Page 113 - The Decorative Painter Spring 2014

ACRYLiC
Float Plantation Pine to darken areas falling into shadow. Brush-mix a little Midnite Green into Plantation Pine as needed to deepen the value for deepest shadow areas. Light- en forward edges by adding a brush-mix of Light Avocado+Jade Green.
SHADES AND HIGHLIGHTS
Deepen and streak color into any of the bottom blue petals where the side views wrap back, or at the top near the beards on the center petals, with Deep Midnight Blue. Add more than one sheer layer to deepen the intensity sufficiently. Hint: I must confess, I find the Deep Midnight Blue a little too bright for my taste. I remove about a tablespoon from a new bottle and dull it slightly by replacing the removed color with Midnight Green.
Brush-mix Deep Midnight Blue+tch Midnite Green and add small, dark points to the bottom side petals, where they meet in the center.
Highlight the blue petals, both top and bottom, with Snow White. Using a no. 6 flat sideloaded with Snow White float to highlight outer edges of the various petals. Stroke in a highlight over the raised centers of various petals to add the effect of a more curved area. With a no. 2 flat shader and Snow White add highlights. Quickly wipe with a finger to blur the color before it has a chance to dry when highlighting middle areas.
Shade the golden beards using a no. 2 flat with soft daubs of Cocoa. Add a highlight to the beards with dots of Taffy Cream.
Highlight the leaves with Citron, as needed. Add more Jade Green on the leaf tips, as needed.
Because of the overall coolness of the blue, white, and green hues, add a few very faint touches of Brandy Wine to the white petals. If you choose to add this tint keep it very light.
DEWDROPS
Add a few dewdrops with a no. 1 flat shader on various leaves and petals, but not too many. Use the deepest value of the surface they rest on to tuck the cast shadow on the left, curving across the bottom beneath the dewdrop. Float a hint of white reflected light just inside the cast shadow. If both cast shadow and reflected light have just the right curve, the viewer’s eye will complete the oval once the highlight dot is added. Add a tiny dot of Snow White in the upper right of each drop. The dewdrop should be mostly illusionary—don’t over-paint the water.
FINISHING
Allow the project to dry thoroughly. Apply three coats of your favorite water-based varnish to the top and sides of the canvas.
artist’s sketch
Jean Zawicki began rosemaling in the mid-1960s, and took up teaching within two years. In the late 1960s and ‘70s decorative painting caught on like wildfire, and there was great demand for classes. She joined SDP in 1978. From 1978 to 2008 Jean travel-taught, specializing in realistic St. Nicholas faces for the past twenty years. Jean has written twenty-nine books and dozens of packets, and held booths at SDP Conferences from 1978 through 2000. She finds it refreshing to have students who have interest in a large variety of subjects, especially her favorites: fruit and flowers. Retirement allows Jean to indulge in her passion to create fired and hand-painted china. You can write to Jean at 430 Louisiana Ave., St. Cloud, FL 34769; call her at (407) 892-6383; or email her at jzawicki@cfl.rr.com.
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