Hi Happy Campers!
I am showing a step by step acrylic painting today on my blog that you all can do! I painted this with dryer, thicker paint. You can see the same idea in the video below with wetter and different color paints. The video will also show you the brush stroke used.
Here are my colors and 6x6 canvas. You can use some gel medium in your paint to keep the base color wetter longer so that the white flowers pick up some of the base color. The rounded brush on the left with the blue handle is a Filbert brush that make the petal shapes. Colors: White, Black, Cobalt Blue, Brilliant yellow Green, Cadmium Yellow. Water. Paper towels and a rag to wipe your hands if needed. Hair dryer to speed paint drying.
This is a pad of disposable palettes (wax paper). I also like styrofoam plates as palettes.
I like to double load my flat brush, half with blue, half with green. then come back with some black for contrast. Vary your stokes for interest. I don't clean my brush until I am done with the base color.
While the base color is wet, load your filbert brush with white and lay it flat on the canvas, pull a little then twist to make a petal shape. It that doesn't make sense, click on the video below see it in action. My paint is thicker than in the video, so I didn't twist as much. Do what is comfortable for you!
Fill up your canvas with flowers! You can overlap them if you like, I didn't so you can see the petals.
I used the handle of one of my brushes to make the flower centers. Dip the handle in to the green paint and then dot the canvas. You may need to dip and dot a couple of times if you are not getting a good looking flower center.
I stopped here to use the hair dryer on my painting. This will put a 'skin' on the thicker areas. Wait a week to ensure the paint in the thick areas are dry all the way through.
Next I decided to dab on little yellow dots using a small brush.
You can paint the sides of your canvas black and your done! Or, you can paint the sides like we did on the top of the canvas.
Add your flowers etc. just like we did to the top of the canvas until you are done!
Wait a week (probably fewer days in a dry climate or winter time) and spray your painting with a shiny or matt varnish specifically for acrylic paint. There are little tiny holes in dry acrylic paint which can catch dust and the varnish will protect against fading and yellowing. If you really want to protect your painting, paint on acrylic gel medium and let it dry to put a barrier between your painting and the varnish.
Let me know if you like this kind of post. Did you try it! It can be really fun and relaxing. Looking forward to your comments below :-D
