Christmas - a Craft for the Season!

I love Christmas and crafting, so what better time of the year to enjoy both! The simple nativity scene above is easy and inexpensive to craft for yourself and as gifts to share the "reason for the season!"

The photo above will show the basic design which is made out of the following supplies:

- 1" x 1" wood for the bodies of Joseph and Mary. Cut (1) 4 inches long for Joseph and (1) 3 inches long for Mary.

- 1/4" x 3/4" craft wood (2 inches long for Baby Jesus

- (2) inch ball knobs for Joseph's and Mary's heads

- (1) 1/2 inch diameter dowel cap for Baby Jesus's head

- Small piece of burlap approximatly 4" x 6" for Mary's shawl

- 18 - 24 inch piece of jute to wrap the figures together

- Wood glue to hold pieces together

- Paint (color of your choice). I used green for Joseph and burgundy red for Mary, flesh color for the heads, and burnt sienna for an antique wash

See photo below of supplies.

Assemble the pieces as illustrated below.

Glue figures together AFTER placing the shawl on Mary. Glue shawl on where the pieces meet in the front. The back part of the shawl is wrapped with the jute. Glue Baby Jesus in place.

Wrap with the jute and make any adjustments needed to the shawl.

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ The Lord.

Pallet Christmas Tree

There are so many wonderful uses for pallets....from signs to Christmas trees! Yes, Christmas trees.....see the steps below for making a pallet Christmas tree.

Step 1
Select your pallet. For any pallets that will be used indoors, be certain to determine whether or not the pallet may have been treated with chemicals that may release harmful gases. I usually try to obtain a pallet that was used to transport food items. There are regulations for treatments that can be used for foods, which would make the pallet safe for indoor use.

Step 2

After selecting the pallet, cut it down into the shape of a Christmas tree, see photo below. I left both sides on the bottom section to make a base. The other boards were removed from the back, however the board running down the center was left in place.

Step 3
Select the color paint you would like to use. I selected green and used a "sample" size container of paint from Lowe's. Use a large brush, apply the paint. Since I like a "worn" look, I used only 1 coat of paint and allowed the wood to show through in some areas.

Select the "saying" for the tree and using either stencils or computer lettering you have transferred, paint the letters in a contrasting color. In my case, another sample size container of paint from Lowe's - in red.

Step 4
To complete the tree, I painted a star in yellow on the top, hammered nails in the 5 points and wrapped with jute. I wanted to display my tree outside, so I purchased a 100 count string of white lights and wound around the tree!

Step 5
Set up in the location of your choice and enjoy!

Until next blog, Happy Painting!

Karen

Fall is Craft Time!

Although my blog is mainly for fine arts, specifically watercolor painting, sometimes I share other crafts. I have recently been lucky enough to get several old pallets that I am using for several crafts. Today I will show you a great use for pallet boards for seasonal crafting fun!

I took one pallet apart (with help from my husband). Pallets are hard to take apart and still have salvageable pieces of wood. This pallet had been left outside in the weather for quite a while, so the wood was "antiqued" - just like I wanted.

My project today is a seasonal "harvest" sign. I selected a piece of pallet wood and used sandpaper to remove any extremely rough edges. I like the rough, worn look, so I only sanded lightly.

I painted the front side only in a bright orange using acrylic paints. Allow to dry. I wanted a seasonal sign for fall to use through Thanksgiving. So, I decided on the word "Harvest." Any word of your choice and any font will work. I saw a font I liked on a card and simply copied it. To be certain of the placement, I cut a piece of paper the same size as the sign and printed my word on it first. Once I had the spacing like I wanted, I transferred the letters to my pallet board. Since the surface is so rough, it is difficulty to do. Use a pencil and draw your letters on the pallet. Press lightly with the pencil and any errors can be erased. Once you have the placement correct, use an old brush to paint the letters

Caution: Be certain to use an old brush. The surface of the wood will ruin a good brush for painting.

I used a dark brown color paint in keeping with my harvest theme!

