Page 42 - The Decorative Painter Winter 2017

Apply a generous amount of DecoArt One Step Crackle Medium. I like to use the round brush to pull the medium into the leaf tips. Follow the steps on the manufacturer’s bottle.
LEAF ANTIQUING
Mix Payne’s Grey+DecoArt Staining Antiquing Medium (1:1). To make the crackles show up, apply a generous amount of the antiquing medium. It is okay to go out of the lines; it needs to cover the whole leaf. Wipe back to desired results. Allow to dry. This must be sealed with a light coat of Americana Spray Sealer/Finisher Matte. At this point it may look like a big mess, but it will come out great!
BACKGROUND
The background, inside and back cover are basecoated with Blue Chiffon. This will clean up around the edges of the leaves. Cut in nice and tight to cover any leftover trans- fer lines using the angle brush that best fits for each leaf. This may take two coats. Shade the outside dips around the leaves with Cobalt Teal Hue. This may also take two coats. Let dry. Shade again to deepen the value down in the dips with Cobalt Turquoise Hue.
LINEWORK
Transfer the veins and stems. I like to freehand the veins. Paint the first veins, stems and outline with Lamp (Ebony) Black. Then paint the wiggling lines with Titan Buff. Lastly paint in a few highlight wiggling lines with True Ochre.
PAINTING TEXTURE
To make the polka dot texture show up, paint over them with Metallic Gold Media Fluid. When they are dry, apply the Black Shimmer Metallic Luster over the gold. This tones the gold down and makes it look antique. To make the burlap texture show up apply Champagne Ice Metallic Luster. I like to use my finger when applying the Metallic Luster. Don’t forget to paint over the hinges and post brackets with the Black Shimmer too. Lightly splatter over the whole album cover with Cobalt Turquoise Hue using an old toothbrush.
DÉCOUPAGE
Before gluing the paper down, paint a wide float around the outlined area where the paper will lay with True Ochre. When the shading is dry, découpage the recipe in place and then the photo using the old flat brush. Follow the steps on the manufac- turer’s bottle.
FINISHING
Give the whole project a coat of DecoArt Decou-Page Matte and let it dry well. Put your album back together with the post brackets. Tie the black string from bracket to bracket, then tie the leaf embellishments on and make a bow.
artist’s sketch
In school, during the 1970s, Elaina Appleby took every art class possible including private lessons in ceram-
ics and floral design. Coming from an industrious and creative family, she learned to make most anything into
some kind of art piece. In eastern Washington State, where she grew up, flowers grew abundantly. Elaina and
her family would harvest the flowers and create bouquets for sale. She continued a floral business after getting
married and having a family. When she took her first decorative painting class in the 1990s, it didn’t take long
before she was out of the flower business and into the painting business! She has made lasting friendships over
the last 30 years of crafting, opened three successful studios, and taught hundreds of students. She has been published in books and magazines. Currently she has an in-home studio. The creative arts are her world so be watching for new and upcoming designs in her printed and online magazines where she’ll be using old and new techniques. Paint on!
40 The Decorative Painter
• WINTER 2017 DECORATIVEPAINTERS.ORG