New Blog Link

 If you have found me Here?

Please follow this link to my NEW BLOG

There are a few Freebie Designs still here for you to try?

I found it easier to start a new blog versus updating this one.

HAPPY PAINTING

COME SURF MY WEB

Design Instructions moved from My Picture Trail during a "Spring Clean"

Enjoy this free design with a Video too SURF MY WEB 

"YUM - YUM CHOCOLATE CAKE"

Step by Step Instructions

AND A YouTube Video TOO!

Create a Yummy Cupcake Design

The perfect cake ... no fat, no sugar, no gluten, no calories...........mmmm

Maybe not perfect there is no chocolate either

My cupcake design has been a popular Make & Take project.

Today it has been tweaked and enlarged to fit a Template 

which is a free download 

at Cuddly Buddly 

  

For new painters who are not familiar with the basic steps of Decorative Painting 

please watch these  3  technique videos 

Sponging Basecoats  :  Tracing & Transferring  :  Floating Colour - Shading

 Supplies Used

DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paints

• Milk Chocolate
• Dark Chocolate
• Titanium White
• Primary Red
• Gold Writer/Gold Craft Twinkles

    Brushes

• 3/8 Angle or 10 Flat
• No 4 Round
• Art or Sea Sponge for Basecoats

  Other Painting Kit

• Smooth White Card
• Tracing Paper
• White Transfer Paper
• Palette Pad
• Stylus
• Scissors
• Bottle Top
• Glue of your choice
• Cotton Buds
• Hairdryer (Use on low heat setting)
• Pencil

 Instructions 

Download the Cupcake Shaped Card 

Print out the images onto cardstock, then carefully cut out the two shapes we are using today.

Optional - Print out an extra card shape onto paper for the insert and cut it out a bit smaller.

Basecoats                   

Sponge both sides of the cardstock with Milk Chocolate to an opaque finish.

The card will warp. 

                         


                





Flatten it whilst drying with the hair dryer.

                 

 Print and trace these design lines for the muffin case and iced topper.

 Carefully line up the dotted lines and transfer with white transfer paper.

Floating Dimension 

For new painters - these floats are the same as shading. The brush is loaded in the same way with a pale colour and the effect is "highlight" and not "shadow".

Highlights on Muffin Case  

Load Angle or Flat Brush with Titanium White.

Float across the bottom and dry.

Float up the right hand side and dry.

Float down the remaining case lines and dry thoroughly.

Brush mix water and Titanium White to make an inky mix. Brush over the floated lines and dry thoroughly.

This gives a subtle dimension effect which uses the basecoat colour as the shading.

Dimension is also created by floating colour back to back. This simply means floats are painted on both sides of a line.

One side is Highlighted with a paler colour and this brings the design forward.

The other side is shaded with a darker colour which pushes the design back.

Together they give the illusion of  more depth.

 

Iced Topper 

 Load Angle or Flat Brush with Titanium White.

Float the Highlights on the 3 layers. The bottom layer is floated on the edge of the topper.

Note: Two of these are long floats it is highly unlikely that one load of paint will be enough for each one. Reload as and when needed.

Dry thoroughly.

Rinse the brush and load with Dark Chocolate. Float the shading under the top two layers. Dry thoroughly.

Now for the cherry on the top!

Basecoat it Titanium White and dry.

Repeat basecoating with Primary Red until coverage is opaque, dry between layers of paint.

Load a No 4 Round Brush in Titanium White, highlight the cherry with a small curved stroke. Dry.

 Glue topper to the front of the card. Carefully line up the curves, flip it over to check the back - oops mine is a bit wonky, my cutting out skills are not first rate! I could try cutting it off, but it is not a large "boo boo" I'm going to leave as is. This is "handmade" it is my excuse and I'm sticking with it!

Decorating the topper.

I use cotton buds to transfer dots of paint.

1 - Dark Chocolate, dip and dot, these can be done completely random or a set pattern, the choice is yours.

2 - Gold Craft Twinkles, although this is a "writer" I prefer to squeeze out a blob and dip and dot with a cotton bud, fill in the gaps. 

3 - Milk Chocolate, lightly dip and dot on top of the Dark Chocolate.

Word of caution.It is extremely easy to put your finger or hand on wet brown or gold paint!

 

Mine is a set pattern, but random looks more like sprinkles.

Card Insert

 I always leave my cards blank. I prefer to hand write a personal message. They can also be used for several occasions.

 

Glue the insert into your card.

Include the copyright information on the back.

   Credit where credit is due.

 Always name the creators if possible.

