Thyme to show you a Greenskeeper Box

Are you ready for Christmas yet?

The MAGIC continues to happen here.....

Let's step inside my STUDIO to see what I have been painting!

I see my 

Christmas Elf 

HINKLEY 

is 

waiting for us!

Today I wanted to show you a project

 called 

Greenskeeper Box

Design

 by 

Cynthia Erekson

My Palette

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

Antique Maroon, Camel, Heritage Brick, Milk Chocolate, Traditional Raw Umber, Avocado Dip, Cocoa, Lamp Black , Red Iron Oxide, Burnt Umber, Dusty Rose, Light Avocado, Sand

Dazzling Metallics

Venetian Gold

Let's Paint!

My surface

 was a 

Pine "Greenskeeper" Box

that measured 14 1/2" x 5 1/4" x 4"

Often times when I base coat a piece I combine Multi Purpose Sealer (1) : (1) with my base color.

My base color for this project was Traditional Burnt Umber.

I used a sponge brush

with a 

"press and lift" motion

 to base coat the bottom (outside),

 sides and back

 with Traditional Raw Umber

to create a textured surface.

I repeated the "press and lift" motion to base coat the front of the box with Cocoa

Next I mixed a woodgraining glaze.

 I began by squirting a quarter size puddle of Milk Chocolate on my palette.

Then in a circle around this puddle I squirted

 6 quarter size puddles

of 

Clear Glazing Medium 

on my palette.

I mixed this well with my palette knife.

I wood grained the back and both sides of the box.

 I did one side at a time.

I applied the glaze with a sponge brush.

I then pulled my graining tool thru the glaze.

Let box dry completely before proceeding.

When the glaze is almost dry you can use a hair dryer to speed the process!

I measured in 1 1/2" from each side.

I drew a vertical line down each side of the box.

I pressed painters tape onto the box leaving the 1 1/2" spaces exposed.

I then loaded a stencil brush with Milk Chocolate.

I scrubbed my brush on a paper towel to remove excess paint.

I pounced the dry brush onto the side borders.

I left the color somewhat mottled.

I traced my pattern and transferred the ground area.

I used the chisel edge of a Moon Brush to establish the hill top.

To do this I loaded my brush with Sand. 

I wiped my brush on a paper towel until almost dry.

I then scrubbed the brush across the hilltop, 

to deposit faint color 

that just "sits" on top of the textured base coat.

I again loaded the brush with Sand

and 

scrubbed it on a paper towel until almost dry.

I wiped the brush side to side on my surface to apply a faint " snowy" ground.

I used the same stencil brush loaded with thinned Sand paint for spattering.

To spatter hold loaded brush over area to be spattered.

Use palette knife to flick the bristles by pulling the knife towards you.

I spattered the ground and the 2 outer Milk Chocolate borders.

Working on coat of Greenskeeper.

The coat is highlighted using Venetian Gold.

Painting trim on coat and hat using a Silver Micro Mini Lettering Brush.

I have painted the trees.

I am now working on the face and beard.

I am now working on the buildings.

I base coated first with one coat of Red Iron Oxide. 

I let that dry they added a second coat with Heritage Brick.

I do most of my base coating and shading using Lowell Cornell Ultra Rounds.

I use Maxine Mops to dry and soften floats.

The roofs of the buildings are done. 

I am now working on the trees.

I have painted the sheep.

I have added all the small details and line work.

I added the snow mounds on the ground by tapping on Sand with my Moon Brush.

I used a Texture - It Brush loaded with Sand to add the foliage to the tree branches.

I used a stencil to add the fern vines to the sides.

I used my Stain-It Brush to dry brush Traditional Raw Umber around the edges of the box.

I used my stylus to add the snow in the sky and any additional dots.

I varnished my box with several coats of Dura Clear Ultra Matte Varnish.

I filled the box with a mix

 of 

artificial greens , pine cones, berries

 and 

tiny battery operated white lights.

