Page 30 - DP1_Spring2019

LETTERING
pairs of flip overs in the center. The interior of the flowers are based with Quinacridone Magenta. The center under the flips are shaded with a float of thinned Quinacridone Violet. If it isn’t dark enough apply a second float. The small U shaped portion in the very center is based with Diarylide Yellow and shaded on one side with a float of thinned Primary Magenta.
LEAVES AND STEMS
On The Palette: Green Gold, Sap Green, Asphaltum, Translucent White
The leaves and stems are based with a coat of thinned Green Gold. If you find it too light for your taste apply a second coat. You will see the lines and the stamps through it...its OK. Shade the center vein of the leaves, on the stems under the flowers and wherever petals overlap the stems, with a float of Sap Green. Let it dry and reapply to strengthen the shadows. Deepen this shadow with a float of thinned Asphaltum. The leaves and stems are highlighted at the tips and along the edges in a few places with floats of a mixture of Green Gold and Titanium White (lime green mix.) Let it dry well.
Once all of the shading and highlighting is complete, let it dry well before applying a thin coat of the Matte Medium to the entire surface.
LETTERING
On The Palette: Carbon Black, Asphaltum, Titanium White. Trace and transfer the lettering to the surface using
grey graphite.
The lettering is painted using my #2 rigger. So let me explain why I use this brush instead of a liner for this kind of lettering.
Liner brushes are, for all intents and purposes, a very long round brush. They are designed to come to a fine sharp point, when you press down on the loaded brush the end of the bristle forms a curved chisel edge. A rigger is built like
a flat brush and when you press down on the loaded brush, produces a straight chisel edge like a flat brush. This allows you to utilize the brush much like a nib on a calligraphy pen. It makes for beautifully smooth and clean lines on lettering.
Load the brush with thinned Carbon Black, press the brush down on the palette to form the flat chisel edge and then turn that edge to a 45 degree angle and begin painting in your lettering. The fine chisel edge will allow you to form those thin lines and when you press down, the brush will open up to paint those lovely wider areas. A little practice is all it takes to paint good lettering and the key is in keeping everything nice and straight. You should be able to pull each segment of each letter in one stroke. I recommend that
you practice on some cardstock first before moving to your surface, but if you don’t, remember that you sealed the surface before this step so if you goof, just wipe off the paint with a Q-tip and try again. The painting below is safe!
FINISHING
To add the final touches to this piece, use the gel pen to add a scribbly outline to the floral motif. It should look a little sketchy and irregular. Let the ink dry. Lightly spatter the whole piece with thinned Asphaltum, then thinned Carbon Black and again with thinned Titanium White. Let all of this dry before applying two or three light coats of the DecoArt Matte Spray.
I finished mine by basecoating the inside to the match the outside. Leaving the inside of the top just black, I transferred the lettering to the top lid and painted the lettering using Titanium White. Once it was all dry, I sprayed the inside with two light coats of the Matte Spray.
28 TheDecorativePainter • SPRING 2019