Instructions

1. Lightly sand your table to remove any rough edges or splinters, and wipe it down with a tack cloth. Apply mahogany wood stain to the table legs with a clean cloth. Wipe only in the direction of the natural grain.
2. Repeat this on the drawer front and side panels using the maple wood stain. You might need to apply two coats of the stain with a light sanding in between. After everything has dried, continue with the steps outlined below in the instructions.
3. Mark a 2" (5 cm) border around the edge of the tabletop. Use the back side of a utility knife blade or a small, flat screwdriver to make a slight indentation along this line. Rub a coat of mahogany stain onto this border, and then dry brush a second coat on top to create a grained look (see photo). Allow the stain to dry.
    
   
4. Mask off the border with low-tack tape. Apply one coat of latex primer and let it dry. Follow with a coat of red satin latex paint inside the border to cover the top of the table. Let it dry.

Creating the Stippled Effect

5. Mix a water-based glaze using one part black latex paint with six parts acrylic glaze. Wrap a synthetic sponge in a plastic grocery bag and squeeze the sides to create tight creases in the plastic.
6. Apply an even coat of the black glaze to the top of the table. Stipple the glaze with the plastic-covered sponge, changing directions in order to create a natural leather texture (see photo). Allow the surface to dry thoroughly then apply a coat of water-based varnish.
    
   

Stenciling the Gold Pigment

7. From the acetate or heavy paper, cut a sheet that fits the curve of the table. You’ll use this as a template for stenciling. (You don’t have to cut a piece as large as the table because you can move the template around as you go.)
8. Mark a 2-1/2" (6.4 cm) border inside the curved edge of the template.
9. Punch a line of motifs along the inside of the curved line. Position the template along the edge of the table, and rub the gold pigment onto the stencil with a clean rag (see photo).
    
   
10. Lift the stencil to reveal the gilded areas.

Creating Tabletop Illusions

11. The table will look great at this point. If you want to achieve the trompe l’oeil, continue on. Place the envelope in a position of your choice on the table, and draw a line around it. Tape off the edges and paint a coat of white acrylic paint inside (see photo). Allow it to dry. Use a clean cloth to smudge a small amount of gray (mix black and white paint) onto areas of the envelope to create the illusion of shadows. Remove the tape.
     
    
12. Use a small artist’s paintbrush and black paint to create a shadow along two edges of the envelope, masking areas as needed (see photo).
     
    
13. Outline the shape of a pencil overlapping the letter (see photo).
     
    
14. Mask off the sides of the pencil, and paint it with yellow paint (see photo).
     
    
15. Add shading with a bit of darker yellow made by mixing a small bit of brown with the yellow. Paint in the wooden portion of the pencil with brown lightened with a bit of white. Add a line of black shading along the edge of the pencil (see photo), and paint the leaden tip of the pencil.
     
    
16. Paint the eraser and band around the end of the pencil with a bit of red, and, after it dries, add details with a black fine-tipped marker (see photo). Finish the envelope by writing an address in pencil and painting or gluing an actual stamp onto it.
     
    
17. Place the key on the table, and outline it with the marker (see photo).
     
    
18. Paint inside the lines with gold paint, and add details with the black marker (see photo).