Suitable Bisque (shown: Byron Winter Plate)
NOTE: some of these colors are no longer on the market. Refer to comments at bottom of article on how to make substitutions.
Mayco/Ceramichrome Shy Blue
Mayco/Cermaichrome SS1 SnoWhite
Mayco/Ceramichrome MS303 Midnight Twinkle
Mayco/Cermichrome SS80 Glorious Gold
Blush or melon
Brush on sealer
Clear glitter
Semi-Matte spray sealer
Mineral Spirit Paint thinner
Soft lint-free cloth
Brush for antiquing
Flat White-bristle brushes size #8 or 10
Detail brush
Paper towels

Lightly wipe down your item with a damp sponge to remove any dust or debris, paying attention to the details to make sure they are clean.

1. Using a white-bristle brush, basecoat entire piece with Shy Blue. Use care to work it into details and smooth out the application. Better to apply two coats rather than a heavy uneven coat. Make sure it is completely covered. Thin areas will grab the antiquing and won’t wipe back. Any streaks or globs of paint will show up on finished item. Also try to keep brush strokes going in a horizontal pattern. Clean your brush with water and set aside. You will need a second brush for the dry brushing in step three.

2. Using brush reserved for antiquing, apply Midnight Twinkle to entire piece (front and back) working a small area at a time (about ¼ of your plate area). Wipe back leaving it darker in the road and tree crevices. As you wipe it back, strive to stroke it horizontally. Use a small dab of Mineral Spirits on your cloth to help remove more of the antiquing from the sky and top surfaces of the snow. You want to define the details and clean off where it will be whitest – again, leave road and deep crevices of trees the darkest, but take off a lot from the snow and sky. Refer to photo top right of this page

Let dry thoroughly. Clean your brush with Mineral Spirits.

3. Using a dry white bristle brush, dry brush all details with Sno White. Apply multiple layers to deepen the white. Do not rush this process and don’t give up. Each layer will make the contrast whiter. Do this until you have a nice contrast of white against the blue detailing. If you apply too much and get white in the details, just re-antique those areas, let dry and work the area with white again.

4. Without washing your brush, wipeout as much white as you can onto paper toweling then tip the bristles into some Melon/blush and work it into the bristles. Lightly dab color onto the breasts of the birds giving them a rosey glow.

5. Using a detail brush, paint gold on the horses reigns and harness, the church windows and the village windows. Let dry

6. Spread out some paper toweling and set your plate in the middle. Using a brush on sealer, and working a small area at a time, apply streaks of sealer to the high points of the snow such as roof of church, tops of fence, tufts of snow on trees, and randomly over the drifts of snow. Don’t try for complete coverage, but rather create highlights. Before the sealer dries, sprinkle on glitter and then tap off excess and move onto another area.

7. When dry, apply a LIGHT coat of spray sealer – I recommend a semi matte. Not too much or it will dull the glitter. A high gloss spray will bury the contrast of the glitter.

COLOR SUBSTITUTIONS:

Shy blue is a very light blue. It has been discontinued. Take a light blue stain and add white until you have a very Very light blue

Midnight Twinkle is very hard to find. It has been discontinued. If you are not so lucky to have some, try Doc Holliday Colors for a dark blue oil base antiquing OR take a very dark blue water base translucent stain and add a small amount of gold to give it a little twinkle . To apply it, you will need to work VERY small area at a time and wipe off quickly.

Fashenhues has a couple that should work pretty well. S5 Blue-Violet and S36 Navy – both are oil base but clean up with water. Takes a while to dry so take care to avoid fingerprints.