Thyme for Tranquil Times.

Today 

I want to show you a

Memory Box

that I painted for our chapter

 Cape Cod Mayflower Decorative Painters

This box will be donated to a local 

HOSPICE

Step inside my STUDIO and lets get started!

I used a design

by

Rebecca Trimble 

for this project.

The original design 

called 

Tranquil Times Portside Clock

appeared in the 

August 2010 Issue 

of

Quick and Easy painting

I adapted the clock design to fit my surface.

MY PALETTE

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

Antique Green, Antique White, Asphaltum, Avocado, Light Avocado, Black Green, Black Plum, Blue Chiffon, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Yellow, Camel, Cocoa, Driftwood, French Vanilla, Gingerbread, Hauser Medium Green, Light Buttermilk, Neutral Grey, Plantation Pine, Raw Sienna, Rookwood Red,  Snow ( Titanium) White, Soft Black, Soft Sage, Williamsburg Blue

Let's Paint

I began by base coating the top of the box with a mix 

of 

Multi Purpose Sealer

plus

Light Buttermilk (1:1)

I let the first coat dry completely then I based with a coat 

of

 Light Buttermilk

I use a foam applicator brush to apply the second coat.

Once I dip it in the paint I use a "press and lift" method to apply the paint.

This gives your surface a slight texture.

**** To do this use the FLAT side of the foam brush (not the chisel edge).

Repeatedly press the loaded brush down onto your surface , and then lift brush straight up without bending it. Continue to cover your surface in this manner. When complete you can go back over your surface with the same brush ( do no wash it) to refine the texture some.

This technique makes painting small detail easier.

I first painted in the sky

 then 

based coated in the water

I use

DecoArt Traditions Angle Brushes

for base coating in small areas.

I have these in several sizes

I use Lowell Cornell Ultra Rounds quite often to shade with.

I "mop" with Maxine Mops

Brushes always come down to personal preference 

BUT 

it is really important to buy the

BEST quality brushes you can afford!

Good brushes really do make a difference in your painting!

Here I have added some shading details to the hills in the distance.

I have painted the ship in the background.

I base coated the cliffs in the foreground with Cocoa.

I used a large #14 Lowell Cornell Ultra round brush for the shading on the cliffs.

This brush holds a LOT of water

 and 

can create some nice affects when shading along with your mop brush.

I do most of my highlighting 

using a 

DecoArt Traditions Dome Blender Brush

I have these in several sizes and love the soft affect you can achieve with them!

After I base coated the tree trunks I added the foliage 

with a 

SPONGE.

I cut my sponge into 

small wedges.

It adds a nice "airy" look.

I have started base coating the houses in the distance.

I have now started adding the details and shading to the small houses

I have painted the lighthouse

I randomly added the bricks to the lighthouse.

After base coating the house on the right I began to work on the stones

I have now begun to work on the foreground shrubs

I have now begun working on the foreground ship

I painted the bottom of the box Light Avocado

Ready for varnish!

I used 

Dura Clear Ultra Matte Varnish

to 

finish my box

I apply the first coat of varnish with a brush.

I let that dry well before applying several more coats of varnish with a sponge.

Let each coat dry completely!

I applied 4 coats of varnish to the cover of the box

Completed Memory Box

DecoArt

 provided me with the paints to complete this project

as part of their

Helping Artist

and

Blogger Outreach Program

Thank you DecoArt for all the wonderful products to create with!

I hope that you have enjoyed watching me paint this Memory Box.

Happy Painting!

Lynn