Until next blog -
Happy Painting!
Karen

Red Rocks of Sedona - Part 6

With our background and rocks painted, it is now time to add some details. I want the red rocks to be the dominate feature in this painting; therefore, I will not use detailed trees or yucca plants.

The yucca plants in the foreground will be the last step in this painting. The trees at the base of the rocks will be painted next.

Prepare the following paints:

- Deep Green mixed from Indigo and Sap Green
- Light Yellow/Green mixed from Sap Green and Light Yellow
- Sepia for trunks/branches

Using a small, dry sea sponge, pick up a little paint and using the painting above as a guide, dab in the foliage working across the horizon and varying the heights of the trees. Use a mix of both shades of green. When dry, add a small truck/branches using a liner brush and the sepia. Allow to dry.

Using the same mix of light green and a flat brush, add grasses working from the horizon to the foreground.

See close up photo below for details.

Painting the base of the Yucca plants:

Use a round brush and the following colors of paint:

- Sepia
- Yellow Green used above

Using clean paint and the round brush, paint in the shape of the bottom of the yucca plants. While wet, drop in the sepia and pull to the lower part of the plant and drop in the yellow green in the top part of the plant.. Allow the paints to blend and using the round brush, paint the foliage using sweeping strokes. Allow to dry. If the color is not as intense as you would like, repeat.

Remove the masking from the yucca blooms using an eraser.

Using a pale wash of the yellow green, add some color to some areas of the blooms, but not to all. Allow the majority of the bloom to remain unpainted.

Add the stems/stalks of the yuccas using a small round brush and wash of both green and sepia. Let the colors vary slight.

Add some darker areas to the base of the scrub brush in the background.

Allow to dry and check for any additional details you would like to add.

Sign your name - your painting is complete!

Happy Painting!
Karen

Red Rocks of Sedona - Part 5

The foreground grasses are painted in this next step The ground is a yellow orange clay/sand mix with touches of grass, rocks and scrub brush. There are trees in the distance and yucca plants scattered in the foreground.

Prepare a wash of the following colors:

-Burnt Sienna
-Medium Yellow
-Cadmium Orange Light
-Sap Green

Wet the area of the painting from the bottom of the large rocks to the bottom of the page with clean water. While the paper is still wet, apply a light wash of Medium Yellow and add Burnt Sienna and Cadmium orange in areas as you paint from the top to the bottom of the paper. Allow areas of the yellow to show through. Drop in areas of a mix of Sap Green and Medium Yellow. This will be a pale, yellow green. Refer to the picture for location. Allow to dry.

Wet the area at the top of the foreground where it meets the large rocks with a #6 round brush and clean water. Dip the brush in the wash of Burnt Sienna and paint across the line where the rocks and foreground meet. Allow the water to pull the paint down into the foreground area. Do not make this a straight line. We will add trees to the front of this. But this line will "ground" the large rocks.

Next blog, we'll paint the trees and the yucca plants in the foreground.

Until next time....

Happy Painting!
Karen

Red Rocks of Sedona - Part 4

The next step is to paint the large rock formation in the center. These rocks are painted using the same basic colors as the rocks on the right side, only using different intensities. Prepare a wash of the following:

Indian Red
Burnt Sienna
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue

Wet the entire area of rock with clean water and allow to dry until the paper is no longer shiny, but still wet.

Using a light wash of Indian Red, paint the entire rock area using a large round bush or a flat brush - which ever you are more comfortable using. I used a #10 round brush. While the first coat of Indian Red is wet, drop deeper shades of Indian Red into specific areas to create shadows, and add movement to the rock.

Add additional colors that vary in intensity from light to dark of true colors and mixes of the above colors referring to the photo for shape and color.

Allow to dry and look at the rock formation to determine areas that may need to be deepened. Use a dry brush, if desired to add texture to the rock.

Next blog, we will work on the foreground sand and grassy areas.

Until then......

