Bloom and PAINT in 2016

I am pretty sure that most people know by now that my word for 2016 is BLOOM.

I  never realize how many people I talk to regularly, until I start to do something like this!  

A few months ago, I started playing with the Mixed Media line that DecoArt introduced a bit ago. I LOVE the colors and techniques I am learning.

I am certain I will never leave my "traditional" painting, but I thought I would try to use the techniques together. 

I painted this small 4 inch square canvas during my learning process and thought that I wanted to keep it.

As I was thinking about my WORD of inspiration for 2016, I looked at the canvas and knew this would be my word--BLOOM.

The crazy idea of painting ornaments happened by accident, and painting 56 in a week was cra-cra and I thought sure I was a "blooming idiot"! I could use at least 50 more! 

But, it has blessed me in ways I never thought. I didn't do it to gain glory, but I really wanted to encourage some close friends to BLOOM! We all have our moments of needing a gentle push sometimes.

SO...here is how YOU can paint this.

Blogger won't load my pictures from the computer, so I had to re-do them...heavy sigh...

Gather your DecoArt Americana paints:
Lamp Black
Snow White
Antique Maroon
Deep Midnight Blue
Avocado
Fresh Foliage
Turquoise Blue
Raw Sienna
Dark Chocolate
Marigold
Ice Crystal Glamour Dust
Gesso
Duraclear Satin Varnish

Base the surface (front and back) with 2 coats of Fresh Foliage

Put the following colors on your pallet:

Fresh foliage, turquoise blue, Antique Maroon, Deep Midnight Blue, Avocado.

Take a small stencil brush and pounce on Avocado

Then Deep Midnight Blue

Turquoise Blue

Antique Maroon...you can pounce your colors together as much as you like...

Take a piece of plastic mesh (used for screen windows) and scrub Fresh Foliage and Turquoise Blue on top...the texture is lovely!

This, to me, is what gives the ornaments much of their beauty.

Shade around the outside with Deep Midnight  Blue. Thin Snow White and add 5 or 6 flowers using a 10/0 liner.

With Gesso (or just white paint, but the gesso gives more texture), draw the center of your flower close to the left edge and add petals--I used a #4 round. When the gesso dries, paint with Snow White.

Shade around the petals with Raw Sienna

Paint the center with 2 coats of Raw sienna. Thin this and add lines on each petal. Shade the left side of the center with Dark Chocolate. Gently dry brush Marigold on the left of the center followed by a tad of Snow white. Outline each petal with thinned Lamp Black using your 10/0 liner. Add dots of Lamp Black and Margold to the center with your stylus.

The lettering is simple. Use the 10/0 liner and write BLOOM. Go back to each letter and add "triangles" to the ends and make one side bigger on your rounded letters...see the picture...color in these triangles/circles. I added a thin line of Snow White to the letters as a highlight.

Shade around the flower with Deep Midnight Blue.

Paint 2 coats of Ice Crystal Glamour Dust on the backs and finish with 2 coats of DuraClear Varnish on the front and back. I will be adding Magnets to these...NOW...who will get the next 2?

I hope that you ALL will live 2016 in FULL BLOOM, but just take each day, one step at a time and do the best you can! If you paint one, let me see it!

I  wish BLESSINGS to you in 2016...~~charlotte♡