Welcome to another installment of the workshop series brought to you by Mustard Seed Creations and Funky Junky Interiors! This week I'm going to address the, "I can't draw worth a lick" defense and Donna is sharing her wisdom on how to store all of your cables and extensions cords. Check it out when you're done here.
Believe it or not, I am not that great at drawing. Painting is a very different art from sketching. Even though a lot of my work is freehand, I do use templates and tracing tools on certain projects. Using these tools is a great way to get a hand painted look, even if you're not comfortable painting freehand. Here are some tools I always have on hand:
Rulers - I prefer clear rulers that are made for quilters. They are wide enough to use as a "square" and the fact that they are clear means that you can see your work underneath.
A set of French Curves: This is a set of three templates that can be used for scrolls and ovals. I do almost all of my scroll work freehand, but I pull these out when I need perfect symmetry. You can purchase these at a craft store in the art section for about $8.00.
Graphite Transfer Paper: I'll be honest, here. I bought the pack pictured about eight years ago and I've never opened it. This is a great way, though, to transfer patterns from decorative painting books. I never used it because I don't like to copy designs exactly.
Anything with a nice shape: I save anything that can be used as a stencil. Keep chipboard cutouts after you've used the letters and shapes for craft projects. Cut and trace designs using a Cricut or Slice machine. Print shapes off your computer onto card stock and cut them out to make your own stencil. There are endless possibilities.
A Projector: I absolutely love my opaque projector and I use it often. I can print up a word, phrase or image on my computer and transfer it onto a sign, wall, or piece of furniture and have it turn out perfect.
I also use it when I am painting something that is very recognizable, like the Steelers logo desk or Star Wars room I worked on for clients.
So, here's an example of a design you can put together using some "stencils."
Trace something circular, like a small plate or bowl. I used a candle.
Center a chipboard letter of your choice and trace it.
Use a French curve to create a swag on either side of the circle.
Paint the swag and wreath in a lighter color with comma stroke leaves. Paint the monogram in a darker color, so it stands out.
I used this same method on the drop leaf table pictured below.
Have I convinced you? You don't have to be able to draw to paint and just about anything can be used as a stencil.
This post concludes my Decorative Painting 101 Series. I will have more decorative painting series in the future, but we'll take a little break from it for a while. Let's give the series a nice send off and have a link party next week where you can share what you've done. This is not a time to share only finished projects; we want to see your sample boards, test strokes, even your mess-ups. Just link up if you painted along! I will be giving away three sets of acrylic paint provided by DecoArt to random participants, so get those posts ready. If you don't have a blog, you can e-mail pictures and your information directly to me and I will post it for you. I'll also feature some of my favorite efforts on my blog.
So, what's next? For the next two weeks, I have "guest instructors" who will share their tips and tricks with you. Next week, in addition to the link party, my guest will share 10 tips on decorative painting from a "non-professional decorative painter" perspective. The following week will feature advice from a professional photographer. I'm looking forward to what I can learn from her as well. Then, the ball is back in my court and I am going teach you how I prep, paint, and refinish furniture.
