A crackled-paint finish

I simply love these finishes, and I am dying to try it out. But, because I am so anal, I have to read and read and read about it before I even dare to begin to try anything. . . .

Here's what I found on eHow.com, here, on crackling finishes:

Crackle painting is a faux painting technique that produces a finish that looks like old cracked paint with older layers of paint showing through. Any smooth surface that can be painted with latex paint is suitable for crackle painting. Commonly, crackle paint is used on furniture, cabinetry or on accent trim and molding. Supplies are readily available at almost any home improvement store, and the crackle painting technique is simple enough to learn in an afternoon.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Interior latex paint in two colors, flat or eggshell finish
• Synthetic paintbrush
• Roller (optional)
• Crackle medium
• Sandpaper
• Rags
• Masking tape
• Drop cloth

How to Crackle Paint

1. 
   
   
   
   Step1
   Buy your paint, crackling medium and other materials. Choose two different paint colors—an undercoat that will show through the crackling, and a top coat color that will be the crackled paint. The crackling medium is colorless.
2. 
   
   
   
   Step2
   Prepare the surfaces you will be painting. Sand the surface smooth. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove dust. Allow to dry.
3. 
   
   
   
   Step3
   Cover and mask surfaces you do not want to paint. Use masking tape to mask surfaces immediately adjacent to the surface you'll be painting. Use a drop cloth to cover the floor.
4. 
   
   
   
   Step4
   Apply the undercoat color according to the paint can instructions. Be sure to stir the paint thoroughly before application. Allow to dry 4 hours.
5. 
   
   
   
   Step5
   Apply the crackling medium. Use a paintbrush to give a directional effect to the crackling, or use a roller to achieve more uniform crackling. Allow to dry at least 1 hour.
6. 
   
   
   
   Step6
   Apply the top coat. Apply the paint thickly for more crackling. Or apply the top coat paint thinly for subtle crackling.
7. 
   
   
   
   Step7
   Remove the masking tape after a few minutes, while the paint is still fresh. Do not wait for the crackle painted area to dry completely, as this may cause the fresh paint to lift off with the masking tape.
8. 
   
   
   
   Step8
   Allow the crackle painted surface to dry completely.

I simply love eHow.com - it is the perfect place to go to - my first-stop, always - when you're about to start something new!