Surface Preparation & Painting Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CDA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Surface Preparation & Painting Techniques flashcards as text
In decorative painting, what is the correct brush loading method for 'sideloading' (corner loading)?
Answer: Dip one corner of a damp flat brush into paint and work it on the palette until color graduates across the bristles
Sideloading places color on one corner only, then palette-working spreads it across the bristles so the opposite corner remains clean.
Which type of varnish finish is recommended as the final topcoat for a decorative piece that will be handled frequently, such as a painted box?
Answer: Water-based polyurethane or a hard varnish rated for high-wear surfaces
Water-based polyurethane provides a durable, abrasion-resistant protective layer suitable for frequently touched decorative items.
What causes 'crazing' or a crackled surface texture to appear when applying acrylic paint?
Answer: Applying a second coat of acrylic paint over a layer that has not fully dried
When a top layer dries faster than an underlying wet layer, differential shrinkage pulls the surface paint into a crackled pattern.
A decorative artist wants to create an antiqued look by applying a dark glaze into recessed areas and wiping it off raised areas. This technique is called:
Answer: Antiquing or glazing wash technique
Antiquing uses a tinted glaze that settles in crevices and is wiped from high points, mimicking centuries of dirt accumulation.
When painting fine liner work on a decorative piece, which consistency should the paint be?
Answer: Thinned to an ink-like consistency so it flows freely from the liner brush
Ink-consistency paint flows from the liner brush's full length of bristles, allowing long, smooth, continuous strokes.
Before painting on a previously varnished or sealed wooden surface, the artist should:
Answer: Lightly sand with fine-grit sandpaper to degloss the surface before recoating
Scuff sanding breaks the sheen of the existing finish, providing mechanical adhesion for the new base coat without full stripping.
The term 'value' in decorative painting color theory refers to:
Answer: The lightness or darkness of a color
Value describes where a color falls on the scale from pure white (highest value) to pure black (lowest value), independent of hue.