I had the chance to work with both the new Tim Holtz Metallic Distress Stain, as well as the Lumiere metallic acrylic paints this weekend, and I wanted to show everyone a comparison of these two great products.

I used both of these products on Basically Bare chipboard dress forms.  In the image below, the Distress Stain dress form is on the left, and the Lumiere dress form is on the right.

The Tim Holtz Metallic Distress Stains come in three colors (currently), and are extremely each to apply.  The bottle includes a felt top applicator, and you just apply it kind of like a giant magic marker.  The flow is smooth, the application is fairly flawless, and the dry time is fast, if not just a tad slower than the traditional Distress Stains.  Since this is a stain, the coverage is not complete, but you can get a darker hue if you allow your initial coverage to dry, and then reapply.  Here is a close up of the metallic sheen that the Distress Stains leave after once application:

The Lumiere metallic acrylic paints come in a variety of sizes, and a huge assortment of colors.  I chose the metal colors because I love working with vintage products, and I knew I would use these colors most.  I applied the paints with a soft bristle brush, and the application was extremely smooth, and the coverage was incredible.  There was minimal dry time, which of course will depend on how much paint you use, and the surface area you are covering.  Here is a close up of the metallic sheen that the Lumiere paints look after one application:

All in all, I love both of these products, as I think they both serve their own purposes.  The Distress Stains are great when you want light coverage, extremely fast drying time, and a true vintage look and feel.  The Lumiere paints are perfect when you want full metallic coverage with fairly fast drying time, or need the ability to apply metallic paints with a brush.

You can purchase the Metallic Distress Stain set at scrapbook.com
Lumiere metallic paints are available for purchase at CreateForLess.com