Art nouveau poppy firescreen

Create a stylish Art Nouveau firescreen using a simple palette of Resene colours.

Resene art with Mark Rayner - Project 19

Difficulty level: Moderate

You will need: Cloth, old painted wooden firescreen, paintbrushes (including artists’ brushes), Resene Lustacryl tinted to the following colours: Resene English Sage, Resene Nero, Resene Mid Green and Resene Red Hot, Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, sandpaper.

To get the look: Mark used Resene Aquaclear Satin to enhance the woodwork on the surrounding fireplace.

Other ideas: Create a more modern look by painting a firescreen with a selection of silvers from the Resene Enamacryl Metallic (now Resene FX Metallic) range.

Step one
Lightly sand the surface of the firescreen to provide a ‘key’ – this will help the sealer to adhere. Wipe clean with a cloth.

Step two
Apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to the firescreen. Allow to dry.

Step three
Paint the surrounding frame and feet of the firescreen with two coats of Resene Mid Green, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step four
Paint the centre panel and back of the firescreen with two coats of Resene English Sage, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step five
Use a fine-bristled artists’ brush to paint in the poppy stalks using Resene Mid Green, as shown. Allow to dry for two hours.

Step six
Use a medium artists’ brush to paint in the poppy flower heads with Resene Red Hot. Allow to dry for two hours and apply a second coat if necessary.