Created by Lonna Lamb, Helping Artist

Lonna is a decorative painter who developed her hobby over the years with the support of her family and her local SDP chapter. Over the years, she has come to consider decorative painting a pure form of relaxation and a valued part of her life. Lonna teaches when asked and creates whenever she can. To view other designs by Lonna, visit her web site at www.lonnasstrokeofart.com

This sweet painted box features a delicate bird’s nest full of bright blue eggs nestled among dogwood blossoms.

DecoArt supplies

Americana Acrylics

• DAO68 Slate Gray
• DAO1 Snow (Titanium) White
• DAO65 Dark Chocolate
• DA155 Soft Black
• DA173 Khaki Tan
• DAO58 Antique White
• DAO4 Sand
• DA297 Sea Glass
• DA256 Sea Breeze
• DA268 Turquoise Blue
• DA286 Terra Coral
• DA267 Poodleskirt Pink
• DA130 Hauser Light Green
• DA131 Hauser Medium Green
• DA157 Black Green

Sealers / Finishes

• Americana DuraClear Matte Varnish

Additional supplies

Surfaces

• Wooden box or other or solid surface of choice

Supplies

• 10/0 liner brush
• #2 round brush
• #4 round brush
• #8 flat brush
• 1/2″ flat brush
• #6 curved flat brush
• #10 curved flat brush
• 3/4″ oval wash brush
• 1/3″ mop brush
• water container
• paper towels
• palette or plastic plate
• graphite transfer paper
• tracing paper
• stylus
• pencil
• fine-point black permanent marker (optional)
• white chalk pencil

Preparation

1. Base surface with Snow (Titanium) White and let dry.
2. Repeat basecoat and while wet, apply some touches of Slate Grey here and there, blending with a slip slap motion using the 3/4″ oval wash brush. Let dry.

Instructions

Border

1. Measure and mark 1/2″ from all edges on surface to create a border. Measure and mark another line 1/2″ inside the first, to create a second border. Basecoat the border areas with Sand.
2. Using the 1/2″ flat brush, thin Terra Coral with water to a transparent color and apply checks on each marked border section, as indicated in the pattern.
3. Add a thin line separating the two borders with Terra Coral. Add a wider line inside the inner border with the same color. Shade with Terra Coral. Highlight with Snow (Titanium) White.

Nest base

1. Trace and transfer the pattern on the surface.
2. Base in the bird nest with Dark Chocolate, applying two coats and letting each coat dry.
3. Deepen the center and bottom outer area with Soft Black, repeating if needed to darken the color.

Eggs

1. Trace and transfer the egg pattern on the surface.
2. Base coat eggs in Sea Glass.
3. Add some speckling with Sea Breeze and Snow White.
4. Shade with Turquoise Blue then deepen with Turquoise Blue, brush-mixed with a touch of Soft Black. Highlight with Snow (Titanium) White.

Nest details

1. Paint nest with #2 and #4 round brushes, alternating with Dark Chocolate, Sand, Antique White, and Khaki Tan.
2. Add a few straw pieces with Turquoise Blue and Slate Grey.
3. Use Soft Black to shade on the bottom part of the nest and deepen shading inside the nest.

Limbs

1. Base limbs with Khaki Tan. Shade with Dark Chocolate then use a tiny bit of Soft Black at the base and to define the cut edges of the limbs’ tops.
2. Streak some Dark Chocolate, Soft Black, Sand, and Slate Grey on the limbs, keeping it very fine line detail.
3. Add some pieces of the straw coming out and over some areas of the limbs.

1. Base leaves with Hauser Medium Green. Shade with a brush mix of Black Green and Soft Black. Highlight with Hauser Light Green.
2. Paint veins with Hauser Light Green going into Dark Chocolate as they connect to the limb.

1. Base flowers with Snow (Titanium) White. Shade centers with Poodleskirt Pink and deepen with Terra Coral.
2. Add a very thin float of Terra Coral on the tips of the petals.
3. Dab in centers with Hauser Medium Green and Black Green mix, then dab in Hauser Light Green and a few dots of Sand.
4. Shade next to the centers on the petals with Hauser Medium Green.
5. Intensify any highlight areas on the flower petals with Snow (Titanium) White.
6. Thin Terra Coral to an inky consistency and use the 10/0 liner to add a few detail lines pulled up into the petals from the centers.
7. Paint stems and calyx the same colors as the leaves.

Finishing touches

1. Seal with two coats of DuraClear Matte Varnish.

Created by Sandy Aubuchon, CDA, Helping Artist

Sandy Aubuchon is an experienced artist who has taught decorative painting for more than 40 years in more than 24 countries. She currently teaches at Creative Painting in Las Vegas and for SDP chapters through Sandy’s Sharing Seminars. Sandy finds great joy and excitement in teaching and regularly takes new classes to hone her craft and keep her inspired.

This cheerful towel holder features an array of Spring blooms that would brighten any kitchen or bathroom.

