Page 32 - The Decorative Painter Spring 2018

ACRYLIC
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transparent layers and plenty of open time to blend. Use a 1⁄4" mini mop to a 3⁄4" mop brush to soften anytime needed.
Wait until the retarder has dried completely in between each layer. If each layer does not dry, it is possible to wipe off the layer that was just completed. I usually use a hair dryer to quickly dry each layer before moving forward. It is important to note that graphite lines have to be removed when your paint is completely dry; I like to
et my surface dry overnight. Using an eraser on a layer that has not been allowed to completely dry may result in damage to your painting. Linework is done when the surface is dry.
Start this piece using the wet-on-wet method. Load a no. 12 filbert in Jo Sonja’s Retarder Medium; wipe off the excess medium on a paper towel. Load your brush with Husk, wipe the excess color on a paper towel then streak back and forth in the bottom two-thirds of the sky area, avoiding the main design. If paint gets into the area where the design is, wipe it out. This should be streaky, letting the background show through. Soften the area with a 3⁄4" mop brush. This is just the first layer of color and will be darkened later. Dry completely. Repeat the process with Antique Brass in the bottom one-third of the sky area. Dry completely, repeating the process again with Sea Swirl in the upper two-thirds of the sky area. The grass area is basecoated with a transparent
ayer of Sea Grass. Dry completely.
To strengthen the color in the background, load a no. 12 filbert with Jo Sonja’s
Clear Glaze Medium, then with Sea Swirl, work the excess paint out on a wax palette. Dry-brush the upper one-third of the sky area. Wipe out your brush and clean it in Jo Sonja’s Clear Glaze Medium. Use the same technique with Husk and dry-brush the lower two-thirds of the sky area. Use your dirty brush and pick up Antique Brass, dry- brush the bottom one-third of the sky area. Clean the brush again with Jo Sonja’s Clear Glaze Medium and dry-brush the ground with Tarragon+Raw Umber (1:tch) here and there. Dry the entire surface completely.
To basecoat use the wet-on-wet method described previously. I like to use a no. 4 to a no. 8 shader in small areas and a no. 12 shader in larger areas. Basecoat the hat and the shirt with Husk. Basecoat the gun barrel with Pale Gray Mix, using a no. 2 liner. Basecoat the pants (a little more color on the pants than in the rest of the de- sign) and the hatband with Sea Swirl. Basecoat the boots, belt, gun stock and tree with Cobblestone. Basecoat the face, neck and hand with Flesh Mix. Basecoat using a no. 3 round brush, the stripes on the scarf and the pheasant’s underside with Light Red Mix. Basecoat the pheasant’s wing with strokes of Cobblestone. Basecoat the pheasant’s neck with Tarragon+Raw Umber (1:tch). Dry completely.
The next layer will be the first layer of shading on the entire design. Using the wet- on-wet method previously described, work the design from top to bottom. Working from top to bottom helps to keep your hand from smearing work just completed. After the first layer is complete, dry and proceed to the next layer until the design is com- pleted. On this piece I used a no. 8 shader in smaller areas and a no. 12 shader in larger areas, unless another brush is indicated. The brush will be sideloaded and blended.
FACE
The first shade on the face is Dark Flesh Mix. The eye is a C-stroke, using a no. 8 shader loaded with Titanium White. Use the corner of a no. 8 shader to basecoat the pupil Carbon Black. The linework on the face is Carbon Black, using a 10/0 liner. Line the hair with strokes of Cobblestone, Raw Umber and Raw Umber+Carbon Black (1:tch). Use a no. 1 round brush first and overstroke with a 10/0 liner. The freckles are Cobblestone. The lips are Light Red Mix. Shade the hair against the hat with Raw Umber to Burnt Umber.
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