Textured Pastes for Creating Aged and Weathered Effects
This product is part of Part 2 of the Playing with Gels & Pastes series, where I explore the individual gels and pastes included in my experiments.
Prima Marketing Finnabair Rust Effect Paste and Patina Effect Paste are speciality pastes designed to create realistic aged, weathered and dimensional effects on mixed media projects.
Both products form part of sets containing different coloured pastes that are layered together to create the complete effect. The Rust Effect set is designed to recreate the appearance of rust, while the Patina Effect set creates the look of aged and oxidised metal.
I received these sets as a gift and decided to include one paste from each in my Getting to Know Your Gels & Pastes experiments. I tested the Taupe Rose paste from the Rust Effect Paste set and the Mint Green paste from the Patina Effect Paste set.
After testing them, I found the two pastes behaved almost identically. For that reason, I’ve grouped them together here (like 2 colours of the same product) rather than treating them as two completely different products.
Characteristics
Both are thick, opaque and highly textured pastes that dry with a completely matte finish.
The Rust Effect Paste I tested dries to a warm taupe-rose colour, while the Patina Effect Paste dries to a light mint green.
Unlike many of the other gels and pastes I’ve tested, these have a deliberately rough, gritty surface. They also dry extremely hard and are not flexible.
For that reason, I would use them on firm surfaces such as canvas, wood and chipboard rather than journal or scrapbook pages that need to bend regularly.
Ways to Use Rust and Patina Effect Pastes
Create Aged and Weathered Effects
This is what these speciality pastes are really designed to do.
Although I tested one colour from each set individually to understand its properties, the different colours in each set are intended to be combined to create a more realistic aged finish.
The rough texture and opaque colour make them particularly effective when you want to recreate the appearance of rust, patina or weathered metal.
Create Texture and Stencilled Designs
The thick consistency works exceptionally well through stencils and holds its shape beautifully.
Because the paste dries hard, it creates a stable, raised and highly textured surface, making it particularly useful on solid mixed media projects.
Paint Over Them
Both pastes can be painted over once dry.
Keep in mind that the original colour of the paste will affect the colour applied over it, so your finished result may differ depending on which Rust or Patina Effect Paste you use as your base.
Use Them as Adhesives
This was one of the surprises from my experiments.
Despite their very rough texture, both pastes worked extremely well as adhesives. Both the button and sand adhered successfully.
The existing colour and texture of the paste will become part of the finished effect, however, so I would use this ability where that contributes to the design rather than simply choosing these speciality pastes as everyday adhesives.
Heat Embossing and Foiling
Both pastes could be used for heat embossing.
Foiling was much less consistent. Because these pastes create such a rough surface, the foil cannot easily make even contact across the entire area.
Although foil may adhere in places, I would choose a smoother product when foiling is the effect I want to create.
Tint the Pastes
I was able to tint both pastes, but their existing colours affected the final colour.
Much like coloured Sparkle Paste, you’re adding colour to an already coloured product rather than starting with a neutral base.
Silicone Moulds
Both pastes formed an embellishment in a silicone mould, but the finished pieces crumbled once completely dry.
Because these products dry so hard and brittle, I would not recommend them for silicone moulds.
What About Ink Resist?
I deliberately did not test ink blending over these pastes.
Their dried surfaces are extremely rough, and rubbing a blending tool over them could damage the blending foam or tool.
This was a useful reminder from my experiments that not every test makes sense for every product. Sometimes the characteristics of the product tell you that a particular technique simply isn’t worth trying.
My Favourite Uses
Rust and Patina Effect Pastes
- Creating realistic rust and patina effects
- Aged and weathered surfaces
- Rough texture
- Dimensional effects
- Stencilling on firm surfaces
They can also be used for:
- Adhesive
- Heat embossing
- Tinting
However, these wouldn’t necessarily be the reasons I would reach for these pastes.
Not my first choice for:
- Flexible scrapbook or journal pages
- Silicone moulds
- Foiling
- Everyday adhesive
I would reach for this when: I specifically want to create a realistic aged, rusty, patina or weathered effect on a firm mixed media project.
These aren’t products I would use every day, but when I want the particular effect they were designed to create, they do that job beautifully.
Explore More
- Getting to Know Your Gels & Pastes
See how I tested the different gels and pastes in my stash and what I wanted to discover. - Ways to Use Gels & Pastes
Explore which gels and pastes worked for stencilling, ink resist, adhesives, moulds, heat embossing, foiling and more.
PLEASE NOTE: All the opinions are my own. None of the products have been sponsored.