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
Which paint consistency is best described as 'two-cream' in decorative painting terminology?
Answer: Paint with the flow of heavy cream—thinner than tube consistency but still opaque and body-rich
Two-cream consistency flows smoothly for base coating and brushwork while retaining enough pigment load for good coverage.
When preparing fabric for decorative fabric painting, which pre-treatment step is essential?
Answer: Pre-washing to remove sizing and then air drying before painting
Fabric sizing (finishing agents) repels paint; pre-washing removes sizing so fabric paint can bond directly to the fibers.
What is the primary reason decorative artists use a 'stay-wet palette' instead of a standard palette?
Answer: It keeps acrylic paints moist and workable for extended periods by maintaining humidity under the paper
A stay-wet palette uses a water-reservoir sponge beneath parchment paper to slow evaporation and keep acrylics open longer.
When applying a stencil design over a decorative base coat, using too much paint on the stencil brush will most likely cause:
Answer: Paint bleeding under the stencil edges, creating blurry outlines
Excess paint is pushed under stencil edges by brush pressure, resulting in ragged, smeared outlines instead of crisp lines.
In decorative painting, 'tipping' a wet base coat with a dry mop brush creates which effect?
Answer: A soft, haze-like softening of brush strokes that blends color seamlessly
Lightly whisking a dry mop brush across a wet painted surface blends and feathers stroke marks, producing a smooth, seamless background.
Which technique creates highlights on a painted design by removing wet paint rather than adding it?
Answer: Wiping out or negative painting using a clean damp brush or cloth
Wiping out lifts wet paint to reveal the lighter layer beneath, creating luminous highlights without adding an opaque layer.
When a decorative artist needs to paint on a slick, non-porous plastic surface, the best primer to use is:
Answer: A spray primer specifically formulated to bond to plastics (e.g., Krylon Fusion or similar adhesion primer)
Plastic-bonding primers contain adhesion promoters that chemically grip non-porous polymer surfaces where standard primers peel.