Happy Painting!
Karen

Red Rocks of Sedona - Part 3

Background mountains and trees are painted next. To paint the rock formations and mountains in the distance, prepare the paints you will need before starting to paint.

To paint the rocks/mountains on the right side, prepare a wash of the following colors:

Indian Red
Burnt Sienna
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue

Wet the area to be painted using clean water and allow to dry until the paper is no longer shiny, but still wet. Using a light wash of Indian Red and a large round brush, apply to the entire background rock formation. While this color is still wet, drop in Burnt Sienna and Indian Red in the bottom area to deepen the color as well as a few spots in the upper areas. Drop in areas of violet mixed from Alizarin Crimson and Ultramarine Blue. Refer to the picture for color placement. Allow to dry.

To paint the trees and background mountains on the left side, add the following colors to you pallet:

Sap Green
Hooker's Green Deep
Yellow Ochre

Apply clean water to the mountain/tree area and allow to dry until no longer shiny. While the paper is still wet, paint the mountain area using a wash of violet used in the mountains on the right and Indian Red. While these colors are still wet, drop in several shades of green including one dark green mixed by adding Ultramarine Blue to one of the greens. Also, drop in Yellow Ochre in and around the trees. Add shapes to the tops of the trees by paining the tree tops into the sky area. Allow to dry.

Next blog, we'll tackle the large red rock formation in the center. Until next time,

Happy Painting!
Karen

Red Rocks of Sedona - Part 2

Foreground and Yucca Plants:
The basic painting has been sketched in and now I plan to add some detail to the yucca plants in the foreground. See sketch above.

I drew in a little more detail for the stems and flowers. Since the yucca flower is mostly white, I will need to mask off the areas that need to remain white.

I used artist masking fluid to mask off these areas. For those of you who have never masked or may need a little refresher, the following are basic tips on masking:

- Use an old brush or one specifically put aside for masking. The masking compound is rubberized fluid which is difficult to remove from a brush and could ruin a brush for other uses. I use an "old" #6 round brush for most of my masking; and if I need a finer line, I use the tip of a toothpick However, for more precise masking, brushes can be bought specifically for that purpose. I am an Impressionist painter, so I don't need the precision of a finer brush.

- Dip the brush into a small container of liquid soap. This will coat the bristles and prevent or reduce the damage to the brush. It will also aid in clean up.

- Once the brush has been dipped in the soap, dip in the masking fluid and "paint" the areas you would like mask.

- Immediately wash the brush with soap when masking is complete. Never allow the masking fluid to dry on the brush. If the masking fluid dries on the brush, it will harden the bristles and the brush will be useless.

See my photo below for the masked yucca flowers. Allow the masking fluid to dry before proceeding with the painting.

Painting the sky:
I wanted a bright blue for the sky with a few hints of red reflected from the rocks below. I used the following colors:

- Cerulen Blue
- Phthalo Blue
- Crimson

The main sky color is Cerulen blue. I mixed a small amount of Phthalo blue for the upper part of the sky.

To paint the sky, apply clean water to the sky area and add a wash of your selected sky color. Starting at the top, paint down to the rock formations. While still wet, drop in a little bit of the Crimson in various spots.

To make the clouds, use a dry tissue (Kleenex) and remove areas of paint in the shape you would like.

Refer to my painting below. Allow to dry.

Next blog, we'll start on the red rocks...this will exciting to paint in the layers of rock.

Until then..........

Happy Painting!
Karen

Red Rocks of Sedona - Part 1

The photos above were taken in Red Rock Canyon in and around Sedona, Arizona. The following blogs will give instructions on how to paint these magnificent rock formations. No matter how grand the painting or photograph, it can never do justice to the actual landscape itself.

One of the hardest parts of this painting will be selecting which one of the rock formations to paint.

I like to do a pencil sketch on my watercolor paper before painting to give me basic placement for rocks, the horizon, trees, shrubs, etc. I will probably place a few yucca plants in the foreground to add interest to the landscape.

