Crafts ’n things Craft of the Day
Thanksgiving Day in America is a time to offer thanks… of family gatherings and holiday meals… a time for Indian corn and holiday parades. Why not say it all with this simple front door greeting?
Materials
- Rusty tin plaque, 5-1/2″ x12″, #11-90117 (available from Cupboard Distributing, www.cdwood.com)
- Delta Ceramcoat Acrylics: Antique Gold, Autumn Brown, Bamboo, Black, Burnt Umber, Charcoal, Dark Forest Green, Golden Brown, Red Iron Oxide, Rooster Red, Straw, Terra Cotta, Trail Tan
Tools
- Royal & Langnickel Aqualon Paintbrushes: Angular, Series 2160, 3⁄8”, 1/2”; Shader, Series 2150, #8; Liner, Series 2595, #10/0; Round, Series 2250, #4; Angular, Series 2160, 3⁄8”; Glaze/Wash, Series 2700, 3/4”
- Sponge roller
- Outdoor water-based varnish
Basic Supplies
transfer paper, pencil, newspaper (to cover work surface)
Directions
Preparation
1. Wipe surface with damp cloth to remove dust. Use sponge roller to base Bamboo.
2. Print pattern; transfer basic details onto sign board.
3. Use glaze/wash to float Autumn Brown along edges of sign board. Use 1/2″ angular and Burnt Umber to run soft float along right side of letters, and along bottom of letters and images sitting on ground; deepen sign board corners. Use #4 round to base letters Black. Use Terra Cotta to base left ear of corn and pumpkin. Use Golden Brown to base center ear of corn, right apple, and every other turkey feather. Use Trail Tan to base corn leaves, remaining turkey feathers, and Indian head band. Use Autumn Brown to base turkey body, head, and wings. Use Antique Gold + Terra Cotta (3:1) to base hat buckle, turkey beak, and center apple. Use Charcoal to base Pilgrim hat and turkey hat. Use Rooster Red to base right ear of corn, wattle, and left apple. Use Red Iron Oxide to base hat band on Pilgrim and turkey hats. Use Dark Forest Green to base pumpkin leaf with one coat; base stem Burnt Umber.
Painting Instructions
Ears of Corn
Shade Red Iron Oxide along inside edges of two outer ears; highlight Straw along outer edges. Shade Burnt Umber along outer edges of center ear; highlight Straw down center. Shade Dark Forest Green along bottom of each leaf and to separate leaves. Use 10/0 liner and Burnt Umber to add corn detail lines.
Pilgrim Hat
Shade Black above and below hat band and buckle. Shade Charcoal on hat band to either side of buckle. Shade Burnt Umber along bottom of buckle. Highlight Straw along top of buckle; add strong highlight lines across top and sides of buckle.
Turkey
Float Burnt Umber on wings along edges of body to separate wings from body; float along bottom of body and under hat. Use Black to deepen shading separating wings from body; float little “c” stroke feathers on wings. Float little Burnt Umber “c” strokes on body. Float Autumn Brown along outer edges of tail feathers. Starting at top center of tail feathers, float Autumn Brown along left side of right tail feathers, then along right side of left tail feathers. Float Red Iron Oxide along left side of wattle. Highlight Straw on right side of beak and center of hat band. Dot eyes Black. Use Trail Tan to line feathers on body and wings, and to highlight along bottom of hat; highlight dot eyes. Use Burnt Umber for line work on tails feathers, and Red Iron Oxide for bands of color. Use Black to loosely outline entire turkey, body, beak, and wattle.
Indian Head Band
Use Burnt Umber to shade fold of headband; outline edges of band and triangles. Use Red Iron Oxide to paint triangles. Use any color on palette to paint feather. Use liner and work one color at a time to form shape; layer with several other colors. (Note: Artist finished by adding charcoal in tip and center stripe.) Base nail Charcoal; add Bamboo highlight lines.
Apples
Float Red Iron Oxide along outer edges; repeat along down side of each as needed. Add strong Straw highlight stroke on each apple. Paint stems Burnt Umber. Add Dark Forest Green stroke on a leaf or two.
Pumpkin
Float Red Iron Oxide to separate sections, and to float along bottom and top; deepen with Burnt Umber. Use Straw to dry brush highlight in center of each section; add strong highlight strokes in middle sections. Use Dark Forest Green to shade along bottom edges of leaf and down center for vein; add a couple curly tendrils. Use Trail Tan to highlight along top edge of leaf and down center vein. Use Black to shade along bottom of stem.
Finishing
Apply several varnish coats
by Robyn Thomas