DecoArt supplies

Traditions Artist Acrylics

• DAT35 Titanium White
• DAT44 Burnt Sienna
• DAT19 Pine Green
• DAT12 Yellow Oxide
• DAT55 Cobalt Blue Hue
• DAT52 Hansa Yellow Medium
• DAT32 Red Violet
• DAT45 Raw Umber
• DAT42 Carbon Black

Traditions Mediums

• DATM07 Light Primer
• DATM02 Extending Medium
• DATM04 Satin Varnish

Additional supplies

Surfaces

• Walnut Hollow towel shelf or solid surface of choice, measuring 8″ x 18″

Supplies

• #4 filbert brush
• 1/2″ flat brush
• 5/0 liner brush
• 1″ flat brush
• water container
• paper towels
• palette or plastic plate
• graphite paper
• tracing paper
• sanding disc
• stylus
• Magic Rub eraser
• fine-point black permanent marker (optional)

Preparation

1. Using the 1″ flat brush, base surface with a mixture of Light Primer and a little Burnt Sienna to create a pretty, peachy, pink color.
2. When dry, sand lightly.
3. Transfer pattern to surface with graphite paper.

Instructions

Leaves

1. With a brush, mix of equal amounts of Pine Green, White, and Yellow Oxide. For variety, add just a touch of Cobalt Blue to give a little different color to a few leaves.

Tulips

1. Base in the back-most petals with a brush mix of equal amounts of White, Yellow Oxide, and Hansa Yellow Medium. Add a touch of Pine Green and apply shadow area. Dry.
2. Dampen and wipe off excess. Fill remaining petals with the White, Yellow Oxide and Hansa Yellow Medium the same base mix. Edge into White and highlight petals edges.
3. Dampen and wipe apply shadow of Raw Sienna pulling from the petal stem area towards the tip of the petals.
4. While still damp lean brush and apply Hansa Yellow for lighter areas of the flower. Dry.
5. Dampen and wipe. Make a line of Burnt Sienna where petal comes out from the stem. Pull out from the stem and pull out about 1/3 length of petals. Dry.
6. Dampen and wipe. Apply final light of Hansa Plus a touch of White if necessary. Detail is White on the liner brush.

Crocuses

1. Paint with Cobalt Blue and just a little White to a medium value. Dry.
2. Dampen and wipe and apply shadow of Cobalt Blue. Dry.
3. Dampen and wipe apply a brush mix of Cobalt Blue and a little Red Violet here and there on the petals.

Other elements

1. Stems are painted with Pine Green, Cobalt Blue and a little White.
2. Pussy Willows are a brush mix of Red Violet, Raw Umber and a little White using the filbert.
3. Calyx is painted with the green from the stems.
4. Dragonflies are done first with Black and a liner brush (or just draw in with a fine-point black permanent marker. When dry, wash with color of choice.

Finishing touches

1. Use eraser to remove any pattern lines.
2. Varnishing with Traditions Satin Varnish.

Welcome Spring with color!

Kick-start your Spring painting with inspiration from our newest Americana colors.

“Americana’s new colors Banana Cream, Spiced Pumpkin, and Cinnamon Drop are artists’ eye candy. New Oyster Beige and Natural Buff, combined with earthy Irish Moss, bring a misty Spring morning to mind”
— Donna Bush, DecoArt senior designer

This cheery outlook can be found in the six new Americana trend shades for 2013. We can’t wait to see what you create with them, so send Rosemary your pictures at rreynolds@decoart.com. We love seeing what you do with our products.

Calling all crafters!

DecoArt is looking for craft designers! We have a need for more “crafty” projects to use on our web site, in brochures and catalogs, and for customer online project ideas. If you would like to participate, please email me at rreynolds@decoart.com with photos of designs created using DecoArt products such as Americana Acrylics, Americana Glass Paint products, DecouPage, Chalkboard Paint and Chalkboard Coating, Ink Effects, SoSoft fabric paints, Dazzling Metallics, or Patio Paint. Make sure to incorporate our stencils, specialty tools, and mediums into your designs.

New ideas for creating visual art

If you’re looking for some inspiration to take your crafting in a new direction, check out this article by Helping Artist Gisèle Grenier, who shares the story of her creative art journaling.

Creative Art Journaling by Gisèle Grenier

Formally, I’m a portraiture artist of people and pets, but on the fun side of my art career, I love to be much more expressive with my art and I’m also a heavy duty art journaler. I have a journaling website and private group called Creative Art Journaling and I also blog heavily about my “fun” art and journaling at ArtPlace.ca. Our journaling group has a primary focus of creating visual art in our artist journals based on a monthly theme and we swap the pages with each other. I recently posted a theme for a monthly journal page creation and a member emailed me privately that she was having some trouble getting started. When I sent her some pictures and words to give her some ideas, she said it clicked in. So I thought, why not create some journal prompts for people to help them get inspired.

At this point, they were going to only be business card size and held together in the top left corner with a fastener. As I started to create the themes (very basic to start and then build them up to be a bit more complex), I realized that a business card-sized prompt card wasn’t going to cut it. As I started to ask more questions to the journaling group and through my blog, I found that there were things that people wanted to learn how to do, so not only would the cards serve as inspirational prompts, but I could also use them to teach some techniques at the same time. I had some amazing 300lb watercolour paper, cut it down to 4″ x 6″ and went from there. The intention was to get people to create the cards, and then bind them with binder rings and in the future if they got stuck on a topic, they could flip to their journal prompts and create a journal page based on that theme. Not only are they painting the prompt based on my lesson, they will then create a page based on that prompt. The prompts can also be used to swap with other people as it’s always interesting to see what someone creates based on your personally created prompt.

