorts of instruments - gardening trowel, large drill bit, wrench, and steel brush. I even threw it to the ground a few times to soften the corners. Once I got the amount of damage to the frame I wanted, it was time to stain. I started with black shoe polish. Using an old sock (why buy rags when you always have old socks lying around), I rubbed the black shoe polish all over the frame. I made sure it go into all the nicks and scratches I created earlier. I then used a clean sock to rub off the excess polish. The next step was stain. Just follow the instructions on the can, very simple process. I applied two coats to get a slightly darker tone.
After staining I still wasn't completely satisfied. I wanted little more contrast in the wood - darker areas, lighter areas. I rummaged in the garage and found some brown spray paint. I lightly sprayed the frame (working one side at a time) with the paint. I then would wipe off the paint, leaving more in some areas than others. I always made sure the paint wouldn't be solid and cover the grain of the wood. After that, it was simply time to let it dry, then insert the picture.
I'm really happy with the results. The frame is a great compliment to the photograph without distracting the eye. Here are the before and after shots of the frame. Click to see the larger image.
|
