Violet Window Box

Violet Window Box

Posted by DecoArt on Oct 23rd 2014

A wooden window box becomes a unique planter with violets painted with Traditions™ Artist Acrylics.

SUPPLIES

    • water container
    • paper towels
    • #3 round brush
    • #10 flat brush
    • fine-grit sandpaper
    • #8 flat brush
    • #3/0 liner brush
    • #1 liner brush
    • hair dryer
    • Sta-Wet Palette
    • transparent tape
    • palette knife
    • white graphite paper
    • #0 mop brush
    • wooden window box
    • kneaded eraser
    • spray mister with water
    • t-square ruler

    INSTRUCTIONS

    NOTES:

    While painting, squeeze paints onto a wet paper towel or wet palette container with a moistened paper towel to keep paints moist. Occasionally mist paints with water to keep them moist.

    1. If using a wooden surface, sand well with fine sandpaper. Apply Traditions Multi-Surface Sealer to the entire surface and let dry.
    2. After the surface dries, if the wood grain has risen, lightly sand again.
    3. Use a large brush to basecoat the wood using a thin application of a 1:1 mix of Medium Green and Carbon Black. Let dry and apply again.
    4. If distressed look is desired, sand the edges of the box.
    5. Use white graphite paper to transfer the center rectangle. (Check alignment with a T-square ruler.)
    6. Basecoat the entire surface with a mix of equal parts of Dioxazine Purple, Medium Grey Value 6, and Carbon Black. Let dry.
    7. After the surface dries, sand again to give it an aged look.
    8. Transfer the flowers and leaves to the surface using white graphite paper.
    9. Use a #8 or #10 flat brush to basecoat leaves with a 1:1 mix of Pine Green and Medium Green. Basecoat the violets Light Violet.
    10. Dry well surface with a low-temp hair dryer.
    11. Moisten the surface with a thin application of Traditions Extender & Blending Medium; brush back and forth to distribute.
    12. Use a #8 flat brush to pick up side-load of Light Violet and Warm White. Apply on the petal edges to separate the petals. (Refer to pattern diagram.)
    13. Use a #8 flat brush to apply a 2:1 brush-mix of Medium Green and Yellow Oxide to the outer edges of the leaves. (Refer to pattern diagram.) Soften the transition line where the light area and basecoat meet using a #0 mini mop brush.
    14. Use #3/0 liner brush to brush-mix Medium Green with a touch of Yellow Oxide and apply to the leaf veins.
    15. Dry area well with a low-temp hair dryer.
    16. Moisten the surface with a thin application of Extender & Blending Medium; brush back and forth to distribute.
    17. Use a #8 or #10 flat brush side-loaded with Medium Green and a dot of Carbon Black to darken underneath the violets, stretching the paint toward the middle of the leaf. (This will darken the veins where they go under the violets.)
    18. Side-load tints of Sapphire Blue on the leaf edges. (Refer to photo for placement.)
    19. Shade the violets with a side-load of Light Violet and Red Violet. (This dark will be coming from the center of the flower out and to separate petals. Refer to pattern diagram and photo.)
    20. Moisten the surface with a thin application of Extender & Blending Medium; brush back and forth to distribute.
    21. Pyramid the smaller areas of darker and lighter values on the leaves using Medium Green and Carbon Black for darker, and Medium Green, Yellow Oxide, and Warm White for smaller, lighter areas. (Refer to Helpful Hint below.)
    22. Pyramid the smaller areas of darker and lighter values on the violets using Red Violet and Dioxazine Purple for the darker value and Light Violet and Warm White for the lighter value.
    23. Dot the flower centers with multiple dots of Yellow Oxide.
    24. Dry well with a low-temp hair dryer.
    25. Transfer on the “Violets” lettering.
    26. Use the tip of a #3 round brush to stroke on lettering with Light Violet, making it thick enough to add lighter values.
    27. Apply a line of Carbon Black to the right side of lettering and True Gold on the top left sides of the letters.
    28. Add a line of True Gold to the top and bottom edges of the rectangle.
    29. Dry well with a low-temp hair dryer.
    30. Apply one coat of Glazing Medium to the entire surface. Let dry.
    31. Apply two coats of Satin Varnish.

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