Page 107 - The Decorative Painter Spring 2014

LET’S PAINT
FENCE
Using the no. 6 shader basecoat with Medium White+Raw Umber (3:1). Let dry completely. Transfer design details of the fence. Highlight with a sideloaded 3⁄8" angular with Basecoat Mix+Warm White. Using the 3⁄8" angular shade with Raw Umber. Take care to limit the amount of Raw Umber shading—it is a very strong color. Paint in the knots and cracks with Raw Umber.
Using the no. 10/0 liner with Hansa Yellow Medium, add little comma-strokes to the center of the flowers. Highlight with Warm White. Apply a light wash float to the base of the center with Red Violet. Add additional comma-strokes over the wash float. Let dry.
Add small touches of Burnt Sienna+Sap Green to the base of the buds using a no. 10/0 liner. Add the stems using the no. 0 liner with Burnt Sienna+Medium White.
FINCHES
Transfer the basic design to the finches. Basecoat both birds with Hansa Yellow Medium+Warm White (3:1). Let dry. Apply the detailed design of the birds. Basecoat the crown of the heads, wings, and tail with Carbon Black. Basecoat the beak and legs with Indian Yellow+Medium White. Basecoat the feet with Quinacridone Gold+Warm White (a light pink). Let all the basecoats dry thoroughly.
Add shading details using the angular brush that is most comfortable for you. Using Hansa Yellow Medium+tch Burnt Umber, shade the area just under the breast and at the necks—keep it light. Add a glaze of Quinacridone Gold to the same area for the bird on the left (sitting on the branch). Add light streaks of Medium White+Carbon Black to the black areas of the head, wings, and tail.
Highlight the tops of the birds’ heads and breasts with Medium White+Hansa Yellow Medium (2:1). Add addi- tional details sparingly with Burnt Umber.
Shade the legs and feet of the bird on the left with Burnt Sienna. Highlight with Warm White.
Add feathers at the tops of the wings using a no. 10/0 liner with Warm White. Add additional feather strokes that come over the wings and outside the head using a no. 10/0 liner with Hansa Yellow Medium. Using a no. 10/0 liner with Carbon Black+Medium White (a very light gray), add the small tufts at the base of the birds’ tails.
Create the eyes with a basecoat circle of Carbon Black and add a very fine line of Hansa Yellow Medium around the edge. Add a reflective dot of Hansa Yellow Medium in- side the black dot. Rework the area around the outside of the thin yellow line with mixed touches of Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna.
Basecoat the branch under the bird on the left with Burnt Umber. Shade the branch with Raw Umber.
FINISHING
Let the entire piece dry thoroughly. Wipe with a soft cloth. Apply two coats of DecoArt Traditions Satin Varnish following the manufacturer’s instructions. Frame and hang.
PHANTOM BACKGROUND LEAVES
See Step-by-Step on page 103. Using a 3⁄8" angular with Sap Green scrub in random shapes of leaves into the background to make them look like they are in the farthest part of the painting. If they are too bright sub- due the color with a glaze of Prussian Blue Hue.
LEAVES WITHIN THE DESIGN
See Step-by-Step on page 103. Basecoat all the leaves us- ing a 3⁄8" angular with Sap Green+Pine Green. The sharp tip of the angular brush helps to keep the points on the leaves. Let dry. Add details of the design. Add highlights with Pine Green+Warm White using the 3⁄8" angular. Remember, the light is usually on the top of the leaf. Add shading by apply- ing DecoArt Traditions Extender & Blending Medium+Sap Green to the individual leaves. Using a 3⁄8" angular with Sap Green, add definition to the leaf folds. Note: Practice with the blending medium prior to tackling your painting.
Double-load a no. 1 liner with Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna and add the bush limbs. Continuing with the no. 1 liner, add touches of highlight with Burnt Umber+Medium White. Shade the limbs with Raw Umber.
CLEMATIS FLOWERS AND BUDS
Basecoat the flowers and buds with Red Violet+Dioxazine Purple. Let dry. Go over the basecoat with a glaze of Red Violet+Light Violet. Transfer the de- tails of the design. Shade the petals apart with Dioxazine Purple+Red Violet (3:1) using a 5⁄8" angular.
Dry-brush in highlights on the tops of the petals to add soft folds using a 1⁄8" Deerfoot stippler with Light Violet. Let dry. Apply a glaze of Red Violet over the highlights.
Using the Deerfoot stippler, pounce Dioxazine Purple in the center of the flowers—about the size of a dime. Highlight the outer edges of the petals and the buds using the 5⁄8" angular with Light Violet. On the very tips of the larger flowers add a touch of Warm White.
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The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 1, 2014 105
ACRYLIC