It's thyme to show you Clamshackle Cove a Sailor's Ditty Box

Today I want to show you a project that I painted 

called

Clamshackle Cove

A Sailor's Ditty Box

Growing up I was lucky enough to spend many summers on 

Cape Cod 

as my grandparents retired there.

I have fond memories of going to dig for clams with my grandparents.

I now live at the Cape. 

This is a picture of Barnstable Harbor which is not to far from my home.

 I often walk down by the harbor.

Lets get back to the STUDIO to see what I have been painting!

My Palette

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

Camel, Deep Midnight Blue, Lamp Black, Sand, Light Buttermilk, Victorian Blue, Black Green, Antique Green, Burnt Sienna

Lets paint!

I began by first by lightly sanding my surface. 

Wipe off dust.

I then sealed it with Multi-Purpose Sealer both inside and out.

My box measures 7 3/4" x 3 3/4" x 3 3/4"

I began by squirting a puddle of Camel on my palette.

I created a heavily textured base coat using a sponge  brush.

I worked on one side of the box at a time

 using a 

"press and lift" motion

 with

 the sponge brush.

Work from center out to edges 

by repeatedly pressing the brush down and lifting straight up.

I let the first coat dry well then repeated the base coat.

While the paint is still wet , lightly pat the surface

 with the dirty brush 

to slightly minimize the texture.

I squirted out a quarter size puddle of Antique Green on my palette.

I carefully added 2 drops of Black Green  onto the Antique Green puddle.

Around this puddle I squirted out 6 quarter size puddles of Clear Glaze Medium.

I mixed this glaze mixture together well with my palette knife.

I measured off the center rectangle on the top of my box.

I used a 1" sponge brush to "press and lift"

a coat of glaze mix 

all around the outer border of the lid top.

I then applied a second coat of the glaze mixture 

over the first coat of glaze mix.

Your glaze mix should be bubbly and not thin!

I then proceeded to press my palette knife repeatedly into the glaze, 

lifting it and moving it slightly before pressing down again.

I continued in this manner around each side of the top border. 

I angled my palette knife as I went around the corners.

And this is how wonderful the top of the box looked when completed!

I repeated the graining process to the box sides and back as well. 

I omitted the front as that is where the design will be painted.

I taped off generous 1/4" borders around the top of the box. 

I used a soft stencil brush to "dry brush" the Lamp Black borders.

Top of box with border.

I then transferred the mountain and lower ground area lines to the box.

I painted the mountains Deep Midnight Blue. 

The water is Victorian Blue. 

I built up the color gradually for the water.

I painted the ground area a streaky wash of Antique Green.

I then taped off the 1/4" border on the front, back and sides of the box. 

I painted it Lamp Black 

using a dry soft stencil brush 

in the same manner that I did the top border.

Front , side and top of box.

The rectangle on the top of the box is painted Deep Midnight Blue.

I lightly sanded the rectangle to age it.

I then shaded the inside of the rectangle with Lamp Black.

The borders are all around the top edge of lid, top and bottom edges of front, back and sides. 

I used a "super dry" stencil brush

to gently and subtly shade next to all the borders with Lamp Black.

I have the "stormy sky" painted in along with the mountains, water and ground areas.

I again used a "super dry" stencil brush 

with Lamp Black

to shade around the edges of the scene.

I like to use Silva Micron Mini detail brushes for such tiny work.

I'm working on the houses and sail boats.

I have added the weeds, fences, boat. 

I've added some shading in the sand and pathways.

I have lightened the sky behind the mountains and added the setting sun.

I have added the foliage to the trees.

I made a very thin wash with Burnt Sienna. 

I used a large brush to paint this wash over the entire box. 

This gives the box a nice warm tint.

I use a large brush to apply the first coat of Ultra Matte Varnish.

I use a sponge to add additional coats of varnish. 

Be sure to let coats of varnish dry thoroughly between coats to prevent clouding!

I used glue to attach the handle.