Leave your card flat to air dry.

I hope you enjoyed this project - all comments are appreciated.

Until next time.

HAPPY PAINTING

 

 

 

"Too Early for Christmas Card Tutorial"

Step by Step Instruction 

Create this quirky Christmas Tree Card.

Welcome to my first tutorial on my new blog. I designed this Christmas card with beginners in mind, and although it looks flashy and hard, it is actually a breeze. If you’re new to decorative painting, my YouTube videos will help you. The appropriate links demonstrating each technique, are provided at the start of each step.

YIKES I hear you say, I can’t draw. Don’t panic, you don’t need to. We use line drawings, tracing paper and transfer paper. Gradually learn the techniques taught on "My YouTube Channel", and you  will slowly build your knowledge and confidence. This will gradually open new options within this highly addictive art form. Just give it a try, you’ll be amazed at what you can produce. 

Supplies

·    DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint

Burnt Umber, Emperors Gold Metallic, Titanium White, Green Black, 
Olive Green, Medium Hauser Green and Teal Green

  Brushes

       3/8 Angle or 10 Flat
       No 4 Round
       0 Liner
       Art or Sea sponge for basecoats

Basic Crafting Kit

     White Cardstock

·            A4  Slim Card Blank and Envelope

·            Tracing Paper

·            Black and White Transfer Paper

·            Palette

·            Stylus

·            Scissors

·            3 Bottle Tops

·            Glue Stick

·            Double Sided Tape

·            3mm and 5mm Foam Pads

·            Hairdryer – use on a low heat setting to speed up the drying time between each painted step.

 Instructions

Sponged Basecoats

Click here to watch my Sponging Basecoats Video.

Cut the card in various sizes.

• First background layer is 10cm x 29.3cm.
  Base coat the outer edges with Emperors Gold. 

• The next background layer is 9cm x 28.8cm
   This is a three colour base coat using Olive Green, Emperors Gold and White. Dry between colours.
   
• Three pieces of card are 14cm x 20cm
  These are base coated with Teal Green, Med Hauser Green and Olive Green.

 

Tracing and Transferring the Design

Click here to watch my Tracing & Transferring video.

Trace the line drawings

Then transfer the trees and pots onto the appropriate coloured card. Use black transfer paper for Olive green and white for the darker colours. 

Add Dimension

Click here to watch my Floating Colour – Shading Video

Use a 3/8 angle or 10 flat brush. Load your brush with Black Green paint, float shading to create dimension as shown on trees and pots.

Load the No 4 round brush with Burnt Umber, paint the trunks, do not worry if you paint over the lines, all mistakes will disappear when they are cut out.

 

Ensure the paint is dry before carefully cutting out the shapes.

I made a "boo boo" my Lollipop tree trunks are thinner than I'd like them to be -OOPS!. Thank goodness I matched all 3 without the need to re-paint them :-)

Assembling the card

I prefer double sided tape on the background layers. I can’t remember the brand of this one! I love the way the paper backing stays bent back

Layer the backgrounds and remove the tape strips.

Now it is wise to check which way the card will open :-)

LOL had a few "boo boos" in the past by not checking OOPS!

Arrange the trees in the order you wish them to be.

I’m going to attach these with varying dimension heights.

The lollipop trees will be glued directly to the card.

For the triangular trees I will use 3mm foam pads.

And the layered trees 5mm foam pads.

Attach the trees at each end of the card and place the remaining pots evenly between them.

Then attach each tree into its pot.

Maybe my thin Lollipop tree trunks were a "happy accident".

I like the look of these :-)

Time now to get “Dotty” 

·       Squeeze a blob of Olive paint into a bottle top.

 

Place dots along the floated lines on each lollipop tree with a stylus.

Squeeze a blob of Emperors Gold into another bottle top.Dip and dot the lines on the triangle trees.Dot as near as possible to the overlapping tree.

At this point I did not like the plain olive green dots on the lollipop trees and decided to place a smaller dot of gold on the top of each one!

Squeeze a blob of white paint into the remaining bottle top and dip and dot the layered trees. 

Liner Work

C  H  R  I  S  T  M  A  S  these letters are optional.

Click here to watch my Liner Work video

Trace the letters and transfer to the pots.

  Use the liner brush, add a little water to Emperors Gold the paint needs to be an inky consistency. 

Line each letter over the transferred lines and fill in the band as shown in this example.

Add the white dots with the stylus. These dots follow the original transferred lines

My finished project

All comments are greatly appreciated.

Until next time.

HAPPY PAINTING