Page 22 - The Decorative Painter Summer 2014

ACRYLIC
Tip: When dry, tape a piece of plastic wrap across the entire back side so that it stays clean and damage-free while continuing to paint the front.
EDGES: Paint all four edges of the board with Espresso, us- ing a flat brush. When all paint is dry, transfer the design using a stylus. Use dark transfer paper on the light back- ground, and light transfer paper on the dark background. Transfer only the outlines of the flowers; the details will be added later.
LET’S PAINT
Apply a basecoat of Titanium White to the rosebuds, carnations, and tiny daisies. This will help balance the light and dark backgrounds.
ROSE LEAVES
STEP 1: Refer to the Step-by-Step on page 17 and the pho- tos of the finished project as you work.
Double-load the no. 4 round with Jade and Hookers Green, pressing it flat against the palette as you pull through the edges of both paint puddles. The leaves should be more Jade than Hookers Green. Basecoat the leaves flatly, leaving no ridges. Allow to dry completely. You will now move on to the flowers, and will finish the leaves later.
ROSE
STEP 1: Load the no. 4 round with Pink Mix by pressing it against the palette and pulling it through the paint, until the brush is flattened and well loaded. Paint a solid circle, which will be the bowl of the rose.
STEP 2:Toremoveexcesspaint,wipethebrushonapaper towel (do not wash it). Dab the brush in the Indian Red Ox- ide on the palette several times. While the Pink Mix basecoat is still wet, stroke a large oval throat on the top of the bowl, leaving it a bit transparent. Wipe the brush on a paper towel. STEP 3: Load the dirty brush with Titanium White. When it is solidly loaded, make three broad comma-strokes on the back of the throat, pressing the brush flat against the surface to give width to the strokes. Paint ridges on the edges of the strokes, if desired. These brief, wide strokes should fill the back of the throat from one side to the other, while maintaining a rounded shape. The center stroke will be the tallest.
Wipe the brush lightly on a paper towel.
STEP 4: While the throat is still wet, press the dirty brush again into Titanium White and paint three more comma-strokes beneath the existing three. These strokes should span the space from the first three strokes to the
throat itself, resting partly in the throat and partly on the strokes above them.
Before continuing, apply a second coat of Pink Mix to the bowl of the rose. This step is very important. It will en- sure adequate coverage and will also rewet the bowl. Roll the brush on a paper towel, removing excess paint and re- storing its point before continuing.
STEP 5: Working quickly, tip approximately one-quarter of the brush with Titanium White. Paint a stroke beginning at the top right side of the bowl, directly under the throat. Continue to the center of the bowl, staying just beneath the throat, and then pull the stroke downward to the bot- tom center of the bowl. Without reloading the brush, ex- ecute a second stroke just beneath the first. Continue these shape-following strokes until a dirty Titanium White has been added to the entire right side. This should yield a soft, blended look.
STEP 6: Roll the brush on the paper towel again, restoring its point, and then tip it again with Titanium White. Still using a wet-into-wet technique, paint a stroke beginning at the top left side of the bowl, directly under the throat. Continue the stroke to the center, staying just beneath the throat, and then reverse direction, taking the stroke down- ward to the bottom center of the bowl. Without reloading the brush, execute a second stroke just beneath the first. Continue these shape-following strokes until a dirty Tita- nium White has been added to the entire left side, overlap- ping some of the strokes applied in Step 5.
STEP 7: Double-load the no. 4 round with Pink Mix and Titanium White. Pull comma-strokes around the outside edge of the rose toward the bowl, creating five petals. Al- low this to dry.
STEP 8: On a paper towel, roll the no. 2 round to a point. Tip it with Titanium White and apply an over- stroke on the outside edge of each petal, reloading the brush for each one. Add reinforcing strokes of Titanium White under the throat and across the front of the bowl. Using the no. 6/0 liner with Indian Red Oxide thinned to ink consistency, and beginning on the right side of the bowl, add a line to separate the bowl of the rose from the petals. Allow this line to fade as it reaches the left side of the bowl.
Finally, add Titanium White stick dots to the bottom of the throat. These dots should vary in size.
ROSEBUDS
STEP 1: Basecoat the rosebuds with Pink Mix on the no. 2 round.
STEP 2: While still wet, work the brush’s bristles into a point, and then tip it with Titanium White. Make a stroke from the top to the bottom on one side of the bud.
20 The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 2, 2014
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