Once the glue had dried I filled the holes in the handle with Lamp Black paint.

When dry the paint resembles raised black tacks!

Let dry completely!

Rosemary Reynolds and DecoArt

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

Helping Artist and Blogger Outreach Programs.

Thank you DecoArt!

Side view

Side view

Front and top view

Front view

I hope you have enjoyed watching me paint

Clamshackle Cove

Sailor's Ditty Box!

Happy Painting until next time!

Lynn

Thyme to show you Water Taxi

I must admit I am way behind on my BLOGGING!

 I have so many completed projects to show you!

My desk is cleared, 

so lets begin with a project I recently completed 

called

 WATER TAXI. 

Design is by Cynthia Erekson

My Palette

DecoArt American Acrylic

Grey Sky, Lamp Black , Victorian Blue , Zinc, Heritage Brick, Neutral Grey, Bleached Sand, Deep Midnight Blue, Dove Grey

Let's Paint!

I began by first sanding my surface.

I then sealed it with Multi Purpose Sealer.

I created a textured Grey Sky base coat on the outer surface of the box.

 To do this I squirted out a large puddle of paint on my palette.

I then heavily loaded the broad flat side of a 2" sponge brush with paint.

I repeatedly used a "press and lift" motion with the loaded brush to create a bumpy, 

bubbly texture to the surface of the box.

While the paint is still wet, lightly "pat" the the dirty brush onto the front side of the box. 

I let this dry and did a second base coat in the same manner.

I then did a "press and lift" base coat using Deep Midnight Blue on the box lid.

Next I squirted a nickel size puddle of Neutral Grey on my palette.

Around this I squirted out 4 nickel size puddles of Glazing Medium

I mixed the puddles together well with my palette knife.

I added 2 nickel size puddles of Easy Float to the glaze mixture and mixed well again.

DecoArt 

also has a

Drying Time Extender 

that could be used.

To create the "wood grained" background on the box I loaded the flat side of a dry 2" sponge brush with the thin glaze I had made.  

I used the "press and lift" method to apply the glaze to one box side.

I then picked up the box and "stamped" the glazed surface onto my clean sheet of palette paper. 

I immediately lifted it straight up.

I repeated this process on each side of the box to create a wood grain look.

Next I painted the lid and inside the box with Deep Midnight Blue.

I have traced my pattern and transferred the horizon line onto the front of the box.

I used the chisel edge of a moon brush in a horizontal position to establish the hilltop with Zinc

I then turned my brush to a vertical position and streaked Zinc across the ground area.

I lifted my brush as I approached the box edges so that the color faded some.

The first coat of the water is painted Deep Midnight Blue. 

I added Victorian Blue to the second coat.

I worked from the bottom up to the wave tips, leaving the bottom edge slightly darker.

I then added more Victorian Blue to the wave tips and worked the color gradually towards the bottom.

Next I taped off the lid to paint the stripes.

I used a small stencil brush to "pounce" on the stripes with Neutral Grey first.

When dry I pounced the stripes again using Dove Grey.

I did the stripes around the bottom of the box in the same manner.

I have base coated the whale with Lamp Black.

I used my stencil brush to shade the edges of the box with Lamp Black.

I am base coating the buildings.

I am adding the shading and details to the buildings.

I am painting the "traveler".

I have painted the sign and the fences.

I am working on the lettering on the back of the box.

I use Silver Micron Mini lettering brushes to make the job easier.

I applied several coats of Dura Clear Matte Varnish to my box when completed.

It comes in several finishes it is a matter of taste what you prefer.

Make sure you let each coat dry well before applying the next.

I used Tacky Glue to apply the number plaque to my box.

Front of box

Back of box.

DecoArt and Rosemary Reynolds 

supplied the paint to complete this project as part of their 

Helping Artist 

and 

Blogger Outreach Programs

Thank you for all the wonderful products to create with!

You can visit the 

DecoArt Blog

HERE

I hope you have enjoyed watching me paint Water Taxi.

Happy Painting !

Lynn