Instant Antiquity

The attractive greenish coating that covers old, weathered copper is called verdigris. A typical verdigris kit contains several small pots of paint—one for each layer—and a stippling brush. It can be used to transform wood, metal, plastic or terra-cotta containers.

A terra-cotta pot must be washed thoroughly and allowed to dry completely before beginning work. Then you can paint it all over with the first color in the kit (Step One-left). Once the paint has dried, apply the second, lighter color with the stippling brush (Step Two-right).

The secret to stippling is to use an almost-dry brush. Dip the brush into paint and dab it on a piece of paper towel until it's almost dry. Then stipple the brush onto some scrap paper.

What you want to achieve is an even, light-colored impression. Once you're happy with the effect, begin stippling the pot. You should end up with an almost-transparent layer of paint through which the base coat can be seen. Repeat this process with each color supplied in the kit, ending with the metallic paint.