IOD Paint Inlays - Little Lark

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8" x 12" Pad - 8 Sheets

Little Lark is our first 8” x 12” small-format paint inlay, created for detailed, smaller-scale projects. The artwork is drawn from the 19th-century book The Bird by Jules Michelet, featuring birds, nests, florals, and pastoral vignettes in a classic toile-inspired layout—full of charming details that you just have to see up close to appreciate.

Rendered in a three-color palette of sepia black, indigo, and soft green—reminiscent of vintage china—it’s perfect for creating your own faux china-style finishes. The set includes frames, wreaths, and borders to help build compositions and define focal areas, offering plenty of creative flexibility. Vignette scenes can be softened by gently moving pigment with a wet brush for a watercolor effect, highlighting one of our favorite qualities of paint inlays.

As a special detail, the beloved cover artwork from this book also appears in our Athenaeum foil transfer.

WHAT ARE IOD PAINT INLAYS?

With Paint Inlays paint is physically embedded onto the surface of your project. After drying, the carrier paper is removed, leaving an authentic painted design and a buttery, almost leather-like surface on your piece.

Basic Steps for Use

Step 1: Plan the layout of your designs for your surface.

Step 2: Using the grids on the backside of the inlay sheet, trim as needed and set aside. If you are using a repeat pattern and lining the pattern up continuously, then trim the excess margin on each sheet.

Step 3: On an appropriately prepared surface, apply a generous and even coat of mineral-based chalk-type paint. Work in small sections to manage the paint-drying window as you work, generally not larger than 12"x16".

Step 4: While the paint is still wet, lay the paint inlay sheet, design side down (grids are printed on the back for easy identification of front and back), into the wet paint, keeping it taut.

Step 5: Spritz lightly with an even mist of water. Using a smooth damp sponge, soft folded cloth, or the small IOD Silicone Paint Blade, pat down with even light pressure to make sure the design makes good contact with the painted surface. Avoid excessive moving or dragging of the Paint Inlay sheet once it is laid down, as this can cause blur or smear.

Step 6: Repeat steps 3-5 to complete your design, lining up your sections as appropriate. The gridlines can help to match pattern edges when needed.

Step 7: Allow the Inlay to dry to the touch. Drying times can vary anywhere from 10 minutes to one hour, depending upon conditions.

Step 8: When ready to remove the Paint Inlay sheets from your surface, spritz evenly with water, and allow 30 seconds to absorb; this helps the backing to release. Starting at one corner, gently pull the paper up, keeping it at a low angle. It should come up easily without tearing. If it does not, spritz a second time and wait a moment, then try again.

Step 9: If desired, you can use water to blend out or soften the design, because the pigment is still movable and active. You can even add additional colors.

Step 10: Once you’re happy with the Paint Inlay design, allow your project to fully dry. Dry time will vary depending on the thickness of the paint coats, how much water was used in the process, the room temperature, and weather conditions. If the surface is cold to the touch, it is not completely dry. To be sure, wait 24 hours.

Step 11: Now, it’s time to seal it.

**While using Fusion I have had great luck pulling the paper off shortly after putting it down and smoothing it. Fusion creates a strong bond to the paper and it can leave paper fibers behind if it dries too much.

HOW DO I SEAL AFTER USING AN IOD PAINT INLAY?

There are a few different options for sealing:

Spray on a water-based sealer of choice using a spray gun designed for paints and finishes.
Apply a brushed on water-based polyurethane-type sealer directly over your work. This method is likely to result in some pigment migration; this is minimized by avoiding overworking.
Create a “mistable” setting spray using a 50/50 mix of water and your favorite water-based sealer. Apply with a fine spray mister. Allow it to dry completely and then apply your brushed-on sealer.
Set your work initially with a commercially available spray-on sealer or artist's fixative. Allow it to dry completely and apply your finish of choice.
You can also use wax to seal your piece. Apply according to the manufacturer's directions and buff to a sheen as usual. - multiple coats and the colour can bleed.
Some oil-based finishes can be applied directly by brush to the surface without reactivating. Test in a small area before applying. Note that most oil-based finishes do tend to discolor to amber with time, and that is most noticeable on light colors.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Always check for compatibility between sealer/finish products when using more than one.

CAN IOD PAINT INLAYS BE USED MORE THAN ONCE?

And, as if once isn't enough, you can usually get a beautifully faded second impression, with the residual pigment on your 'leftover' Paint Inlay sheets. Depending on the techniques and colors you are using with your Paint Inlay, sometimes you can even get a third impression!

IMPORTANT NOTE: For best results with a basic application, use a chalk-type paint that does not contain polymers. (Polymer-based paints and topcoats can also be used, but the timing and results vary, so check out our tutorials for that and more special technique videos coming soon.)

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