Chalk Paint™ inventor Annie Sloan will be holding a 1-day European Festival of Color on Monday, May 11th, 2026, in Trier, Germany – the HQ of Annie Sloan Europe. Discover more about the event. Additionally, practical painting tips and colorful projects with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™.
European Festival of Color by Annie Sloan
Annie Sloan and friends will host an immersive day of furniture painting, live demos, expert tips, and creative inspiration in one of Germany’s most beautiful cities at the stunning EKA (Europäische Kunstakademie). The European Festival of Color brings Annie’s global Chalk Paint community together for a vibrant, hands-on experience.
About the Event
There will be live decorative techniques demonstrations from Annie and some of Europe’s best decorative painters; color theory made practical and playful; a Q&A session with Annie, discount shopping opportunities, book signings & creative conversations.
Meet the Painters of the European Festival of Color
Annie Sloan – artist, inventor of Chalk Paint, and one of the world’s leading authorities in decorative paint and color. With a background in fine art, Annie has revolutionized the world of decorative painting.
Tristan Merriam – Annie’s Brand Ambassador and master of Chalk Paint technique, known for his fresh, fearless application of color and texture.
Jonathon Marc-Mendes – British furniture artist, teacher, and online tutor, Jonathon loves upcycling and interior design on a budget.
Plus six of Annie’s European Star Painters from all over Europe, who will be demonstrating and teaching their signature styles – including techniques like blended geometry, colorful ombré, subtle frottage, fine layering, textured, heavily textured, chipped looking, crackled, fine hand painting, and gilding. Enjoy the European Festival of Color.
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5 Practical Painting Tips with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™
Here are five practical painting tips for applying Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™, which is ideal for creating texture, depth, and confident color.
Build Color in Layers
Apply one color of Chalk Paint™ first and allow it to dry, then brush a second shade lightly over the top. Sanding gently through the upper layer reveals the base color and creates depth and a softly aged effect.
Try a Dry-Brush Finish
Load only a small amount of Chalk Paint™ onto your brush and sweep it lightly across the surface. This creates texture and movement, allowing the underlying color or wood grain to show through.
Apply Contrasting Colors for Interest
Combine lighter and darker tones – such as a pale blue over a deep green – to give furniture more visual impact. Subtle contrast prevents a piece from looking flat.
Experiment with Washes
Dilute Chalk Paint™ with water and apply it as a thin wash. This softens strong colors and creates a layered, painterly finish that works beautifully on wood.
Finish with Chalk Paint Wax for Depth
Applying clear or tinted Chalk Paint Wax deepens color and highlights texture. Dark wax in corners and details adds character and definition.
Projects by Melissa White, Annie Sloan’s Painter in Residence
Cupboard Painted as Emily’s Garden Landscape
A landscape that wraps around a cupboard, transforming it from an everyday piece of furniture into an artwork. Melissa White – Annie Sloan’s Painter in Residence, began by mixing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ in Svenska Blue and Pure to create a gentle greyed-blue that echoes the sky in the wallpaper. From there, she painted Emily’s Garden landscape around the cupboard. A leaping antelope on the front is painted in Athenian Black over pale, chalky whites; rippling water is built up in layers of Aubusson, and Svenska Blue blends.
Trees and shrubs are rendered in countless blue-green mixes, with Coolabah Green and Amsterdam Green taking the lead. Flowers and small details are picked out in blends of Rodmell, Tyrian Plum, Jaipur Pink, and Scandinavian Pink, while Whistler Grey and Paris Grey reference the tiled terrace from the original design. Inside the cupboard, the surprise continues with walls in Jaipur Pink and Rodmell, while the shelf in Svenska Blue gives a soft, dusky contrast to the exuberant exterior.
Once the painting was complete, Melissa thoroughly sanded the surfaces to reveal layers of color and underlying brushstrokes, allowing hints of wood grain to come through. A final coat of Chalk Paint Clear Wax, carefully buffed, adds a lush but low-sheen finish.
Hand-Painted Panel on Paper, Inspired by a Wallpaper in a 19th-Century Doll’s House
A hand-painted panel on paper, the design is inspired by a tiny striped wallpaper Melissa spotted in a 19th-century doll’s house. She rebuilt it as a repeat and painted it at life size in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™. The colors are softly distressed to a chalky, timeworn finish, and she added a small scallop-edged wall shelf painted in the same pattern to camouflage against the panel.
Chalk Paints Applied:
Background: Paris Grey and Rococo White (blended)
Stripes: Whistler Grey, Graphite, Florence, English Yellow
Stars: Sandalwood Red, Sandalwood, Rococo, Paprika Red
Floral: Giverny, Capri Pink, Capability Green, Whistler Grey, English Yellow
Vintage Chest with Layers of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ Colors and Patterns
Vintage Chest painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ by Melissa White. The vintage effect was achieved by building layers of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ colors and patterns, gently rubbing back, then sealing with Chalk Paint Clear Wax to refresh this vintage chest. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Tyrian Plum, Sandalwood, Red Canvas, Jaipur Pink, Rococo White.
Text and Photos: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™
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