Rosemary Reynolds and DecoArt 

provided me with the paints and products to complete this project 

as part of their

 Helping Artist and Blogger Outreach programs

Thank you DecoArt!

I hope you have enjoyed watching me paint 

Greenskeeper Box

Happy Painting!

Lynn

It's Christmas TIME

It's 

CHRISTMAS THYME 

so that means late nights in the 

STUDIO

 to 

MAKE THE MAGIC HAPPEN!

Lets step in out of the cold to see what I have been painting!

I am painting a project 

called

CHRISTMAS TIME

Design

 by

Lynne Andrews

I used

  Sheila Landry's

 Large Time Piece Wood Kit

 for this project.

You can purchase the kit

HERE

My Palette

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

Antique Gold, Antique White, Burnt Umber, Buttermilk, Cool White, Country Red, Flesh tone, Lamp Black, Plantation Pine, Rookwood Red

Lets paint!

I had to enlarge my design and adjust it a bit to fit my surface.

Main elements of design transferred to surface.

The surface was base coated with 2 coats of Antique White.

I washed the border around the design with Antique Gold.

Santa's face is washed with Fleshtone.

I mopped the area to blend and dry.

I then

 floated

Burnt Umber up along the outside of nose

and

  up and over to form the eye area.

I use a variety of Lowell Cornell Ultra Round brushes for the "washes".

I use "duster stippler's " for mopping.

I added a touch of Lamp Black to imply each eye.

Next I added a dot using Cool White to the eyes.

I used Burnt Umber to float around his mustache.

I dragged some of the Burnt Umber float down onto Santa's beard.

I mop often to soften the floats.

I added a wash of Country Red to the cheeks.

I did a wash of Rookwood Red on the hat and shoulders.

I use a "Maxine Mop" and my Ultra Rounds for smaller areas.

After the Rookwood Red wash was dry I added a wash of Country Red over it.

I used a #6 scumbler to heavily stipple Buttermilk to the fur areas and pompom.

The stipple should extend slightly over the edges to appear "fuzzy".

I used a #2 Ultra Round to add some tiny white fur lines with Cool White.

I washed some Antique Gold here and there on the fur to add warmth.

I floated around the pompom and other areas with that need to stand out with Burnt Umber.

I love painting beards!

I use a Silver Micron Mini Brush.

I have a variety of Micron Mini brushes for fine detail work.

Working on the beard.

Close up of the beard. 

I also used my detail brush to pull some tiny fur hairs out on to the jacket.

I am now working on Santa's mustache.

Once the beard was completed I transferred the holly vine.

Painting the holly vine and berries.

Such a handsome jolly fellow!

The background is striped first with a double row of Plantation Pine.

I then added a single Rookwood stripe between the green stripes.

The "insert" piece is done for now.

I transferred the Roman Numerals to the outer edge and painted them Lamp Black.

Roman Numerals completed.

I will now add some antiquing to the outer edge for a vintage look.

I loaded my Stain It Brush with Burnt Umber. 

I wiped it on my paper towel until it was very dry.

I randomly brushed around the inner and outer edges of the surface.

You should not see "wet paint".

Be sure your brush is "DRY".

Moon Brushes are also good for dry brushing.

Inner and outer surfaces are antiqued.

I used a large stencil brush with my palette knife to spatter the outer ring with Lamp Black.

Inner surface and middle outer ring complete.

There is one more ring to complete!

I base coated this ring with Rookwood Red leaving a band of Buttermilk.

I added checks all around the inside of the ring with Lamp Black.

I used my Moon Brush to dry brush the outer area of the checks with Lamp Black.

I varnished all pieces with several coats of 

DecoArt UltraMatte Varnish

I used wood glue to carefully glue each section together.

I used a pocket watch chain to attach the fob.

Rosemary Reynolds and DecoArt

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

 Helping Artist 

and 

Blogger Outreach Programs.

Thank you DecoArt!

I hope you have enjoyed watching me paint

CHRISTMAS TIME

Happy Painting!

Lynn