Page 74 - The Decorative Painter Fall 2014

SKILLBUILDER
Painter’s Checklist
SuRFACE
Use any practice surface you would like.
PALETTE
DECOART AMERICANA ACRYLICS Banana Cream
Cocoa
Pineapple
Primary Blue
Reindeer Moss Green Spa Blue
Traditional Burnt Sienna Traditional Burnt Umber Traditional Raw Umber Uniform Blue
White Wash
BRuSHES
MAUREEN McNAUGHTON BRUSHES No. 5/0 liner
No. 6 Pro stippler
Nos. 3 & 4 rounds
SuPPLIES
Basic painting supplies (page 159) DecoArt Easy Float
Distilled water
Wet palette
SOuRCE
Maureen McNaughton brushes are available from Pampered Palette, (703) 754-8141, www.pamperedpalette.com.
72 The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 3, 2014
The pointed comma-stroke is the one I use most often in my painting. It lends itself beautifully to so many things in nature, from leaves to the sweeping tail feathers on a bird.
This stroke starts with a point. Pressure is gradually ap- plied until you reach the widest part of the stroke. From that point on, it is similar to the comma-stroke with the gradual release of pressure tapering to form a sharp tail. Experiment to discover the easiest direction for you to pull the stroke. That will change, depending if the stroke is straight or curved. As in the comma-stroke from the previous lesson, try pulling very curved, pointed comma-strokes from side to side.
The most challenging part of this stroke is starting with a point when you have a fully loaded brush. It is imperative that the brush has a natural point. Examine the brush carefully—
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