When Iron Orchid Designs (IOD) rolled out the latest transfers, creator Josie predicted that the Midnight Garden transfer would be HOT. Boy, was she right! I began to see people use it on pieces and was struck about how amazingly beautiful it was on darker paints.
So I began looking for the right piece that would show off Josie’s amazing artwork. The transfer is wider than it is tall so I considered a few dressers, Then I found this one. Bingo!
The first step in prepping this piece to paint was cleaning. I scrubbed it down with TSP and a quick scuff sand with 220 grit paper and it was ready to paint. I wanted a dark color to go with the moodiness of the transfer so I opted for Renfrew Blue. Renfrew Blue is an amazing, deep, rich teal. It’s one of my favorite colors and the first color I tried when I started painting with Fusion. Fusion has fantastic coverage for most colors, but Renfrew Blue is not one of them. Because of the nature of the pigments needed to make colors deep and rich, it cannot contain the element that provides coverage. So you just have to know that it will take 3-4 coats to get great coverage with Renfrew Blue, Fort York Red, English Rose, Picket Fence, and Liberty Blue. This is what the drawer looked like with one coat of Renfrew Blue. You can see how transparent it is. I used my favorite brush, the round synthetic Staalmeester brush. It gives such a smooth finish!
With four coats on the chest, I had a beautiful teal color that would make a great base for Midnight Garden. I wanted the transfer to cover the front panel of the chest but the transfer was too wide. No worries! You can cut them down to meet your needs so I trimmed off about 6″ from the right side. One of the fabulous features of the new transfers is that the plastic backing is printed with gridlines to help you line up the transfer. The new transfers also have a smaller halo around them, making them less visible once they’re applied. After I trimmed the transfer, I taped it in place and began to rub with the applicator stick. I laid the dresser on its back with the drawers in to make it easier to rub the transfer in place. There’s no need to top coat Fusion prior to applying a transfer. These babies stick on so quickly!
After the transfer was applied, I ran my fingernail along the gap between the drawers to break the image so the drawers could open. Then I rubbed on a thin coat of Beeswax Finish over the transfer and the bottom of the chest. The transfer needs a sealer but the paint doesn’t. I sealed with wax over the paint just to give it a sheen to show off the curves. Fusion has a matte finish so it’s not slick. I like to pour a little Hemp Oil on top and lightly sand with 600 grit paper to polish the finish. Ahhh, it feels so good!
So what do you think? I think she’s fabulous! I’m not sure if I love the color best or the transfer, but together they’re dynamite!
