Beautiful Pompeii Style Decoupage Project (art included)

Step 20 The First Step of a Crackle Finish

  Now that you have covered your box with all that beautiful decoupage, it's time to add the crackle finish. I prefer a delicate porcelain crackle for this project, so that you can see the images well. There are many kinds of porcelain style crackle finishes out there. The clear finishes are what this project requires, and they are always two parts. Mine had a Part 1 that was so runny that I could only do one side at the time (some are like gels). It was slightly milky, making it hard to see , so I sat near a window for better light, letting each side dry to a tacky finish. Lay down this first layer in "x" strokes to encourage randome crackling. Brush it thinnest over the faces. It looks nicer when you can see the faces better. Take care not to miss anything, or you will have to go back and do it over any spots that were missed. When I did the “roof”, I had to lean the box against the wall  until it was fairly horizontal so it wouldn't drip or run.
  TIP: I have the best results doing the crackle on a dry day--with low humidity.