Showing posts with label acrylic paint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acrylic paint. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Art Lesson: Painting Vines, Leaves, Flowers on Furniture.


Hello!

Last time I showed how I got the veneer surface off this piece of furniture.

Today for the art lesson, I am going to show a simple vine, leaf, flower combination I have painted on tables and chairs and other surfaces that I have sold.

 

Each person has their own style and ability, so I am sure there is a million ways to do this.

Here is how I went about it.



First I measured the top of the surface I was painting.
 
This, generally speaking, is the hardest part for me,
trying to figure out exactly how many inches to put in each section so it is even.
Eventually, it gets figured and I step back and look at it to make sure it looks like it is supposed to.

I used chalk to lightly draw the lines.



 Once I had the lines right, I started laying down the Frog tape.

(Frog tape works great because it makes a very clear edge without bleeding
and without pulling up the paint underneath).

I find this can be tricky because there are two sides to a line so one has to either lay the tape right down the center line or choose one of the sides to lay it on.

When chosing a side to lay the tape on,
there are points the will have to be adjusted,
such as the smaller squares on the inside of the larger ones here.

I just add a slight layer of thickness because I felt the squares would look slightly off if I laid the tape right down the middle.

Of course, there is probably some mathematical way to fix this,
but I figured my vines and leaves once painted would hide any slight differences.




 I gathered the acrylic paints that I needed and mixed up some brown for the vines.


 For the vines, I begin painting "C" shapes and curly cues in a grouping.
I have found that less is better because if it seems empty later, more can be added.
Too much is harder to remedy.

 (Some of the vines are more red and some are more green, depending on how well I mixed the paint together, but I don't let that bother me too much...
I tell myself it looks more realistic if the vines have variation of color.

Please tell me I am not the only one who talks to themselves while painting.)

 Next I take a light green and randomly paint leaves along the vines.



 By the time I get the leaves done,
there are usually some dried ones to start with when I am ready to paint some flowers on.

For flowers, I start with a circle of dots for the petals.

Once the petals are dried, I go back and paint in the centers,
yellow or orange or a dirty yellow brown for some.




 To give the leaves dimension, I go back with a slightly darker color green and dab a little in the center or to one side of the leaf on some of the leaves.






I step back and look as I work, adding more vines, leaves, or flowers wherever I think some are needed until it looks done.



 After waiting twenty-four hours, I then take a rag and dampen it with stain.
With gloved hands, I wiped it onto the surface.  I then rubbed it around,
 being sure to cover the entire surface and edges,
and then wiped it off.

I sometimes use a brush, but this usually gives a much darker look to the stain,
and I wanted a very light look for this piece.



This piece is going to be used to hold all the videos and DVD's we have for the television.
 I love how they stack up so nicely on their sides and are easy to locate and to put back.




It is nice to see some progress in this room and this piece really gives some good storage and charm that the pressed board book shelf that was here before did not.



Here is a video of painting the vines, leaves, and flowers
if you are life me and enjoy watching things done
(Sorry about the jarring ending...I am still trying to figure out the videoing on my camera).





Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have some fun renewing a piece of furniture or something creative for your home or room or wherever you are.


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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Art Lesson: Shading Choices


Hello, friends.


How does a person make artwork look realistic?

Once the sketch is made on the page and the proportions are correct,
shading is an important part of bringing a picture to life.


With pencil drawing, shading is achieved through darker pencil marks in the areas that are shaded.
(Using lines drawn in the correct direction, thickness, and length is essential as well).



Shading a picture of color can be achieved through a few different methods.

Using different colors can give the shaded look, as in this colored pencil drawing below.





Layering color is also a good way to create shading.

Layering works especially well with acrylic paints, as with the hand in the duckling picture below.





As I have worked with watercolors, I have found that layering has a different response with watercolors.

Colors in watercolor tend to wash up when too much play is done to the paint on the paper.

This means that one has to see the different shades of color in the picture and apply them carefully.




The black keys of this piano were made without black paint, but with a mixture of blue, yellow, and red.  They were painted with three or four layers until they were dark enough.  As I applied each layer, I did so with minimal strokes, just enough to set the paint on the keys, and move it around to cover the keys.


To get more distinctiveness in the painting,
I decided to used mixed media in it.




Here are the keys with just the watercolor paint.





 Here are the keys as I started to add colored pencil to the dried painting.



 To give the wood more of a grain look, the pencil was used on it as well.


 Areas that needed even darker shading are easier to manipulate with the colored pencil.


