Page 32 - The Decorative Painter Winter 2015

ACRYLIC
30 The Decorative Painter
• ISSUE NO. 4, 2015 DECORATIVEPAINTERS.ORG
Directly from the paint bottle, squeeze random swirls of Sapphire, Cool White, Ba- hama Blue, Midnite Blue and Payne’s Grey onto the gessoed side of the canvas. Roll a small foam paint roller in different directions or X-shapes through the wet paint, allowing it to look marbled and blended. Be certain that paint is pushed into all the pores of the canvas, but do not overwork. You may dab the wet paint with a crumpled piece of plastic wrap to add additional texture. If necessary, use a water-filled spray bottle to spritz the surface to keep the paint wet for the next step. While the canvas is wet, spatter it using a toothbrush loaded with water-thinned Payne’s Grey+Cool White (3:1) and Cool White. Let dry, or use a hair dryer to hasten drying.
Please study the Step-by-Step on page 29 for stencil placement before beginning the stenciling. Position the harlequin stencil at the top left of the canvas. Starting at the top left corner, use a stencil brush loaded with Titanium White to establish the har- lequins using a stencil brush. End the stenciling 8-inches below the upper left corner and 6-inches below the upper right corner. The harlequins should gently fade across the lower section of the stenciled area. Use the same stencil and color to add the har- lequins to the lower right corner of the banner. This area should begin about 7-inches from the lower left corner and end about 7-inches above the lower right corner. Keep the stenciling soft at the top leading edge of the area.
Position the snowflake stencil along the upper right edge of the banner. Randomly stencil a variety of sizes of snowflakes along the left, right and lower edges. To create a more interesting composition, a few snowflakes should be positioned partly on the banner. Leave a few areas free of snowflakes. More snowflakes will be added after rouging the edges.
LET’S PAINT
EDGE ROUGING
Using DecoArt Extender and Blending Medium, coat the outside four inches of the banner. Load a 1" oval wash with a small amount of the following colors to rouge the edges, noting that any colors may be added separately or mixed together: Sapphire, Payne’s Grey, Aquamarine, Dioxazine Purple Mix, and Prussian Blue Hue. Rouging should be stronger in some areas, especially the upper and lower left and right cor- ners. Colors may overlap and blend into each other for a very soft, flowing effect. Paint can be blotted in a soft circular motion using a soft paper towel. Mop the area striving for soft transparent color. Pull the mop toward the center wiping it on a clean paper towel as needed. Dry thoroughly, then add a few stronger white snowflakes along the edges. Trace and transfer the scrolls, lettering and the basic outline of the butterfly us- ing a stylus and white graphite paper.
BUTTERFLY
Coat the butterfly with DecoArt Extender and Blending Medium. Use a no. 12 filbert loaded with a scant amount of Sapphire+Payne’s Grey (1:tch) and Midnite Blue to fill in each of the wing sections. Load the corner of a 3⁄4" angular shader with Payne’s Grey, and shade each wing where it falls along the body. Highlight the center area of the upper wings with a small amount of Bahama Blue. Soften with a mop. Let dry. Transfer the remaining details to the butterfly.
Refer to the line drawings on page 32 to identify individual sections on the but- terfly. Use a no. 4 round brush loaded with thinned Titanium White to base the head, body and to outline the wings. Add thinned Titanium White antennae and snowflakes at the top end of each one with the no. 1 script liner brush. Use a no. 2 round brush loaded with thinned Titanium White to paint the scallops on the upper wings. Paint the scalloped line and veins on the lower wings using the no. 1 script liner brush.