Director's chairs with style

Sunset, Sept, 1998 by Ann Bertelsen

You can personalize your director's chairs quickly and easily by drawing on the canvas seats and backs with fabric paint or by faux-finishing them. Our blue-and-white rendition didn't even require a brush. The white fabric paint was squeezed directly onto the seats with a funnel-pointed tube, available from art and craft stores. We used new seats from a home and garden store, but if your own chairs are in mint condition, just remove the canvases and paint them. Select a paint color that contrasts with your canvas so the pattern can be seen.

If your chairs show the effects of last summer's sun, consider a faux-finish makeover. This process involves more detailed work and longer drying time, but it's very effective.

FAUX-FINISHING MATERIALS

* Two foam brushes

* 4-ounce bottle acrylic gesso (from an art and craft store)

* 1 quart white flat latex paint

* 4-ounce tube artist's acrylic (raw sienna or color of your choice)

* Hair dryer (optional)

* Two small natural sponges

* 8-ounce spray bottle

* 1 pint denatured alcohol, available at pharmacies

* 2-ounce tube artist's acrylic (neutral gray or other neutral color)

* 8-ounce bottle clear satin acrylic varnish

DIRECTIONS FOR FAUX-FINISHING

1. With a foam brush, completely cover back and front of canvas with gesso.

BASE COAT:

2. Mix 1/2 pint white paint with 1 tablespoon raw sienna acrylic. Apply to canvas with a clean foam brush and let dry one hour, or speed-dry with a hair dryer.

FIRST GLAZE:

3. Mix 1/2 pint white paint with 2 tablespoons raw sienna acrylic and 1 tablespoon water.

4. Dampen a natural sponge with water, dip it into glaze, and lightly dab over base coat.

5. Mist with denatured alcohol.

6. Repeat sponging process, using a fresh damp sponge.

SECOND GLAZE (applied to first glaze while it's still damp):

7. Mix 1/2 pint white paint with 1/4 tablespoon neutral gray acrylic and 1 tablespoon water.

8. Dab onto canvas with a clean sponge, carefully blending the two colors.

9. Mist with alcohol and allow to dry (about one hour).

FINAL GLAZE:

10. Mix 1/2 pint white paint and 1 tablespoon raw sienna acrylic with 1 tablespoon water.

11. Sponge lightly and sparingly over second glaze, allowing color variations to show through.

12. Spray with alcohol and allow to dry (about one hour). Apply one coat of clear satin acrylic varnish for protection.