How do I Paint and stencil an old chest?

A newbie! Yay! You have no bad habits yet and no pre conceived ideas. Wonderful starting point.

1. Clean your piece thoroughly - TSP or any degreaser works well. Make sure it is completely bone dry before painting.

2. Start with a coat of primer. Depending on the item it may need 2 coats. Let dry thoroughly between coats.

3. Paint your desired color. 1 or two coats.

4. Choose a stencil that is in scale with the piece. You don't want teeny tiny itsy bitsy, as it might get lost. Practice stenciling on a piece of dollar store poster board or butcher paper.

5. Stencil your item in desired colors.

6. Seal with several top coats for durability. You will need to decide if you want a matte or gloss finish and non yellowing.

Remember, this is your first project and it is only paint! If you get tired of it or want to change colors, sand it down and start over!

Here are stenciling tips:

https://www.lovelyetc.com/how-to-stencil-anything-3-secrets-to-perfect-results-every-time/

https://youtu.be/TxCcTg9x0D0

https://youtu.be/7ReZvmQD89o

And most importantly, have FUN! 🖌

I agree with the previous response. You could also use Chalk Couture silk screen stencils. They work with chalk paste as well as paint. Sealing is key! If you use chalk paste, use a spray sealer. If you use paint, you can brush on a sealer. Don't use wax as a top-coat. I prefer polycrylic.

There are a lot of good tutorials and projects to inspire you here on Hometalk, too: https://www.hometalk.com/search/posts?filter=paint%20an%20old%20chest

You can totally do it!! Here is how we painted and stenciled out tile floor. You could follow the same tutorial for your piece!

https://www.aratariathome.com/blog/painted-tile-tutorial-entry-way-makeover-part-2