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