Thyme to paint a Christmas locket

5 days until Christmas!

Are you ready yet?

I'm almost ready! 

Today I wanted to show your some 

Christmas Tree Lockets 

that I painted

Design is by

Lynne Andrews

from her 

Seasonal Locket 

pattern

I added some of my own touches to the project and used different size lockets.

Lets step inside the STUDIO!

My Palette

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

Victorian Blue, Burnt Umber, Plantation Pine, Country Red, Blue Mist, White, Black Green

Lets Paint!

I painted my designs on watercolor paper

I penciled the simple tree shape on the watercolor paper.

I used 

Lowell Cornell Ultra Round Brushes

for the background washes 

with

  Victorian Blue

These brushes hold a lot of water !

After the background wash I painted the tree trunk with Burnt Umber.

I then used a Traditions Dome Blender brush to stipple in the tree with Plantation Pine

I added some shading to the trees with  Black Green.

I used Silver Micron Mini detail brushes to add snow and ice to the trees with White

I added tiny little cardinals with Country Red.

I used my stylus to add softly falling snow.

I lightly sprayed the "little paintings" with Krylon Fixative. 

While it was still wet I sprinkled 

on

 Glamour Dust

I measured my "mini paintings"carefully and cut them with a paper cutter.

I printed out some Christmas Music graphics that I had.

I also sprayed this with Krylon Fixative so the ink wouldn't run.

I sprinkled it with Glamour Dust while still wet.

I cut a piece of the music to fit the locket also.

I inserted the music in the locket to show on the back side.

I also painted some pocket watch lockets. 

I added several trees and painted some in the distance.

I added the Glamour Dust to these as well

The lockets paint up quickly!

Each comes out a little different!

I added some charms to the chains.

Back side of locket

Front side.

DecoArt provided me with the paints to complete this project as part of their

 Helping Artist

 and

 Blogger Outreach Programs

Thank you Rosemary Reynolds and DecoArt!

I hope you have enjoyed watching me paint these lockets!

Happy Painting !

Lynn

It's thyme to tell you about The Boys In the Band

How did it get to be 8 days before Christmas?

The STUDIO has been very busy these days.

Today I wanted to show you a project 

called

Boys in the Band

Design 

is by 

Cynthia Erekson

My Palette

Lamp Black , Deep Burgundy, Country Red, Shading Flesh, Graphite, True Ochre, Hauser Medium Green, Dusty Rose, Neutral Grey, Dark Chocolate, Warm White, Snow White, Antique Maroon, Milk Chocolate

Lets paint

I found these bellows in an antique shop.

I knew they would be perfect for this design.

I began by base coating with Lamp Black

I cut pieces of sheet music copies to fit my project

 

I had to piece the pieces together to fit but the seams won't show on the completed project as you will be painting over this.

I used a sponge brush

 to apply 

to my surface

I also applied it to the backs of the sheet music

Carefully pick up you sheets of music and position them on your project.

I used an old credit card as a"squeegee" to smooth out any bubbles.

I trimmed the excess from the sides.

Let this dry overnight!

Once dry I applied Deco-Page to the TOP surface of the music

I find that is is best to be patient with the drying process 

of the Deco-Page

to prevent bubbling of your papers.

When completely dry sand lightly

The pattern packet comes with 4 designs. 

I only used one design and adapted it to this surface

I taped off the bottom edge. I used a stencil brush and pounced on Deep Burgundy.

I grunged a tag and used Deco-Page once again to apply sheet music to the tag.

Let your tag dry!

You can find my RECIPE for grunging 

HERE

I taped off my sections once again. I used the flat side of a 2" sponge brush to slip slap a Graphite wash on my surface.  I scrunched up a paper towel and dabbed the wash to "rag off'  the color. This creates a mottled sky. Let this dry well.

I keep a small blow dryer on my paint table to speed up drying times.

I mixed some Graphite and Warm White. 

I used the chisel edge of a Stain It Brush to establish the horizon.

I then turned my brush so that the chisel edge was vertical. I streaked color across the ground. I lifted the brush at the edges to feather out the color.

I added Lamp Black to the dirty brush and shaded around the edges.

I used a clean Stain It brush to streak snow across the ground with Warm White.

I used the same brush to scrub faint clouds in the sky.

I then loaded a Moon Brush with Shading Flesh. It is important to wipe off most of your paint when using these brushes so that almost no paint remains on your brush.

I then used the chisel edge to scrub faint color above the horizon line.

I also scrubbed some of this color between the clouds to create a "rosy glow" in the sky.

I transferred the main line drawing. 

Add details as needed.

I like to use Silver Micron Mini detail brushes for a project like this.

Base coating the details of the Santa.

Starting to shade the coat

Painting the trim on coat.

Close-up of my work so far.

I used DecoArt Traditions DOME BLENDER to do a lot of the soft shading and highlights.

Working on the face and beard.

Adding tiny details

When I paint beards I layer my colors .

Leave some of your base coat showing !

Wispy beard!

Working on sleigh.

I've painted in the trees, salt box house, musical instruments and even the tiny mouse.

I dry brushed some White Frost Metallic Lustre to the snow

Next I spattered the area where the Santa is painted. 

I covered his face with a DIME before spattering.

* To SPATTER easily use a stencil brush loaded with thinned paint. Hold brush over project surface. Repeatedly flick the bristles, pulling them towards you with a palette knife.

I squirted a dime size puddle of Lamp Black on my palette.

Around it a squirted out 4 puddles of Glazing Medium

I then added a few drops of Easy Float to this mixture

I mixed with my palette knife. 

I then applied this mixture with a sponge brush to the bottom area of the bellow that I had painted Deep Burgundy.

I used a scrunched up paper towel to "rag off" this mixture and create texture.

I used a cosmetic sponge with Warm White to stencil on the snowflake.

I painted a small amount of Silver Bling Glamour Dust Paint to the snowflake

I taped off the top portion of the bellow that I left the original wood.

I applied two coats of Ultra Matte Varnish to the remaining sections.

Here you can see a close up of the Deep Burgundy area that I glazed.

Let dry completely!

I cut a piece of homespun. 

I also painted some Silver Bling on the tag I made.

I added a rusty bell.

DecoArt 

provided me with the paints to complete this project as part of their

Helping Artist and Blogger Outreach Programs.

Thank you Rosemary Reynolds and DecoArt!

I hope you have enjoyed watching me paint 

Boys In the Band

Happy Painting !

 Lynn