To paint or not to paint.
Life sized figures, one painted one not.
I painted one to see if it would give it more "Life".
What do you think?
I painted the life-sized statue on the right.
Because they are placed on either side of my fountain, they should be the same color, don't you think? They are made of a strange material, some kind of plastic and very lightweight. The wind could blow them over if they were not in a protected alcove.
All of these urns were cast from the same design. One is fairly new, one much older and given patina by weather. I painted two urns with acrylic paints.
Pineapple, the symbol of hospitality, on the left not painted and on the right, the same cement Pineapple design, painted and left out for years in all kinds of weather. Both paint and weather have done their job.
Cement and acrylic paints are made for each other. Painted my hall fireplace almost 20 years ago. No sign of peeling or damage from intensive heat.
Acrylic paints and gold leaf were directly applied to raw cement on my upstairs fireplace. Both treatments have lasted many, many years with no sign of wear.
You might want to give it a try. It's one of the easiest paint treatments around.
So here is the question: Do you think that paint improves cement pieces?
Wishing you a great weekend ahead my dear
Blogging Friends.
Gina
I like the pinky salmon colour on your cupid statue. against the white it looks nicer. I do however like both. I like tall stone statues that are not painted.
ReplyDeleteYour fireplaces look great..You are so very talented Gina.
For this post, I would say paint.
happy weekend
hugs
val xx
This is a tough call! The urns are fabulous and I love them all. Painted and unpainted. The cupids - I prefer the one unpainted, but then, it could be the colors that my monitor are showing me. Your fireplace looks so real, I would never guess it is faux! You are one magnificent artist, Gina. Thank you for letting me into your home and gardens.
ReplyDeleteMary in Oregon
Seeing your cherubs, I would prefer the painted beauty. It's warmer and that tone will be a classic colorway contrast with the greenery that is all around your home.
ReplyDeletexo
The subtlety of your own painting is perfect for the life-sized figure, so I'd say ... paint! And of course the great thing about painting is that one can always repaint, so have fun! With a project like this, I'd probably find photographs of an old statue for reference, but that's just me . . .
ReplyDeleteDear Val, I've almost decided to paint the other statue. I would never paint the "real thing" but these plastic copycats need a little help.
ReplyDeleteDear Mary, When I lived in the city I painted many fireplaces. The pre cast cement fireplaces were being installed and sold in newer homes. Fooling the eye with a little faux was in vogue at the time. So, I have had a lot of practice.
ReplyDeleteDear Frances, I have almost decided the same thing...it's just getting out the paints again and getting it done.
ReplyDeleteDear Mark, Yes, it's only paint. If this was a more serious project I would do exactly as you have suggested, consult an oldstatue. In fact, I painted a large statue many years ago for a client. It was cast cement and needed a little help.
ReplyDeleteBeing a purist, I do not always think paint good on cement. ...but the subtle way you approached them is perfect. You just mimicked what aging and weather does so well! I love the putti!
ReplyDeleteTheresa
Dear Theresa, The putti were props I used when I decorated homes for the holidays, or sometimes for weddings. Surrounded with lots of flowers and greenery, and if you dont go too close, they almost pass for the real thing.
ReplyDelete