 These are just a few ideas of different ways to approach shading in art.

If you have any helpful tips or ideas, I would love to hear them.


Thanks for stopping by!




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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Art Lesson: Sketch Page of a Cardinal.


Hello!

Today I am sharing a sketch page on cardinals.

I had a request to paint some of these,
so I drew one first, to get their proper body shape.

Here it is:










Adding paint makes them stand out more.

Who doesn't love the bright red of the cardinal against a fresh snowfall.





Of course, cardinals are beautiful any time of the year!



Until next time, keep sketching;
and thanks for stopping by.





As always, these sketch pages are free for use, just not for resale.

(To copy these pages, click on the image, right click, and then click on "copy".

Open up Microsoft Word and right click on the screen, and then click "paste".
 The image should paste onto the page.

You can then click "print".
If you have difficulties or suggestions, please let me know.)

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Art Lesson: The Face of a Cow.



Even before I married a farmer and we bought our farm,
I have always loved farm animal housewares.




Having cows just made me like them especially more.



I don't like the bull up in the barn, but this metal one can stay.




 There is something quaint about old farm scenes:
such peaceful living, although I'm sure it was much harder work in that day.



I love taking pictures of the cows.
They have such sweet faces.




I made up a page on how to sketch a cow's head.

I'll make another one up for the rest of the body sometime soon;
the head was enough of a lesson on it's own.



Feel free to print this page up and use it as you'd like,
just not for resale.





(To print this teaching sketch page, click on the image, right click, and then click on "copy".

Open up Microsoft Word and right click on the screen, and then click "paste".
 The image should paste onto the page.

You can then click "print" to use them for yourself or home-school groups, etc, just not for resale.)
If you have difficulties, questions, or suggestions, please let me know.)

I have been working on some demanding projects in the past few weeks,
and I hope to share them soon....
and be back more often.
I really do hope so!
Thanks for stopping by!

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Thursday, December 19, 2013

Art Lesson: 2 Easy Stars and "How to Paint a Simple Nativity" Video.


Hello!


Today I am going to show you how to create a very simple nativity scene.
I am using these on some of the cards I am finishing for Christmas.




I began taking pictures for this tutorial, but it seemed much more complicated in pictures,
so I made a video for this.

(I have not made many videos and feel a little strange talking into a camera,
so please forgive with my inexperience;
but see how easy these really are!)


If the two examples look different, it is because the first sample I was showing was a wooden piece,
and the blue I was using was slightly different than the second piece.

The first piece I showed of painting the background triangular starlight and the ground was done with Apple Barrel acrylic paint in cobalt blue.

The second piece was painted on felt and I used acrylic Artist's Loft paint in Phthalo blue.

Here are both finished pieces so you can see the difference,
but that both create good nativities.



I do love that phthalo blue, and the Artist's Loft paint is much thicker/denser than the Apple Barrel
(except the yellow, not that I used yellow in this painting, but just as a side note for information's sake.  The yellow Artist's Loft paint does not have as good of coverage for some reason, in my opinion.  Have you ever tried the two brands and have an opinion?)



I also give a tutorial on easy ways to make two different stars.






I showed my 7 year-old son the steps to painting the nativity,
and he did a pretty good job.






It is a fun and rewarding scene to create
and the subject matter a worthy matter to remember.


These steps can be used in larger scale, too.




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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

How to Make Rusty Christmas Bells...without Rust.


 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



When Christmas time comes around, it is always a pleasant surprise when I head up to the attic and find the grape vine wreaths that were twisted into form from the orchard
(the years that I actually take the time to do them, of course).

I worked 4 of them up and was happy when they all sold over the weekend at the craft sale.

Here is one I decorated with some shiny red bells I purchased at an after-Christmas sale.


The assortment of bells I had were a variety of red, gold, and silver,
just the generic type of metal color.


I wanted some rustic bells for some of my crafts,
so I decided to paint the ones I had to make them look rustic.





Here is the process:

I mixed about 1 Tbs. of Plaster of Paris with about 1  1/2 Tbs. brown paint and splashed in about 2 teaspoons of water. 





The texture of the paint should be very thick.


 I added a bit of red because my brown looked a bit too dull for a rust color.
(I also did a second batch of bells with a little more red, to give variety to the coloring).
 

 (If the paint seems too liquid, adding a little Plaster of Paris will thicken it.
When experimenting with this, trial and error will give the look one wants).