For my initial sketch, I visually divided the painting into 3 sections for placement of the horizon and the height of the rocks. I lightly penciled in the basic shapes with very little detail. I am an Impressionist painter, so I don't put a great amount of detail in my paintings, but I do like basic shapes and placement of the horizon.

The sketch below is my initial drawing for my painting. I'll give the yucca plants a little more detail and use masking fluid on the white flowers before I start painting.

Prepare your sketch....next blog, we'll start adding color. Until then....

Happy Painting!
Karen

Heads Held High - Part 6

The photo above is the finished painting. Now, let's get to work on finishing your painting!

First, let's work on the arms. The arms are covered in part by bracelets and decorative bands. There is very little actual arm showing.

How to paint the arms:
The arms are made up of various flesh tones, not just one "flesh" color. First, prepare a wash of the lightest skin tone. I used the following colors:

-Burnt Umber
-Raw Umber
-Van Dyke Brown

Using clean water and a round brush, wet the areas of the arms that you plan to paint, working around the bracelets and bands. While the paper is still wet, apply the lightest wash of flesh tone. While this is still wet, drop in a darker shade of the same paint to paint the shadows, allowing the lightest area to indicate the reflected sunlight. Allow to dry. If necessary, adjust the skin tone and shadow areas by wetting and applying additional paint.

Caution: Do not overwork this area. Practice the color skin tone you would like first on a scrap piece of watercolor paper. When satisfied with the skin tone, apply the paint and allow the colors to mix and blend together on the painting.

The arm bands and bracelets can be left unpainted adding a slight wash of Payne's Gray for any shadows.

Refer to the closeup photo above of the headbands.

How to paint the headbands:
Select a color paint to contract with the sari and prepare a wash of your chosen color. Paint wet on dry. Allow to dry and add any contrast details to the headbands. Do not add too much detail.

Look over your painting....if there are any areas that need some additional details, add these now.

Congratulations ! You have completed a wonderful painting. Sign your name and get ready for your next painting!

Until then ---
Happy Painting!
Karen

Heads Held High - Part 5

All background and the pots are painted. It is now time to start on our women. The garments in our painting consist of a long sleeved undergarment covered by a long, flowing sari. I love the bright colors in the clothing and how they swirl around the women.

Start first by painting the undergarments. I liked the colors in the photo I am using as a guide, so I used the paint in the same color family as those in my photo. Feel free to use any colors that you may like.

Again, I worked from right to left to prevent any possibility of my hand getting into the wet paint.

First, wet the area to be painted with clean water and allow to dry only long enough for the paint to lose its gloss. Then drop in the paint allowing the paint to run into the wet areas. As the paint dries add deeper shades of the same color to add the folds and wrinkles in the clothing. Allow to dry.

See photo below for reference.

Working in the same style. Paint the saris - starting with the lightest shade of your chosen color and adding deeper shades of the same color to indicate the folds of the garment and the shape of the woman wearing it.

After the saris dry, paint the headbands using a light wash. Details will be added when dry.

See photo at the top of the blog for the finished saris.

Next blog, we will finish the painting! Until next blog....

Happy Painting!
Karen

Heads Held High - Part 4

One of my favorite parts of this painting is the large water pots carried regally on top of the ladies heads. Painting pottery can be interesting. I enjoy allowing the watercolors to blend and create their own unique shape and texture. The photo above shows all three pots completely painted.

The pots are painted separately. I am left handed, so I painted the pot on the right first so that I would not brush across the painting before it dried and possibly smear the paint. The pots have touching sides which must dry before the pot next to it can be painted. That way, each pot will not blend into another one and maintain its only individual color and texture. The photo above shows the painted pot "on the right."

The pots use the same color of paints; however, the placement of the paint and the intensity differ on each pot.

The following color paints are used:
-Yellow Ochre
-Burnt Sienna
-Burnt Umber
-Sepia
-Indigo
-Payne's' Gray

I moved from painting the pot on the right to painting the pot on the far left so that I could continue to paint even through the first pot was not dry. See photo above for that completed pot.