From there, things grew. What started out as a small project for a few people has grown into something much larger. With the amazing response I’ve received, a series of prompt cards is currently being developed with the goal being to get people to create visual art in their journal which allows them to be more free to express themselves, instead of feeling like they can’t make a mistake if painting on canvas. In saying that, I create the journal prompt cards in such a way that if someone doesn’t have an art journal, they can create the art on a traditional substrate such as canvas or Masonite. With the way I teach Visual Art Journaling, there are no rules and the only ‘suggestion’ I make is for people to put their spirit and energy into the artwork.

Announcing the winner of our referral contest

Congratulations to Merle Avery, the winner of the Helping Artist referral contest that we launched in our last Helping Artist newsletter. Merle was randomly selected from all the Helping Artists who recommended their fellow artists to the program during the contest period, and she will be receiving a $100.00 Visa gift card as her prize. Thanks to everyone who entered this contest by referring your friends and colleagues to the Helping Artist program. The more artists we have in the program, the more resources you have to share your information, so thanks for helping us grow!

Learn about color schemes and color theory

If you’re ever wondered how to use color theory to help build your color schemes, you may be interested in the latest offering from Traditions Education Coordinator Sue Pruett.

Would you like to advance your color and pigment knowledge? Do you struggle with choosing colors, color schemes, and understanding which colors to use while painting? Learning about color schemes and how they are used in painting will help you see colors that are pleasing to the eye. Every artist needs to know about color theory and paint properties in order to make correct decisions of which colors to use when and how. We have an online course that teaches the fundamentals to acquiring this knowledge.

Once enrolled in the class, students gain access to the online classroom on the AAO website. Here you will find all the class materials such as the supply list, class videos, lessons, and other support materials. As you watch the videos, the teacher helps you prepare for the class, discusses the supplies, and begins the creative process. Students
follow along with the videos and use the printed text lessons as an extra support for the class. Your teacher is always ready to offer suggestions and give feedback to help you understand the course materials.

To learn more about this online art course, visit the course description on the AAO site or contact Sue Pruett via email at suepruett@artapprenticeonline.com

Latest news from Social Artworking

The Social Artworking team has been busy lately with lots of goodies for you — we’ve launched a new online store, updated our website, and released four new designs!

NEW STORE – We’ve made it even easier to get all the supplies you need for your next Social Artworking party. Our new Social Artworking online store is open and ready for business. Everything you need for your next gathering can be conveniently delivered to your front door.

NEW SITE – To go along with the launch of our new online store, the Social Artworking website at www.Social-Artworking.com has gotten a facelift. We’ve made it much easier to find the information you’re looking for about the program and our designs. Visit our site to find a class near you or to find a consultant to lead your party.

NEW DESIGNS – While you’re visiting our site and store, you’re sure to notice the four new designs we’ve just released.

• Scoops Galore – Ice cream parties are timeless. Set up a sundae bar, have a milkshake machine going, and welcome summer with this tasty design. Perfect for a kid’s birthday party, Girl Scout troop, or church social.
• Whimsical Tree – A moonlight glow emits from this whimsical tree canvas. Plan an evening of soft music, red wine, and crudites. Sit back and enjoy good conversation while painting.
• Going Dutch – The Dutch have given us many painting masters, including Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Celebrate this long tradition of masterful artists by paying homage to other dutch icons — the tulip and windmill. Serve a native Dutch drink, Jenever, sure to be something different and fun for your guests. Dutch chocolates and pastries will have your guests planning a vacation to Holland.
• Proud as a Peacock – This peacock boasts a full plumage. Deep, saturated colors define this proud bird. Create a table centerpiece using feathers, and have your linens match the color scheme. Cheese plates and red wines will complement the regal feel of this design. Ideal for a wedding shower or signature birthday celebration.

Are you considering teaching beginner painting classes?

Let DecoArt help make teaching easy for you with our new beginner painting concept, called “Come Paint with Us”. Decorative painting is an easy-to-teach method, and learning the basic brushstrokes is the key to help your students succeed and feel like they have accomplished something they thought they never could.

To learn more about this exciting new painting program, visit the Come Paint With Us website.

DecoArt will be at SDP’s Frolic on the Fox

Have you made your plans to attend Frolic on the Fox, SDP’s 41st International Conference and Expo? It will be held in St. Charles, Illinois from May 13th – 18th, 2013.

Conference registration is open online at www.decorativepainters.org.

DecoArt will be at the conference, so please stop by our booth to check out all the new products for 2013 and pick up a new DecoArt catalog.

Do you “Like” us on Facebook?

We love to stay in touch with all of our Helping Artists, and the DecoArt Facebook page is one of our favorite ways to do that. Please “Like” us so you can here the latest news from us. And we love to hear from all of you through Facebook, too!

Stop by and visit us today at www.facebook.com/DecoArtAcrylicPaints

Get the most out of the Helping Artist website

Remember that the Helping Artist website is here to help you, but you’ve got to participate to get the most out of it. Log in to your account to be sure your bio is up to date, and make sure all your upcoming teaching seminars are listed. Lots of budding artists are viewing this site on a regular basis, so don’t miss out on the free advertisement that your profile gives you!

