Page 31 - The Decorative Painter Winter 2016

ACRYLIC
STEP-BY-STEP
CAT STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
LET’S PAINT
irregular, and made in a vertical and oblique way. Using the same value of colors, stroke the lower sections of the cheeks and to the outer edges of the mouth. The strokes will be soft and just sketched. Using the same dirty filbert brush, shade along the outer left edge of the cheek. Now create a Medium Gray Mix using Neutral Grey+Grey Sky (1:tch). With the no. 6 filbert, deepen some of the gray sec- tion again using irregular strokes.
With a clean no. 6 filbert, stroke Base Flesh+Toffee (1:tch) into the corresponding open area of the fur. Don’t use pressure on the brush, just soft strokes.
Alternate washy Snow (Titanium) White and a more solid color to paint the white area between the eyes, on the cheeks and on the chin. Load the cleaned filbert brush with a very small amount of Pink Chiffon+Crimson Tide (1:tch). Start to softly stroke the shadow on the open area of the cheeks, just above the nose and on the left eye area. Do not cover all areas as the background colors some- times should be viewed and created as “natural” shadows. Strengthen the highlight white sections with more solid Snow (Titanium) White.
EYES
Use the no. 2 round to apply a small wash of Dried Basil Green to the entire irises. Allowed to dry. Next, paint small and irregular highlights with Jade Green to the eyes. Use the no. 10/0 liner with very thin Lamp (Ebony) Black to paint the outer edges of the irises. Using the same brush, apply Soft Black to thicken the border and to paint the lashes. Highlight the outer edges and the border of the right eye with a fine line of the Light Gray Mix used ear- lier. Use the no. 2 round to softly stroke with washy Burnt Umber along the outer edge of the right iris. Add now the
Place Snow (Titanium) White and Grey Sky on your palette. Using a no. 12 filbert, dampen the edges of the drawing with a small amount of DecoArt Traditions Ex- tender & Blending Medium. While the medium is still wet, pick up a very small amount of Snow (Titanium) White and paint in a soft way all the white sections. Repeat this process in the grey area using a very small amount of Grey Sky. Avoid the inclination to apply excessive paint early in the process and do not use pressure on the brush. Just use gentle and soft strokes, as now you must only sketch the figure. Allow to dry.
EARS
Basecoat the ears using a no. 6 filbert with Base Flesh and a bit of Pink Chiffon, using enough water to make the colors a little transparent. Allow to dry. Pick up a small amount of washy Burnt Umber and start to shade along the edges of the ears. Softly deepen the Base Flesh area with a bit of Wild Orchid until you have a smooth transition of colors. Load the cleaned filbert brush with Snow (Titani- um) White and scrub out most of the color on a dry paper towel and highlight the inner section of the left ear. Don’t use pressure on the brush, just gentle and soft strokes.
HEAD
Using a no. 6 filbert, moisten the area with DecoArt Traditions Extender & Blending Medium. If you get too much, blot it with a paper towel. Create a Light Gray Mix with Grey Sky+Neutral Grey (1:tch); reserving some for the eyes. Stroke onto the entire gray area of the head and along the edges of the ears. The strokes will be short, a little
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The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 4, 2016 29