| Background Treatments for Ground & Sky: | | | | stipple technique the brush needs to be |
| | | | completely dry. |
| 1. Begin with an unpainted piece and one | | | | |
| solid value of paint. | | | | 2. Apply a tiny bit of paint to the tips of |
| | | | the bristles. Using pressure blend the paint |
| 2. For the Sky, I brush mix a lighter value | | | | into the bristles on palette using a circular |
| with the base color of the sky and stroke a | | | | motion. This brush loading technique is the |
| lighter area into the center to create more | | | | same as the dry stipple technique, but move |
| interest. To do this, use a Splayed Flat | | | | out of the blending strip to remove most of |
| brush and stroke the color on in different | | | | the paint from the bristles. You should have |
| directions allowing soft brush strokes to | | | | virtually no paint on the brush. |
| show. Use lighter values in the center and | | | | |
| darker values on the edges letting the color | | | | 3. To apply the paint onto the surface, use a |
| fade out. | | | | rubbing or scrubbing method. This will give a |
| | | | smooth even highlight, which is good on hard |
| 3. For the ground area, snow covered or not, | | | | shiny areas or areas with little or no |
| try to let some of the base color show | | | | texture. |
| through. This can create interest and will | | | | |
| also show the contour of the ground. This | | | | 4. I use this technique most on faces, |
| will help to pull the painting together. When | | | | containers, fruit and vegetables. |
| adding ground cover, straight horizontal | | | | |
| lines will appear as a flat surface, like a | | | | Helpful Hints: |
| smooth road, a sidewalk, or even an ice | | | | |
| covered pond. Streaks that curve down or up | | | | 1. The most common problems encountered when |
| will give the feeling of hills or valleys. | | | | trying the background or sky technique deal |
| Very often I will use a Splayed Flat Brush to | | | | with value. Even though the sky area is light |
| apply lights into my ground areas. Use a | | | | in the center, you need to gradually lighten |
| small amount of paint and lightly glide over | | | | the value. I will very often brush mix 4 or 5 |
| the surface, allowing the wood grain or the | | | | different values by starting with my basecoat |
| texture of the surface to show. This is | | | | value and add more and more of the lighter |
| generally referred to as using dry wispy | | | | value until I have my final light. The colors |
| strokes. | | | | should transition smoothly from one to |
| | | | another. A drastic value change will make the |
| Textured Stippling: | | | | color appear chalky. Make sure your value at |
| | | | the edge is dark enough for a smooth |
| 1. I will stipple lights on an area that I | | | | transition of color. |
| want to appear furry or very textured. | | | | |
| | | | 2. When painting the dry wispy strokes on the |
| 2. To stipple, I will generally use a brush | | | | ground make sure you use paint that is fresh |
| that is made of natural hairs, not synthetic. | | | | from the bottle. If the paint is starting to |
| I will wet the brush then wipe out most of | | | | dry, it will not feed off of the brush |
| the water. This will leave some moisture in | | | | properly, and will cause you to apply too |
| the top of the brush making it easier to | | | | much pressure. The result is blobs of paint |
| clean. Next I will use my finger to spread | | | | or areas that appear solid with no shape |
| the bristles on the brush since they will | | | | following streaks. |
| most likely want to clump together when | | | | |
| dampened. The natural hairs will spread out | | | | 3. When applying the textured stipple |
| easily and stay spread. | | | | technique, if you stipple areas that appear |
| | | | solid, not light and airy, lighten your grip |
| 3. Load the brush and pounce on the palette | | | | on the brush handle! Most painters feel they |
| to distribute the paint evenly into the | | | | need less paint, but they actually just need |
| bristles. Use a very light touch to apply the | | | | less pressure when applying the paint to the |
| paint to the surface. | | | | surface. If your stippling appears muddy |
| | | | looking, you are most likely stippling over |
| 4. I use this technique mostly on bears and | | | | wet paint. Allow each color to dry before |
| other furry objects. | | | | layering another on top. |
| | | | |
| Dry Stippling: | | | | 4. When dry stippling the brush must be |
| | | | completely dry. Be sure to blend the paint |
| 1. To dry stipple I use a dry stipple brush | | | | into the bristles of the brush using pressure |
| or a round fabric brush. The brush must be | | | | on your palette. Cutting corners here will |
| completely dry. | | | | result in a patchy look. |
| | | | |
| 2. Apply a small amount of paint on the tips | | | | 5. To dry brush your brush must be completely |
| of the bristles. Using a lot of pressure, | | | | dry. Be sure that there is almost no paint on |
| work the paint evenly into the tips of the | | | | the brush. You will need to use a lot of |
| bristles by rubbing on your palette in a | | | | pressure when applying the paint onto your |
| circular motion. | | | | surface or you will get a patchy look and can |
| | | | even scrub a hole in the center of the |
| 3. Using quite a bit of pressure pounce the | | | | highlight area. |
| paint onto the surface. This will give a | | | | |
| softer finer stipple effect than the textured | | | | 6. First and Final Steps For Professional |
| stipple. | | | | Results: 1. Prior to basecoating a wood |
| | | | surface, lightly sand with fine #400 |
| 4. I use this technique on snowmen and softer | | | | sandpaper. 2. Remove all residue with a tack |
| less shaggy looking fur. It will have a soft | | | | cloth (slightly sticky cloth that picks-up |
| almost velvet look that could even be used to | | | | dust). 3. Seal surface with Delta Ceramcoat |
| highlight a peach or fabric. | | | | All-Purpose Sealer following label |
| | | | directions. 4. When dry, basecoat as desired |
| Dry Brushing: | | | | for a smooth, even surface. 5. When project |
| | | | is complete, protect your surface with your |
| 1. For dry brushing I use a dry stipple brush | | | | favorite Delta Ceramcoat Varnish. |
| or a round fabric brush. As with the dry | | | | |