Acting on a dare from her son, Gisèle took her first art class and learned as much about painting as she did about teaching. Inspired by that class and her crafty upbringing (her mother was a woodworker and her sister was into ceramics), she absorbed as much instruction as she could from various sources and was hooked.

While she does paint a variety of subjects, Gisèle loves nothing more than creating artwork featuring animals. She enjoys both format art and creating mixed media works, a broad scope that allows her to always be experimenting and learning something. She teaches online at Art Place and chronicles her art and processes on her Creative Chaos blog.

How did you get started painting?
I got started in art on a dare from my son who was a little troublemaker at the time. We were at his school, signing him up for something. I saw the continuing education course listing and he dared me to take a class. I guess he thought I would say no because, in his words, I was “too old to go back to school”. I signed up and although that class was the worst art class I’ve ever taken, from that point forward, that’s where my artistic adventure started.

What type of painting do you do?
I started with painting wildlife and landscapes and did that for years. As the demand got stronger, I started to learn more towards portraiture work of people and pets in acrylics, oils, and graphite. I also make it a point to create art of different subjects and themes in my artist journal every day so I don’t get stuck in a rut.

What has been your biggest challenge?
Fitting in personal time to keep learning, playing, and exploring art outside of professional work.

When did you start using DecoArt products?
I started using DecoArt products when I started watching Jerry Yarnell on TV.

What impact do DecoArt’s products have on your work/life?
I never have to worry about the quality of materials used when creating my art pieces and feel at ease knowing the painting will be in excellent condition in 100 years. The wide variety of materials available also allows me to explore my creativity and to work with young children, teens, and learning adults, knowing the materials are safe.

How long have you been a Helping Artist?
I’ve been a Helping Artist for nearly 10 years.

What has been your best and brightest moment as a blogger?
Seeing the smiles on a students face when they’ve finished a piece of art.

What’s your favorite DecoArt product?
This is a hard one to answer as it changes with the project being done. Professionally, the Traditions line is my favourite, but when it comes to my more creative pieces, I also love Texture Fierro, One-step Crackle, Dimensional Effects, Glamour Dust, and Dazzling Metallics. The list goes on and on — I love anything that is textured and shiny that allows me to visually show energy.

What has been your greatest success, so far?
Being a full-time artist who has exhibited in galleries.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’m not quite sure, as I don’t plan further than a week ahead, but if I had to guess, I would be doing the same thing because art is my life. I would like to be in a position to have the time to create more art to use for animal rescue fundraising.

Who is your favorite artist, and why?
That one is easy — Buck Paulson. It wasn’t until I was going through my Alexander certification and studying the work of Buck Paulson that I learned to put my spirit and energy into my art. Without that, your art is boring and mechanical. He is a wonderful friend and amazing artist. Without him, I would not be where I am today.

Contact information:
Website: www.giselegrenier.com/

Two years ago, when she started refashioning and upcycling things, Morena really found her passion for crafting. She started sharing her projects on Facebook, and friends started asking how she made things. Encouraged by this she began regularly posting tutorials.

So excited that her projects have been so well received, Morena is honored to be able to share with this great online crafting community that she has learned so much from. You can follow Morena’s blogs and posts at: www.morenascorner.com

How did you get started painting?
I can’t remember when I wasn’t crafting. My dad was an awesome DIYer and my mom is a professional seamstress, so I was involved in many of their projects. As an elementary school teacher, I incorporated crafts into as many lessons as possible.

I really caught the crafting bug when my husband and I were stationed in Japan. I took several Japanese craft classes and fell in love with washi crafts. Between trips to Japanese craft stores (amazing places!) and the unbelievable 100 Yen stores, I was never short on inspiration or supplies.

It was when we bought our house two years ago and I started refashioning and upcycling things that I found my passion. I started sharing some of my projects on Facebook, and friends started asking how I made things. I was encouraged by this and began regularly posting tutorials. I’m tickled that my projects have been so well received, and I’m honored to be able to share with this great online crafting community that I’ve learned so much from!

What type of painting do you do?
I’m a general crafter. I enjoy turning thrifted or dollar store items into knock-offs. I love it when I see an item in a store or catalog and manage to recreate it in my own style!

What has been your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge comes from the fact that I am a “big picture” person and not terribly detail-oriented in the planning stages. Once I have an idea, I am so excited that I will rush into it and figure it out as I go along. This means that I often don’t have something that I need or that I measure incorrectly. It usually forces me to be creative and find a solution, but it also causes me to lose a lot of time!

When did you start using DecoArt products?
I’ve been using DecoArt’s crafter’s acrylic paints for as long as I’ve been crafting, so that would be over 20 years! I love the range of colors available and the incredible coverage.

What impact do DecoArt’s products have on your work/life?
DecoArt’s products allow me to recreate almost anything I want to. I’m not a jeweler or a potter, but DecoArt’s finishes and paints allow me to create faux metallic and ceramic finishes. I can truly unleash my creativity because I’m not limited when I have products like texture pastes and metallic glazes at my disposal.

How long have you been a member of the Blogger Outreach Program?
I’ve been a member of the program for a little over four months, and I still feel like I need to pinch myself because I must be dreaming. It’s a huge honor to be a part of this incredible program.