 I used a larger paintbrush that has been squished so much with use that the bristles are spread out;
this makes it great for pouncing around on the bell.



 It is very helpful to have hooks or wire attached to the bells and a place to hang them so the painting can dry.






The bells should be dry in a half hour or so.


 The paint is very durable with the Plaster of Paris in it, but it has a dull finish,
so I put a coat of water-based polyerthane on them.
Mod Podge or any sealer would work.


 Here are some of the bells.
The bell in the front left is actually a rusty bell I had purchased, just to give some comparison.





This trick is useful in viewing those cheap after Christmas sale bells in a new way.
Perhaps it will even give a jingle to your step.



Thanks for stopping by.
I'll be back again in a day or two to build a cinnamon ornament snowman with you.

Let it SNOW!


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Monday, October 7, 2013

Artist Quote/Tip: John Sloane




“I am always on the lookout for new subjects”, says John. “Familiar scenes can change dramatically with the movement of light and at different times of the year. There is always something new to be seen. I want to create an awareness of the little things that we often take for granted.”




I admire the work of John Sloane.  I have purchased a number of his calenders
as well as his notecards.

He depicts country life in a way that draws one into it,
like warm apple pie with a mug of fresh milk.

You can view a great selection of his prints if you click 
You will be glad you did.

In one of his interviews I read, he said he takes a walk every morning with his dog and often gets inspired to paint from what he sees.

I need to take this advice.  Walks are so rewarding!

He also said that he spends about 30 days working on each picture he creates,
using real life machinery to draw from and creative elements in choosing the people/props, etc.

His interviews were very interesting to read:
I found I gained some new art perspective from them.

If you would like to read more about Mr. Sloane,
one of the interviews was given >HERE<.
and another one >HERE<. 

Thanks for stopping by!

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Sunday, October 6, 2013

Painting a Floor: the EASY way!


Hi!

Would you like to see my daughters' room floor?

Come right in!

Here is how easy it was to paint with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint.


The floor was a mess.  I didn't sand it and paint it right when we moved in nearly ten years ago because I had a bunch of other floors and more pressing jobs that had to be done.


 The great thing about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is that no sanding or priming of furniture
(or flooring) is required before painting.

NO SANDING!!!

I did go around with a paint scraper and just rubbed up the really loose paint because it was very loose and I was afraid it would make it too lumpy.


 
I also washed the floor off well.

Markers or stamping pad ink of any kind will bleed through chalk paint.



I had a few bare spots where the raw wood was showing and it must have had some yellowish stain on it because there is slight yellowish bleed through on those spots,


 but it is not bad enough that I want to redo it again.  I would just suggest to you, if you chose to use this paint for flooring,
that any spots where raw wood is showing, you may want to do a test spot with the Chalk Paint.


If there is bleed through, using a stain sealer should seal it and make the chalk paint not bleed through.


 I decided to do the floor in two sections: outer edge and inside the closet first:
2 coats of chalk paint,
butterflies stenciled (I used acrylic paints for the stenciling),
and then 2 coats of Annie Sloan's Floor Lacquer.



For this floor, I ended up needing 3 qts. of the Henrietta chalk paint
(and did have about 1/4 of a can left for some other projects),
and 2 of the bottles of lacquer.



The instructions said only one coat of the lacquer was needed, but because this floor was so scuffed up and had the raw wood showing and my kids play a lot in this room,
I went with 2 coats.

I also put the chalk paint on rather thick, especially where the bare wood was showing,
just because I wanted it to be well covered.

I was worried that there would be an obvious line where I stopped the first section and started the other, but I was very pleased to see the lacquer does not cause this problem at all.

I would suggest if using more than one quart of chalk paint,
mix the cans together before painting as there is very slight variations in the hue of the paints.



 Honestly, though, the way the paint and lacquer paint on,
have such very little odor,
and the dry time is incredibly fast
(Chalk paint dries in about a half hour or so,
the lacquer dries within minutes, but they suggest waiting a day or two before putting furniture back on),
as well as how wonderfully well they have not scuffed or had any problems at all
make this my definite choice for ever painting floors again.


The cost for doing this floor was around $200,
but not having to sand, deal with the dust from sanding,
have the long time intervals of paint drying,
and the horrendous smell of polyerthane drying,
as well as the long wait and poor quality wear that I have seen on my polyerthaned floors
make it worth it.



Of course, this is a personal choice, but I would rather wait until I have the money saved up and do an easy job,
 than hurry with a cheaper, lesser quality job that is all around more difficult.



 If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.


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