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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Tole painting explained

Tole painting is the folk art of decorative painting on tin and wooden utensils, objects and furniture. Typical metal objects include utensils, coffee pots, and similar household items. Wooden objects include tables, chairs, and chests, including hope chests, toyboxes and jewelry boxes. An advantage of tole painting as a craft is that a bad painting can be sanded off and repainted. One of the signs of such repaintings is a black-backgrounded tole-painted object. Very often such objects are repainted, especially if the furniture or utensil is valuable and the painter is inexperienced.

Tole painting myth

Tole painting was believed to have been originated for people who couldn't afford expensive materials to make their tin plates a little nicer and a more fancier. But in the contemporary times Tole painting is not limited to tin plates only. It can now be done on any type of surface ranging from glass to pottery and wood to ceramic. Tole painting is a fun and easy craft to learn. It is also very popular, even among people who don't consider themselves good artists.

Books for Tole painting

There are books designed specially for a specific type of painting. A person interested in face painting can find a book specially designed for painting a face. Similarly, a person interested in learning house painting can find a painting book as per his choice. Painting books are also available on tole painting and oil painting. These specially designed books provide various tips and guidelines and train a person into a professional artist.

CONCLUSION

Originally tole painting mainly applied to tin or metal, now decorative painting is applied to just about any surface. Folk Art was used to add color and decoration to household items like utensils and furniture. The techniques have been passed down from generation to generation.

The new products available to today's painters has expanded upon these techniques, mixed with experimentation and creativity we are seeing everything popping up from Primitive to ultra-modern. We have paints available that allow us to work not just on metals, tin or wood but other surfaces like glass, porcelain, candles and almost any fabric. Finishes like Flaux allow us to create the look of marble, wood or stone on almost any surface, just add to the exciting possibilities.