How to Learn to Paint Real Shabby Chic Roses

Shabby Chic Rose

• 1

  Decide where you would like to place your rose design and prep the surface. If you are working with raw wood, you will need to sand and dust the surface. A high-gloss surface will require a light sanding in the area you wish to decorate.

• 2

  Place the stencil on the surface and secure it in place with painter's tape. Trace the design lightly in pencil. (Keep the stencil on hand in case you need to re-establish the pattern later.)

• 3

  Apply the cream paint to the outer edges of the petal shapes. Working on each section independently, use a small, dry brush to drag and fade the color towards the center of the rose.

• 4

  Mix 2 parts cream to 1 part pink paint and fill in the rest of the petal shapes. The resulting color should have only a slight distinction from the original cream.

• 5

  Paint the center of the petals with pink. You will be painting over the lower quarter of the outer petals. The interior petals will require more pink at about a third of the total area. This creates depth and shadow.

• 6

  Use a fine round brush to add the mauve to the center of all of the petals. You can mirror vintage fabrics by applying this final color as a bold block, or achieve a softer look by blending with the surrounding pink.

• 7

  Wait for the paint to dry and then distress the design. Apply a layer of crackle glaze to the entire piece, or rub the area with a fine sandpaper. Intentionally staining and burning the pattern also works well in the case of a tabletop.