Creating an Asian Antique
Every decorative artist longs for the excitement of new and unusual projects, as well as the challenge of solving visual puzzles through the aesthetics of faux finishing. March 2010 brought just such an opportunity to Axius Studios and Denver-based artist/owner David McKendry. Historical preservation work brought to focus what was to be a successful career in the decorative painting industry for David. Simple techniques used 18 years ago in restoring a historical landmark in downtown Denver started a journey and quest in becoming a craftsman and master in his field. Decorative painting has been David’s passion for over 20 years. With a BSBA degree from the University of Denver in Business Marketing and Fine Art, David also received training under some of the world’s most renowned artisans. Grounded and fully trained in Faux Effects®, coupled with years of experience in scenic art as well as historical preservation, David’s career took off. In November 2007, David formed a partnership with Teri Althouse of Daytona Beach to establish Oro Studios, the Faux Effects® distributor for the Rocky Mountain region. As founder of Axius Studios and co-owner of Oro Studios, David has had many great challenges in his diverse career as a decorative artist, but this new challenge was to be one with international allure.
Greenauer Design Group sought out David for his talent and experience in furniture and cabinetry refinishing. Greenauer’s offices, located in Vail, London and Dubai, provided the connection that opened the door, so to speak, for David. This one-of-a-kind project was a 600-pound, hand-made alder wood door designed to look like an antique. Axius Studios was to replicate the look of an ancient door salvaged from Hong Kong. Once completed, this massive door was to be shipped to and installed in a private residence located in Dubai.
The intricate process began with sample creation, shipping each sample to Dubai and waiting for approval. After three months and approval in hand, David set out to create an architectural “antique.” Two coats of Rich Brown Stain & Seal™ were applied to create the perfect depth of brown, aged wood. A sealing coat of SetCoat® Clear was thinned with 20% water and sprayed over all door sections. To begin the aged layers, Crème Activator™ cut by 20% water was applied, followed by a custom blend of Leather Red and Basic Red SetCoat®, then chipped and rubbed off. A second layer of Crème Activator™ was applied, followed by a sprayed layer of Black SetCoat®.
The designer specified a contemporary version of the classic Double Happiness symbol, which was to be gilded in gold on the doors and the transom. David created and hand-cut the stencil of the Double Happiness symbol used for this step. The gilding process began with Imprint Coat™, which was brushed into place over the stencil and allowed to dry to a tack. The stencil was then removed. Gold leafing was carefully placed atop the Imprint Coat™, given a light burnish, and excess leafing was dusted away. David chipped and rubbed off the Black SetCoat® layer to reveal both red and brown tones underneath. AquaThane™ Satin was sprayed over all the surfaces to seal the leafing and neutralize the Imprint Coat™.
With the chip-off and gilding completed, David’s next step was to antique the doors. This toning step tempered the brightness of the red tones and added more depth to the Rich Brown Stain & Seal™ base. FXThinner™ was combined with Van Dyke Brown FauxColor™ to create a stain, which was applied and then carefully wiped back to reveal “aged” tones of reds and browns. To add an authentic aged look overall, David antiqued the crevices and around the door handles with Black FauxCreme Color™ to emulate the look of age and heavy use, then the finish was allowed to dry. ColorSeal™ Satin was sprayed on and dried, followed by two coats of Varnish Plus™ Satin.
The end result is an elegant, aged masterpiece that looks as if it was salvaged from a past ancient era. After the doors cured, they were crated and shipped to Dubai for installation. This rewarding job provided David with a sense of adventure and the chance to break away from the ordinary—to once again draw on skills and techniques learned years ago to create a truly stunning work of art.
DECORATIVE ART BY: DAVID MCKENDRY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: DAVID MCKENDRY
WRITTEN BY: MESHELLE MCKENDRY
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