What has been your best and brightest moment as a blogger?
Last summer my license plate art piece won the second week of DecoArt’s Summer of Americana contest. That was one of my first major wins as a crafter, and it came at a point when my confidence was wavering. To have my work recognized by a group of crafters who I admire greatly was incredibly validating.

What’s your favorite DecoArt product?
This question is like asking me to pick a favorite child. Ha! Currently, I am crazy about the various textures, especially the crackle paintable texture. I love that I can start with an inexpensive base, like recycled glass or cardboard, and transform it into something completely different with the texture paste.

What has been your greatest success, so far?
My greatest success thus far is being invited to write for other successful blogs. I am a member of the design team at Crafts Unleashed and am a contributing writer at Dollar Store Crafts. They have allowed me to realize my dream of crafting as a career.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself as a craft instructor and regular contributor to major blogs and craft publications. I love to craft and I love to teach, so I plan to continue on this path that I’ve just begun.

Who is your favorite artist, and why?
There are several mixed media artists who I admire, but my favorite would have to be Giuseppina “Josie” Cirincione. Her book, Collage Lost and Found, inspired me to move from card making into mixed media. I absolutely love her style, which mixes funky vintage images with Italian culture and language.

Contact information:
Website: Morena’s Corner
Email: morenascorner@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MorenasCorner
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/morenita
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MorenasCorner

As we start to look forward to the sunny days of Spring, remember that product orders for upcoming classes should be placed 4-6 weeks ahead of time, to be sure they arrive in time. It’s easy with our online order form.

New products and colors for 2013

DecoArt is releasing many exciting new products and colors for 2013, including six new colors of Americana Acrylics.

Visit the What’s New section of DecoArt.com to view the amazing and inspiring new products and colors for you to design, teach and publish with.

You’ll be able to request samples using our online order form for all these new products in early March of 2013, with the exception of the new Multi-Surface paint line, which will be available in April.

Win big with our new referral contest!

Do you know someone else who loves to teach? If you refer a fellow teacher or publishing artist to the Helping Artist program between January 21 and March 1, 2013, and they qualify for the program, you will receive the full set of new Americana colors for 2013. Your name will also be put into a drawing for a regional prize for a $100.00 Visa gift card.

So start telling everyone about the exciting benefits of applying and becoming a DecoArt Helping Artist for fantastic prizes! To be entered in the drawing, make sure your referral puts your name in the “Who referred you” box on their application.

Social Artworking teaching opportunity

Looking for a fun way to earn some extra money? A large crafting company is looking for individuals interested in teaching Social Artworking in its stores and at nearby locations. If you have not contacted us in the past about your availability to teach and are interested, please contact your Helping Artist coordinator, Rosemary Reynolds, at (800) 367-3047 ext. 5073 or rreynolds@decoart.com.

How to organize your painting space

Are you looking for some tips for keeping your craft space organized and neat? Helping Artist Gisele Pope shared some of her tips for creative organization to help inspire you to start the new year off with a workspace that can serve to inspire you as much as the supplies themselves do.

Creative Organization by Gisele Pope

Are your supplies a little out of hand? As Artists we tend to use lots of supplies in our creative process and it makes it difficult to keep everything contained and at our fingertips. I am lucky in that I have a large studio space in my home, but I also have lots of things to store and I think that it is seems less stressful to me to organize my things if I can make it handy and “cute”.

I love pegboard for because it can be reconfigured to fit all of the goodies I collect as I grow as an artist. I found the great plastic hanging boxes at a thrift shop. They organize and hold my fabric paints, glass paints, paint rollers and wood findings. You might want to watch for stores going out of business in your area for pegboard and the hanging bins and accessories.

This wonderful blueprint cabinet came from an auction and I have it stuffed with my tools, tracing paper, pencils and pens, and various art supplies. I found the smaller style at a garage sale and I use to store graphite paper, cutting tools, templates, magnets and ink supplies.

Re-purposed vases, metal lunch boxes and bowls can make even the messiest area look tidy and fun.

Learn to use Traditions Artist Acrylics

Those of you who have thought about working with Traditions Artist Acrylics but weren’t sure where to start will be glad to hear about a new offering from Traditions Education Coordinator Sue Pruett.

Have your tried painting with the Traditions Artist Acrylics? If not we have an excellent opportunity to get you started. DecoArt has partnered with Art Apprentice Online, the leaders in online art classes, to create an education program that will teach you not only how to use the paints, but also a comprehensive curriculum you can teach to your students. Online classes are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can be taken from the comfort of your own home. Each of the 26 paintings includes video so you have the teacher always with you. SDP members receive a 20% discount on all classes.

In order to be certified as a teacher, an artist must complete each of the lessons of the course and will receive a certificate at the end of the course. If all objectives of the course have been met, those who wish to teach may do so after the first half of the course is completed. For more information about this program, please contact Sue Pruett via email at suepruett@artapprenticeonline.com

Do you “Like” us on Facebook?

We love to stay in touch with all of our Helping Artists, and the DecoArt Facebook page is one of our favorite ways to do that. Please “Like” us so you can here the latest news from us. And we love to hear from all of you through Facebook, too!

Stop by and visit us today at www.facebook.com/DecoArtAcrylicPaints

Get the most out of the Helping Artist website

Remember that the Helping Artist website is here to help you, but you’ve got to participate to get the most out of it. Log in to your account to be sure your bio is up to date, and make sure all your upcoming teaching seminars are listed. Lots of budding artists are viewing this site on a regular basis, so don’t miss out on the free advertisement that your profile gives you!

