DIY Aged Vessel
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>> Read to the end for my latest updates to this technique <<
I am always on the hunt for unique aged vases and vessels. I love the character that these pieces bring to a space. Unfortunately, the kind of character that comes with a truly aged vessel often has a very high price tag attached. My goal was to try to find a technique that would allow me to create my own aged vessel finish for less.
When I came across this creamy ceramic vase, my creative wheels were turning, and I decided to try my hand at achieving an aged look. Read on to see how I turned this outdated vase into an aged piece of pottery.
Before
After
Materials:
Matte spray paint (Black or white)
Disposable gloves
Various paints in a matte finish (colors used for this black vase are linked below)
Paper towels
Optional:
Baking Soda (find out why below)
Matte clear spray paint
Process:
I started by removing all of the stickers and washing the vase with soap and water, then I dried it thoroughly. I then took it outside and coated it completely with a matte black spray-paint, allowing it to dry overnight.
I used matte paints by FolkArt in the colors Burnt Umber, Wrought Iron, and Country Twill (linked above). I started with the color Burnt Umber. I wanted this vase to be a dark, chalky color and have lots of texture. To get the texture, I added one part paint and one part baking soda to a small mixing bowl and stirred them together.
The baking soda is optional and I recommend using baking soda only if you want your vessel to have a thicker, textured finish. I then dabbed a damp paper towel into the paint and baking soda mixture and pressed it onto the vase, starting at the base and working my way up to the top.
I allowed time for the vase to dry, and then repeated this same process with the Wrought Iron color. I alternated between the two colors, creating depth and texture with each layer. I repeated this process until I was pleased with the overall look.
A key to getting that aged look is considering how a vessel would naturally age over time.
For this piece, I wanted to add a weathered ring around the bottom. To achieve this look, I used a very small amount of the color, Country Twill. I did not mix in the baking soda this time.
I used a new damp paper towel and pressed the paper towel into the lighter paint and then onto the vessel, adding the color at the base.
I brought the color up about 1 inch from the base, feathering it out so it was more concentrated at the base and lighter towards the top.
Once the vase was totally dry, I dropped in some of my favorite stems, and paired it with some of my other store-bought vessels for that collected look and feel I love.
An additional optional step is to coat your vase or vessel with a layer of matte clear spray paint. I did not do this step on this vessel, however, I since have added this step because I have found that it seems to protect the finish better from chipping or scratching.
12/10/23
Technique Update:
This technique is definitely something that took me a couple tries to perfect. Recently, I have made two changes that have resulted in a more realistic looking aged finish overall.
Change #1: Instead of coating the vessels with matte black to start, I have opted to used matte white spray paint instead. Why? The lighter base coat gives more flexibility in the final color. I noticed that when I started with the matte black paint as the base, it was much more difficult to give the vessel the depth needed to achieve a truly aged look. But, if you’re looking for a darker vessel for your end result, the matte black may be the way to go for you.
Change #2: No baking soda/using a thinner product. Recently, I have found that I can achieve a more realistic aged look when I use thinner layers of paint, almost to subtly stain the vessel, allowing each layer to dry between applications. For this reason, I no longer add baking soda.
I've also recently been trying different products that apply thinner. In the vessel listed above that I DIY'd for our Christmas tree, for example, I used this wood tint in the color walnut. I did add just a drop of a lighter khaki colored paint as well to start, just to ensure I gave the vessel enough depth.
Pro tip - you can still achieve a thin layer with regular acrylic paint, instead of the wood tint I used here. You will just want to make sure your paper towel is wet enough to wipe off the excess paint.
Overall, I love the way this technique has evolved over time and I’m very happy with the way my vessels have been turning out more recently.
Happy DIY-ing!
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