How to Paint Lamp Shades, Painting Lamp Shades

A lamp shade that is just right in shape, color, and design for the room is really difficult to find among the shops of even large cities. And to get one for over some particular bowl that needs only the right shade to turn it into a wonderful lamp is next to impossible. But when one can make the shade at home, not only wonderful lamps, but shields for side lights, and all manner of light-screens are possible.

This paper shade has a cut-out pattern, and the silk lining that shows through is touched with color.

Any tough paper makes a good foundation - heavy watercolor paper and paper parchment are the two kinds frequently used. The former has a rough surface that is a better texture for some effects than the smooth parchment finish. Mark out the panels or shape of the shade and outline the design very lightly -with pencil. Then apply a background color, using water-color for it, and later for the design, too. To do this, slip a large blotter between drawing-board and paper. Mix plenty of color and apply it freely, beginning at the top and working down and across the paper. The blotter absorbs any moisture that soaks through.

Let the background dry until the snine disappears from its surface, and in the mean time get ready the colors for the pattern. These should be put in as rapidly as possible. Then allow the work to remain on the blotter until it is perfectly dry, but during this time keep the entire surface weighted to prevent buckling.

The next thing is to cut out the panels or the circular shade and fasten it over the wrapped-wire foundation that has been made to measurements. Details about the latter are given in how to make lamp shades. If the paper shade is in panels each section may be sewed to its neighbor with heavy thread, catching into the wrapping of the foundation wires at the same time. These seams will be hidden with the finishing gimp. If the shade has only one seam it should be lapped and glued, making the join as inconspicuous as possible. Then the paper may be slipped over the wire foundation and held in place by sewing it to the top and bottom circle wires.

When the shade is in place give it a number of shellac coats to protect the color and finish the surface. They may be applied before the shade is fastened over the frame, but in the first way the shellac helps mold the paper over the wire. When the shellac is dry remove the bright surface polish with oil and pumice, just enough oil to bind the powder.

Additional interest may be given a pattern by cutting out parts of it, introducing in this way the texture of the lining into the design, and also giving intense spots of light to those parts. They may, of course, be tinted. A stencil-knife is the best tool for the cut-work. Whole designs punched out in spots of three or four diameters are effective with little work. A punch made with six different-sized diameters may be bought in any large hardware-store. The problem of what to do for the high center hall light would be solved by an inverted shade with "punch-work" design.

Plain gilt or antique silver gimp is suitable for finishing the seams and edges of paper shades; or the narrow beaded and embroidered gimps one finds among the dress trimmings may repeat a feature of the design in a pleasing way.

If at all uncertain about the kind of shade for a particular place or when stranded for ideas as to shape and design, look over a dozen or more numbers of the best magazines that have the home and its furnishings as their subject. Back numbers are always kept in the reference files of the library. And although you may not find exactly what you would care to reproduce, the illustrations are always suggestive.

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