Each pot is painted using a wet on wet technique. Completely wet the pot with clean water. Before the water dries, drop in various shades and intensities of paint leaving some areas very light and creating shadows with a darker shade of the same color. Using the photo for reference, drop in the paint and allow it to blend. A small piece of a sponge can be used to add texture.

The last of the three pots cannot be painted until the pots on both sides are completely dry. The photo of all three pots is shown at the top of the blog.

Until next blog,
Happy Painting!
Karen

Heads Held High - Part 3

Sorry for the interruption, but I enjoy doing all sorts of painting/crafts and thought you might enjoy something a little different.

Time to start painting!

As in almost all watercolor paintings, one should work from the back to the front. Also, it is a good idea to work from top to bottom. Working from the back to the front enables the artist to put in the background easily and then paint the focal point of painting. Working from top to bottom helps prevent any accidental smudges.

Painting the sky:
There is only a small piece of sky in this painting. I wanted the sky to be a bright blue to play off of the color of the sand. I used a wash of Windsor Blue. Prepare the wash of your choice of sky color in the intensity that you would like. Apply clean water to the sky area only, and paint in the sky using a large flat brush (wet on wet application). Allow this to dry. See the photo of the painting above that illustrates this step.

Painting the Sand:
The sand is not one color, but is made up of various colors to indicate shadows as well as hills.

I worked one section at a time rather than paint the entire surface so that the paint would not dry before I could drop in deeper colors for shadowing. One could work the entire area of sand at one time, depending on drying conditions. It is summer for me and the paint dries quickly.

Prepare your paint colors before starting to paint in the sand and determine if you plan to paint by sections or the entire surface.

I used the following colors for the sand:
-Yellow Ochre
-Burnt Umber
-Burnt Sienna
-Payne's Gray

Using clean water, wet the section of sand you plan to paint. While the paper is still wet, but has lost it shine, lay in the base color of the sand. Again, applying the paint in a wet on wet application. I chose a light wash of yellow ochre. While this color was still wet, I dropped in various shades of Payne's Gray, Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna, leaving most of the background Yellow Ochre. See example below of one section of the sand. The finished sand background is pictured in the photo at the beginning of this blog.

Next blog, we will start working on the figures. Until next time,

Happy Painting!
Karen

I Interrupt this Painting to Bring you.........

I interrupt this painting to bring you........directions for a cute outdoor lantern. Warm summer weather is an ideal time to enjoy sitting outside on the deck or patio and enjoy this "mountain lantern". The following supplies will be needed to make the lantern pictured above:

- 1 two inch log slice. We had a storm knock down a tree, so I put the wood scraps to good use.
- 1 pint canning jar with lid
- 1 inexpensive solar patio light
- Wire - enough to make the handles
- Leather lace for making the hanger
- Few nails to attach the jar lid to the log

See the photos below and the instructions to follow for step by step directions to make your own mountain lantern.

The first step was to "slice" off a two inch slab of log. If you don't have access to a log, you could use a piece of 1 x 10 board cut into a square or circle and painted a color of your choice.

Using a drill, make a hole in the lid of the canning jar large enough to accommodate the size of the solar light. If you do not have a drill, you can punch holes in the lid with a nail and use tin snips to cut the hole.

I also drilled a hole in the center of the log slice to put the solar light. However, the light can be glued onto the log without the hole.

Place the the jar lid in the center of the log slice. Hammer the lid of the canning jar onto the log slice using three small nails.

Cut two pieces of wire long enough to cross over the top of the canning jar. Using a staple gun, staple the wire on one side and pull up and over the jar and staple to the opposite side. Repeat this for the other side of the handle. See photo below.

Assemble the lantern, placing the solar light inside and gluing in place, if needed. I used a piece of leather lace to tie onto the top of the lantern where the two wires intersect. This will hold the handles together at the top and also provide a loop for hanging.

The lantern puts out quite a bit of light and is definitely a cute addition to the deck.