Created by Deb Antonick, Helping Artist

Deb Antonick is a Canadian artist whose love of painting started in the late 1990s. She has taught classes at Michaels for five years and in the last two years, her passion has grown into designing and publishing. Inspired by Terrye French, Deb is part of a large group of worldwide designers who publish their designs at www.paintingwithfriends.blogspot.com

This whimsical table runner features a family of loving snowpeople, sharing a sweet hug among the falling snowflakes.

DecoArt supplies

SoSoft Fabric Paint

• DSS83 Ivory
• DSS01 White
• DSS58 Baby Blue Deep
• DSS13 True Blue
• DSS38 Soft Red
• DSS78 Crimson
• DSS93 Bittersweet Orange
• DSS87 Wisteria
• DSS32 Dioxazine Purple
• DSS92 Bright Yellow

SoSoft Fine Glitter

• DSSG08 Purple Passion
• DSSG10 Celebration Pink
• DSSG03 Sizzling Red
• DSSG04 Tiger Orange
• DSSG11 Sapphire Blue
• DSSG09 Ice Crystal

SoSoft Mediums

• DSF1 Transparent Medium

Additional supplies

Surfaces

• MR Design Collection table runner (available from www.country-bear-wood.com)

Supplies

• #2 flat brush
• #6 flat brush
• #12 flat brush
• 1/4″ angle shader brush
• 1/2″ angle shader brush
• water container
• palette or plastic plate
• fine-point black permanent marker (like Identi-Pen or Sharpie)
• graphite paper
• tracing paper
• stylus
• paper towels

Preparation

1. If your table runner material is not already suitable for painting (or if you are unsure of your surface), wash and dry the fabric before use. Do not us any fabric softener in the washer or the dryer, as doing so will create a coating on the fabric.
2. Iron the fabric flat.
3. Trace the design onto the fabric with graphite paper. Be sure to trace all the design elements.
4. Use fine-point marker to ink the design.

Instructions

Snowmen bodies

1. Starting with the first snowman’s head, take a clean 1/2″ angle shader brush and dip it into the Transparent Medium, then coat the whole head. This is a clear medium, so it is OK to go over the edges.
2. With the brush still wet with the medium, pick up a little bit of Ivory and basecoat the head. Try not to cover the nose or any other elements that will end up a different color. Try not to cover up the inked lines, although they can always be touched up later after the project is completed and dry.
3. The basecoat does not need to be perfect, and allowing the background to show through adds to the finished look.
4. Once you have basecoated the head with Ivory, corner load the same brush with Baby Blue Deep and shade the left side of the head. Pat the shading in softly to blend.
5. Clean the brush with water and dry well with paper towel.
6. Dress the brush with Transparent Medium, corner load into the White, and float the highlight on the right side of the snowman’s head. Pat to blend.
7. Deepen the Baby Blue Deep shading now with True Blue.
8. Brighten the White highlights with more White.
9. After the head is complete, repeat the process for each part of the snowman’s body.
10. Repeat the steps above for the other two smaller snowmen.

Snowmen faces

1. Softly pat in the cheeks with soft red.
2. Basecoat the nose with Bittersweet Orange, then shade with Crimson.
3. Dot the eyes and mouth with Lamp Black. Dot the cheeks and add a sparkle in the eyes with White.

Scarf

1. Referring to the photo for color placement, basecoat the wider stripes with Dioxazine Purple.
2. Basecoat the narrow stripes with Bright Yellow, and shade with Bittersweet Orange.
3. Dot the scarf fringe with Dioxazine Purple. While the dots are still wet, lightly and quickly drag a brush through the dots to create the fringe. Using Wisteria, add a smaller dot to the middle of the first dots.

Buttons

1. Referring to the photo for color placement, basecoat one button on each snowman with Bright Yellow. Shade with Crimson and highlight with White.
2. Again referring to the photo for color placement, basecoat one button on each snowman with Baby Blue Deep. Shade with True Blue and highlight with White.
3. Basecoat remaining buttons with Wisteria. Shade with Dioxazine Purple and highlight with White.

Hearts

1. Basecoat all the hearts (including the necklaces) with Soft Red. Shade with Crimson. Float a highlight in the upper right corners with White.

Frosty effect

1. Mix a small amount of White and very little of the Transparent Medium on brush to create an almost drybrush effect.
2. Using the photo as a guide, drybrush white on the snowman bodies, especially the bottoms of the snowmen.
3. Drybrush a white highlight on the scarf and the upper right corner of the buttons and the hearts.

Glitter

1. Using the coordinating SoSoft Fine Glitter, float over all of the shading. Dress the brush first in Transparent Medium and then pick up the glitter. The Ice Crystal really makes the bodies sparkle.
2. Add a little color into the background by first brushing a good amount of the Transparent Medium onto the background then brushing a little bit of glitter into the medium. When it dries, it only leaves a hint of color.

Snowflakes

1. Draw in all the snowflakes and snow with the fine-point marker.
2. Add dots of White to small flakes and points of large flakes.

