It's thyme to work the Graveyard Shift

With 

FALL 

fast approaching 

I have started some

 seasonal decorating 

both 

inside and out

I love painting FALL projects!

I have been spending many happy hours

 in the 

STUDIO 

painting

You might say I've been working

 the 

Graveyard Shift

Step inside

 my

Studio

to see

 what I have been working on!

The project I am going to show you today is 

called

Graveyard Shift

Design 

by

Cynthia Erekson

My Palette

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

Lamp Black, Graphite, Milk Chocolate, Plantation Pine, Avocado, Citron Green, Buttermilk, True Ochre, Yellow Light, Burnt Orange, Tangelo Orange, Tangerine, Antique White, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Camel, Cadmium Yellow, Honey Brown, Cool White

I started this project by first working on the

frame

It took MANY layers to achieve

 the 

worn look

I began by base coating the entire piece 

front back and edges 

using 

Lamp Black

Let dry!

I then added a 

second textured coat

of 

Lamp Black

 to the 

inner and outer frame

To do this

  heavily load

the

  flat side 

of a 2" sponge brush 

with

Lamp Black

Repeatedly press the brush 

straight down on the surface

 and

 lift the brush straight up

Load your brush often!

When complete pat your wet surface lightly

 with the flat side of the dirty brush

 to flatten any texture that is too course.

Let dry!

Next on my palette I mixed

  Burnt Orange 

and 

Texture Paste

1:1 using a palette knife

I "buttered" the inner frame with this mix

working on a small area at a time

Let dry completely!

After I was sure

 the

textured area

had dried completely

 I painted over 

the 

orange textured area 

with

 thinned Lamp Black paint

Thinned Lamp Black paint

Close -up 

of

thinned Lamp Black paint

over the 

Burnt Orange textured surface

I let this dry!

I used a Stain-It brush 

to 

"dry brush"

a few random patches 

of 

Burnt Orange

over the

Lamp Black

I love the look!

I used an awl and rasp to create scratches, holes and dents in the outer frame.

I used the Stain-It brush 

to "dry brush" 

Honey Brown 

onto the outer edges 

of 

the frame

I then added 

Cadmium Yellow

to the dirty brush 

and

 brightened the centers 

of 

each side of the frame

Cynthia Erekson 

included in the pattern packet a copy of 2 old receipts

One was

 a 

GRAVESTONE receipt 

and the other was

 an old journal entry 

titled

"Anatomy of the Human Bone"

How

SPOOKtacular 

is that?

I trimmed the journal entry and old receipt to fit the inner frame

I used a 1" wash brush 

to quickly spread a layer

 of 

DecoArt Decou-Page

inside the frame opening

I did one side at a time working quickly

and

 using an old credit card as a "squeegee'' 

to smooth and remove any bubbles

I then "painted" several coats

 of 

Decou-Page

 over the paper using a 1" wash brush

It will appear white and opaque but it will dry clear

Let dry completely between each coat. 

Trace pattern and transfer the horizon line

I used the chisel edge 

of 

my moon brush

loaded with 

Milk Chocolate 

to establish the 

horizon line.

I kept my brush in a horizontal position to do this.

I then laid the brush in a vertical position to streak on the ground color.

I used my Ultra Rounds in various sizes

 and

 my 

Traditions Dome Blenders 

to paint

 most of the figures.

I have painted the witch.

I have now started to paint the pumpkins and tree trunks

I'm painting the remaining pumpkins and tree trunks

I have now painted

 the 

squash/pumpkin man, 

the 

cobweb , spider, hanging candy corn 

and

  flag

I have now painted 

the

  pirate/pumpkin man 

I love the colors in this project!

I have now painted

 the 

saltbox house 

and

 some of

 the 

gravestones.

I am now adding some shading , highlighting and details

I have now added the foliage to the trees

Lots of tiny details to add!

I'm now ready 

to 

varnish!

I used several coats of 

Americana Dura Clear Ultra Matte Varnish

for my project

I apply my first coat of varnish 

with a brush 

and 

the remaining coats with a sponge

I also cut the sponges into wedges to do the tree foliage

After the first brushed coat of varnish was dry

 I spattered my project with thinned Lamp Black paint.

SPATTER

*To easily spatter dip a large stencil brush in water.  Pour a dime size circle of Lamp Black paint on your palette. Circle your DAMP stencil brush in the paint. Use a palette knife to gently flick the bristles of your brush....pulling them towards you. Because you have already coated your project with ONE coat of varnish you can easily remove with a q-tip any "spatters" that you don't like.

This method gives you good control of your spattering!

I have added several more coats 

of

 Dura Clear Ultra Matte Varnish

My completed project!

The Graveyard Shift

DecoArt

provided me with the products to complete this project

as part of their

Helping Artist

and

Blogger Outreach Programs

Thank you DecoArt!!!

I hope that you have enjoyed watching me paint this project!

Happy Painting!

Lynn