Crackling is for everyone. All you need to get a good crackled finish is the right materials - no skill is needed!

You'll need:

24cm terracotta pot
All-purpose sealer (water-based)
FolkArt Acrylic Gouache paints in the colours: Navy Blue, Light Olive
1 inch bristle basecoat brush
Duncan Quik-Crackle
Good quality varnish brush
Satin varnish (water-based)

Here's how:

1 Seal the pot inside and out with all-purpose sealer. Allow it to dry.

2 Using the 1 inch basecoat brush, apply one or if necessary to get good coverage, two coats of Navy Blue paint to the outside of the pot and allow it to dry. Note: the crackle medium will only work over acrylic paint.

3 Use the 1 inch brush to apply a smooth, even coat of crackle medium over the basecoat. Leave it to dry until it is smooth and no longer tacky to the touch - 20 minutes to 1 hour.

4 Using the Light Olive paint and a clean basecoat brush, apply an even coat of paint over the dry crackle medium. Note that pearlescent and metallic acrylics will not work as a top coat. Once you have applied this coat, the crackling effect will begin immediately. Do not rework the final coat, as this will ruin the crackling effect.

5 Let the pot dry for 24 hours. Apply two or three coats of satin varnish with the varnish brush.

Tip: Olive on navy gives a subtle finish to this garden pot but you can gain more dramatic effects with brighter colours.

Source: Making Beautiful Trims, Edges and Finishing Touches (Murdoch Books)