Border

1. With a ruler and the fine-point marker, draw a 1/2″ border around the table runner. Draw in 1/2″ checks.
2. Basecoat the checks, alternating between White and Baby Blue Deep.

Helpful Hints

Use the “shading dots” on the pattern as a guide for shading.

It is important to not use water for this project, but use Transparent Medium instead. Your brush will be dressed in the medium during the whole painting process. The only time you’ll use water is to clean your brushes between colors.

The project is painted using the wet-on-wet process so you will be painting (basecoat, shade, and highlight) each element separately (head, arm, etc.) Very little paint is required — a little goes a long way.

Everyone at DecoArt joins together in wishing you and your families the most wonderful holiday season and healthy and happy New Year.

Your continued dedication and loyalty to DecoArt and our products continues to be overwhelming and humbling. May you find peace, love and joy in this season and in the coming year.

DecoArt’s 12 Days of Christmas

Have you been following our “12 Days of Christmas” ornament series? In case you haven’t had a chance yet, check out our Twelve Days of Christmas site to see all the ornament designs we’ve shared.

Each of these ideas includes a video tutorial, step-by-step instructions, and any necessary patterns. We’ve also got a big collection of other project tutorials on the site, ready for you to create pieces like wreaths, serving trays, and other decorative items.

Project idea: Christmas Doorbell

If you’re looking for a last minute gift or decorating idea for Christmas, we have a great project for you.

Chris Thornton-Deason’s Christmas doorbell is a fun and delightful piece that we’re sure you will enjoy painting. It makes a charming decoration when hung on a door knob. Take a look at the project page for full instructions.

Project idea: Christmas Keepsake Box

If you’re looking for a way to store your cherished memorabilia from the season, look no further than the elegant Christmas Keepsake Box created by Brazilian artist Gedinelson Ribeiro.

Featuring sheet music and poinsettias, this piece has lots of Americana Acrylic color painted and stamped on a wooden box to create a special place for all those holiday photographs. You’ll find full instructions for creating this box on the project page.

Holiday tips

This time of year can be stressful, so we would like to share a few tips to help you get through the holiday season with as few headaches as possible.

• Organization does wonders, so plan ahead.
• Know when to say “No” and when to ask for help.
• Forget perfection! Stop obsessing over doing it right.
• Give up the guilt and give yourself a break. Relax, read a book, and enjoy your own company. Eat that extra piece of pie!
• Laugh out loud! Laugh like crazy! It actually reduces stress and is very therapeutic.
• Do something un-materialistic this season. Remember the holidays aren’t just about shopping.
• Take the time to hug those closest to you.
• In the spirit of the season, give something that is priceless — your compassion and forgiveness.
• Last but not least — PAINT SOMETHING!

Holiday recipe: Ham Dip

Your very own Helping Artist Coordinator, Rosemary Reynolds, wanted to share her famous ham dip recipe with you in case you want to try something new to serve at your holiday party. It has all the qualities that make for a great recipe — it’s fast, easy, and delicious!

Do you “Like” us on Facebook?

We love to stay in touch with all of our Helping Artists, and the DecoArt Facebook page is one of our favorite ways to do that. Please “Like” us so you can here the latest news from us. And we love to hear from all of you through Facebook, too!

Stop by and visit us today at www.facebook.com/DecoArtAcrylicPaints

Get the most out of the Helping Artist website

Remember that the Helping Artist website is here to help you, but you’ve got to participate to get the most out of it. Log in to your account to be sure your bio is up to date, and make sure all your upcoming teaching seminars are listed. Lots of budding artists are viewing this site on a regular basis, so don’t miss out on the free advertisement that your profile gives you!

Created by Gedinelson Ribeiro, Helping Artist

Brazilian artist Gedinelson (Gê) Claude Ribeiro was born in Quatiguá, Brazil. While he showed his artistic inclination even as a child, he did not work as an artist until 2009 when he became interested in decorative painting. Although largely self-taught, Ribeiro gives seminars throughout Brazil including classes at Rio de Janeiro Decorative Painting Convention, the Decorative Arts Convention of Rio Grande do Sul, and the decorative painting week organized by Artistas do Mundo. He has also taught in Venezuela and Argentina. Ribeiro is a member of the Society of Decorative Painters in the US and has published more than 30 designs in nine magazines. Knowledgeable about many decorative painting techniques, Ribeiro’s work includes oil on canvas, watercolors, paint on fabric, and drawing with graphite.

This elegant Christmas keepsake box features sheet music and lots of Americana Acrylic color painted and stamped on a wooden box to create a special place for those holiday photographs.

