What do I do, have I completely ruined this piece of furniture?

[RubyFakeNails]

Recently I bought a dressing table from a sort of antique/old junk shop. It's really beautiful just not a great colour. It's pine, I think and had just been clear varnished.

Anyway, decided to paint it black, did all the prep, sanded washed, primed and have now painted. I've just gone to look at the drawers after drying for 12 hours and they look such a state!

The paint seems to have not seeped into some of the little dips in the wood, although it had when I left them. They look perfectly finished in some smooth places but there are these little unpainted dips all over.

I used this Crown Guaranteed One Coat Gloss if that means anything. If I want to repaint, do you think I need to sand them all again or what and how can I make sure it doesn't happen this time as when I left them they looked fine.

paint does not stick well to varnish, especially if old.

If it was a waxed finish it will not stick at all.

cleaning it with white spirit might take off the iffy old surface.

there are some strange special primers for diificult surfaces, I know painters who talk about Zinsser B.I.N. but I don't know.

I don't understand what you mean by dips.

Not that it's any use to you now, but I wouldn't advise painting furniture with gloss paint. Far better to use emulsion in a few thin layers then add a coat of varnish. You could try sanding back the gloss and starting over. Multiple layers of gloss start to look messy though.

Agree about using gloss. Scrape it all back, careful painting with emulsion and when all dry nice wax finish.

I know exactly what you mean, I had the same thing with bedside tables.
Just sand back again, and as boring as it is, wait for it to dry and as it does brush the little dips as they appear.

In the end I got my dad to look at it apparently the wood had just absorbed the paint or something in places. I've recounted it and they actually look really good.

Thanks for the advice though, next time I'll go with the emulsion, or more, realistically I'll be getting my dad to do it!