A suitably-attired canine takes center stage in this fanciful mixed media creation.

SUPPLIES

• tracing paper
• transfer paper
• scissors
• 1" flat brush
• #2 round brush
• #2 liner brush
• 1/2" flat brush
• assorted scrapbook paper
• black stamp pad
• Rattan Wexture rubber stamp
• Fifteen Candles stamp set
• brown stamp pad
• image of dog head
• image of a man in a suit
• 8" x 10" basswood canvas

INSTRUCTIONS

NOTES:

Let dry completely between painting steps.

1. Choose a dog head from the Internet or your own photo. Find an image of a man in a suit. Print out both so that the head and body go together as you want. (I then trimmed the dog's neck so it would fit into the shirt collar.)
2. Choose scrapbook papers. (I had one with the names of places that I cut to be the exact size of the front of the canvas and another had a clock that I cut out and put in the corner.)
3. Decoupage the background paper down using Americana Matte Decou-Page and the 1" flat brush.
4. Paint over the whole piece of paper with 1 part Burnt Umber and 4 parts Titanium White. Water down the paint enough so the pattern on the scrapbook paper shows through. Add a little more Burnt Umber toward the edge so it gets darker.

5. Cut out an image for the bottom left corner of the canvas. (I chose the clock.) Decoupage it down with the 1/2" flat brush and Decou-Page. Do the same with the dog head and body.
6. Dip the #2 round brush in Burnt Umber and wipe off most of the paint onto the palette or plastic plate. Dry-brush around the edge of the canvas face.

7. Paint the sides of the canvas Burnt Umber with the 1" flat brush.
8. Using the rattan stamp and the black stamp pad, stamp the design around the edge of the canvas face. (Just ink a portion of the stamp so the stamp fades towards the inside of the canvas. Refer to photo.)

9. Stamp randomly with the same stamp around the edge of the canvas. (Try not to cover the sides; just show a bit of the pattern.)
10. Mix Titanium White and Carbon Black 1:1 and use on the shaded areas of the suit with the #2 round brush. Add a little more Titanium White and go over the medium shaded areas of the suit. Add more Titanium White and go over the highlighted areas.  (Refer to photo for placement.)

11. Using tracing and transfer papers, trace the shape for the tie and cut it out of scrapbook paper. (I chose pink with polka dots.) Decoupage it down with the #2 round brush and Americana Matte Decou-Page.
12. Use the dry-brush technique again with the #2 round brush and Burnt Umber around the bottom of the canvas face.
13. Paint over the tie with a very watered down Pyrrole Red. Use this same color to paint over the metal part of the clock. Add a little Titanium White and paint over the shirt, using the #2 round brush. Use this same color on the #2 liner brush to highlight the dog's nose, cheeks, and tongue.
14. Mix Cobalt Teal and Titanium White 1:1. Wipe most of the paint off the 1/2" flat brush and dry-brush on the face of the canvas to create a little texture. Wipe with your finger if it gets too opaque.
15. Paint the dog's head as you did the suit. Mix equal parts of Burnt Umber and Titanium White to paint the highlighted areas of the head and ears using the #2 round brush. Paint over the clock with this same mixture to make it blend in.

16. Mix Cobalt Teal and Titanium White 1:1 and paint the eyes with the #2 liner brush. Add Titanium White highlights to the dog's eyes with the #2 liner brush.
17. With the #2 liner brush, outline the dog loosely using Burnt Umber. Add interest by making little dashes and swirls and ladder shapes. Do the same to the clock.
18. Using the 1, 2, and 3 out of the Fifteen Candles stamp set, stamp going up the canvas front with the brown ink pad. (Refer to photo for placement.)
19. Trace the dog and clock with tracing paper and cut out a shape to cover them while you spatter paint on the background. Dip the 1" flat brush in watered down Burnt Umber. Using your thumb, pull the bristles back and let go to spatter tiny drops on the canvas.

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