DecoArt supplies

Americana Acrylics

• DAO1 Snow (Titanium) White
• DAO22 Burgundy Wine
• DAO64 Burnt Umber
• DAO67 Lamp (Ebony) Black
• DA143 True Ochre
• DA147 Antique Green
• DA170 Santa Red
• DA173 Khaki Tan
• DA174 Milk Chocolate
• DA222 Traditional Raw Sienna

Sealers / Finishes

• DAS13 Americana Spray Sealer, Matte

Additional supplies

Surfaces

• 8.4″ square wooden box with lid

Supplies

• sheet music
• #12 round brush
• #16 angular brush
• 10/0 liner brush
• sponge roller brush
• cosmetic sponge
• 200-grit sandpaper
• soft cloth
• water container
• paper towels
• palette or plastic plate
• one sheet 8″ x 11″ paper
• masking tape
• toothbrush
• Invent Arte stamps, codes C068, C061, C060, C013, C067, C059, C029 (available from http://loja.inventartes.com)

Instructions

Box lid

1. With sponge roller brush, basecoat box lid Snow White.
2. Add wash of True Ochre using round # 12 brush all over lid. (Be careful not to darken it too much.) Allow to dry.
3. Add another wash of Milk Chocolate, creating spots of this color in some areas and on border of lid. (Avoid space where sheet music will be placed.) Let dry.
4. When all washes are completely dry, sand with 200-grit sandpaper.
5. Remove dust with soft cloth. (Do not sand excessively to avoid losing all color.)
6. Tear paper so one border is irregularly shaped and adhere to one side of box using it as stencil to mask area. (Do not discard paper yet.)
7. Randomly add designs with rubber stamps number: C068, C061, C060, C013, and C067 using Burnt Umber.
8. Wet cosmetic sponge with Burnt Umber and sponge on border of paper, applying darker tones close to paper and blending outwards.
9. Remove paper.
10. Using rubber stamp C059, stamp on opposite side of sheet music three times.
11. Apply wash of Traditional Raw Sienna, creating some spots.
12. Using rubber stamp C029 loaded with Lamp Black, stamp inside sheet music. (Start above and repeat until end of picture.)
13. With #16 angular brush, float inside petals on both sides using Santa Red. Let dry and then do shadows of lower petals with Burgundy Wine.
14. Float inside leaves with Antique Green. Let dry.
15. When dry, float Burnt Umber shadows below petals.
16. Do Lamp Black shadow below sheet music.
17. Load Lamp Black on liner brush to outline torn areas of sheet music.
18. With angular brush and Khaki Tan highlight some breaks of picture.
19. Reinforce all contours of flowers with liner brush loaded with Lamp Black.

Box bottom

1. Paint outside of box bottom Burnt Umber.
2. Paint inside of box Santa Red. Let dry.
3. Apply dots of Khaki Tan to inside of box, splattering them with toothbrush.
4. To finish, randomly stamp in box with rubber stamps. Let dry.

Finishing details

1. Seal with several coats of Americana Matte Spray Sealer, allowing to dry between coats.

Created by Chris Thornton-Deason, Helping Artist

Chris Thornton-Deason has been passionate about decorative painting since 1981, and credits her artistic ability to her family genes and childhood activities. An experienced designer, Chris was honored to have one of her designs taught to 60,000 people in the Society of Decorative Painting’s Learn to Paint program in 2000. She is an accomplished publisher of numerous books, magazines, and videos.

This cheerful painted jingle bell is a fun addition to any Christmas décor, and makes a charming door decoration when hung on a doorknob.

DecoArt supplies

SoSoft Fabric Paint

• DSS47 Hauser Light Green
• DSS36 Ultra White
• DSS94 Dark Rose
• DSS98 Olive Green
• DSS75 Apple Green
• DSS95 Wine

SoSoft Fine Glitter

• DSSG09 Ice Crystal
• DSSG05 Limelight
• DSSG10 Celebration Pink
• DSSG03 Sizzling Red

SoSoft Mediums

• DSF1 Transparent Medium

Traditions Brushes

• TB12 #0 Liner
• TB31 #4 Flat
• TB34 #10 Flat

Additional supplies

Surfaces

• 8″ burgundy suede bell (available from www.ChrisThorntonDesigns.com)

Supplies

• water container
• palette or plastic plate
• paper towels
• white transfer paper
• tracing paper
• rhinestones (3mm and 6mm)
• craft glue

Instructions

Pattern

1. Apply the pattern using white transfer paper. Repeat three times around the bell.
2. Using the #1 liner do all of the tole strokes in Ultra White.
3. Using the #4 flat for the berries and the #10 flat for the holly leaves, apply one coat of Ultra White to all. This will keep the burgundy of the bell from bleeding through.

Holly leaves

1. Basecoat the holly leaves in Hauser Light Green using the #10 flat.
2. Dampen the #10 flat with Transparent Medium and float the shadows with Olive Green. First float the shadows dividing the leaves, then across the bottom of each leaf and last through the center of each leaf.
3. Add a touch of Wine to the Olive Green and deepen the shadows at the base of the leaves using the #10 flat.
4. Float the highlights across the top and through the center with a mix of equal parts Hauser Light Green and Apple Green using the #10 flat.
5. Brighten the highlights here and there with a float of Green Apple using the #10 flat.

Berries

1. Basecoat the berries in Dark Rose using the #4 flat
2. Dampen the #4 flat with Transparent Medium and float the shadows with Wine.
3. Highlight with touches of Ultra White plus a touch of Dark Rose.

Snowflakes

1. Using the #1 liner do the snowflakes in a mix of equal parts Ultra White and Dark Rose dot the ends using the stylus.

Finishing details

1. Using the #1 liner, apply Ice Crystal to the tole strokes and Celebration Pink to the snowflakes.
2. Using the #4 flat, add touches of Limelight to the holly leaves and Sizzling red to the berries.

Helpful Hint

Throughout the project you will dampen the brush with Transparent Medium to float. Using Transparent Medium instead of water will keep the paint from bleeding out into the bell.