Chalk paints are not new. They have been a feature in the interior decorating world for a while as decorators seek to create the "shabby chic" look for their walls, furniture and home decor projects.
![chalk_finish_paint valspar](https://paperinkpaint.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/chalk_finish_paint-valspar.jpg?w=300)
When applied, chalk paints give a smooth, soft, matte finish to a surface. This finish is not to be confused with chalkboard paints, which create a chalkboard-like surface on which you can write.
![chalkboard-paint](https://paperinkpaint.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/chalkboard-paint.jpg?w=300)
I was interested in a paint that had a matte finish rather than a satin or shiny finish, which is why I started looking at chalk paint as a possible solution. However, because I wanted to use the paint in my art journal and paper projects, I wanted an acrylic paint formation, rather than a latex- based chalk paint.
There are a couple of different options in the market, ranging from $.59 to $9.99. While I expected a range of quality in the paints the results were surprising.
ATCs created with chalk finish paint
Various brands of matte finish and chalk paints
First Place: There was a three way tie for my first place vote:
1. Chroma's Jo Sonja Artist Color Matte Flow Acrylic
Here is a description of these paints from the Chroma website:
Jo
Sonja's Artists' Colours are flow formula acrylics offering the look
and feel of traditional gouache. They offer superb handling and brushing
characteristics together with purity and strength of colour. Acrylic
gouache is a popular medium for design works on paper and decorative
art, providing opacity of colour and a beautiful, matte velvet finish.
Unlike traditional gouache, colour layering can be achieved easily
throughout a painting, as the paints will dry within minutes.The color I tested is Storm Blue. Storm blue is a muted submarine blue that is very reminiscent of Payne's Grey, one of my all-time favorite neutrals.
Why this paint ties for first:
The Jo Sonja paint went on smoothly and had fantastic coverage. Some of the tested paints needed multiple coats in for full coverage but the Jo Sonja covered easily in one smooth coat and dried to a even, muted finish with no gaps. The dried paint had a beautiful soft, chalky finish. And best of all- no brush lines! The Jo Sonja paint is just perfect.
Swatch
of Jo Sonja paint. Unfortunately, my camera did not do a good job of
capturing the true color. For reference, the swatch is painted on
black cardstock. In this photo it shows up as brown!
2. Tied for First: Blick Matte Acrylic in Blue Medium.
These paints are available from dickblick.com. Here is what Blick has to say about them:
Blick’s opaque, matte-surface acrylics are water-based, quick-drying, and permanent, yet non-toxic and safe for everyday use.
Let
me just say: I am a fan of these paints. They come in a wide range of
colors, are affordable and most importantly, the paints do what they
say they will. The
coverage was not as complete as the coverage I achieved with the Jo
Sonja but the paint dries to a smooth, muted finish with no brush lines.
Why this paint tied for first: great colors, easy to use, and smooth application and finish.
A 2 oz bottle is $2.14 at dickblick.com.
3. Tied for First: Americana Decor Chalky Finish
Official description: ... an
ultra-matte chalk paint that requires no priming or sanding before
using. The color palette includes 29 intermixable colors carefully
selected with home decor trends in mind.
Why this paint ties for first:
American Decor's description does not do this paint justice. This paint
has amazing coverage. I need only one coat to achieve a relatively
smooth swatch, with no blotchiness or gaps. There was a small hint of
brush lines, but not noticeably so. The coverage was just fantastic.
Although I used only one coat of paint, it laid down a nice, thick layer
of paint with even coverage. The color I tested, Treasure was a lovely
sea blue-green.
![treasure](https://paperinkpaint.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/treasure.jpg?w=300)
This paint retails for $8.99 for 8 fl. oz. at Michaels and Joann's.
I tested four to five other brands that did well but they did not do as well as the three posted here. I will post my review of the other paint brands over the next few days.
I hope these reviews you in your selection of a matte finish paint for your project!
Note: I purchased all of the paints mentioned in this review. My review reflects my personal opinion.