Hope you enjoyed this interruption in the blog - until next time,

Happy Painting!
Karen

Heads Held High - Part 2

In order to paint the sand without worrying about getting the paint on any part of my foreground, I used masking fluid to keep certain parts of my painting separate from the sand.

The following are steps to using masking fluid:

1. Identify the area to be masked.

2. When using liquid masking fluid, be certain to use a brush that will not be used for any other purpose.

3. Dip the bristles of the brush into liquid hand soap to keep the masking fluid from getting into the bristles of the brush.

4. Brush on the masking fluid being careful to apply the fluid neatly.

5. Allow the masking fluid to dry completely before applying the watercolor paint.

6. Wash the brush as soon as masking is finished. Do not allow masking to dry on the brush or the brush will be ruined.

7. After painting, wait until the paint is completely dry before removing the masking.

8. Use an erase to gently remove the masking.


Next blog, I'll paint the sand. Until then.....

Happy Painting!
Karen

Heads Held High!

Photos of women carrying pots on their heads have always fascinated me. I am sorry to say I am one of the most clumsy people I know. So, I can't imagine how anyone could carry a large pot filled with water on their head for long distances with spilling it along the way. A cloth is placed under the pot to stabilize it and to cushion the weight of the pot and the water. These pots are large and heavy when empty. Imagine the weight when filled with water. Water weights over 8 lbs per gallon. Amazement and admiration is what I feel when looking at the photo I am painting.

Using the small photo in the middle section of the photo above, I sketched the three women with their pots. The background sand will not be detailed to emphasize the women with their colorful clothing and the huge pots.

Next blog, I will discuss the us of masking when laying in the background. Until my next blog,

Happy Painting!
Karen

Art in a Different Shape!

I have been on vacation these past couple of weeks and was unable to post to my blog from Arizona. I love all sorts of art and collect pottery. I added to my collection while in Arizona and wanted to share a little information about Navajo pottery as well as the photo above.

I collected two pots. The one of the left is Horsehair Pottery. The unique design of Horsehair pottery is created by applying horsehair to the finished pottery piece. Immediately after the prepared clay pot has been fire, a thin layer of horsehair is artistically spread over the pottery. During this process, precise timing and temperatures are required to allow the horsehair to correctly burn into the clay. After the pot has cooled, the Navajo artist cleans the piece and finishs it with a high polish.

The small bowl on the right is also Navajo, This piece was made by a 12 year old Navajo boy using the coiling method. Long strips of clay approximately the diameter of a pencil are coiled together and smoothed to create the desired shape. This bowl was fired in a outdoor fire pit which allowed it to achieve many color variations. This young Navajo artist is learning his trade via the age old methods and is already quite skilled.

I have taken many photos during my travels for watercolor paintings and will be back to a watercolor demo blog next time. Until then -

Happy Painting!
Karen

Pour It On - Finishing Touches!

The dogwood painting is almost complete. In this blog, we'll add the finishing touches.

The photo above is the finished dogwood painting. The photo below will show the next step in the process.

How to paint the main branches:
Prepare a wash of the following colors:

Ultramarine Blue
Sepia
Van Dyke Brown
Medium Yellow

Start by painting the large branches with clean water. Allow to dry only until the paper loses its shine. Using Sepia, paint along one side only of the branch allowing the water to pull the paint up through the water to the other side of the branch. While still wet, add the following in various places along the branch to indicate shadows areas of light and variation in colors:

Ultramarine Blue
Van Dyke Brown
Medium Yellow

Dip a piece of a plastic credit card or a palette knife in a wash of Van Dyke Brown and add the smaller branches.

Look over your painting and add any details you would like. I like my paintings to be Impressionistic rather then detailed, so I added only a few detail lines in the dogwood blossoms.

Sign your name. Congratulations! Your dogwood blossom is now complete and will last much longer than the blossoms on the trees!

Happy Painting!
Karen

Pour It On - Step 2

The background paint from the last blog has dried. If you are not satisfied with the intensity of the color, you can pour more paint onto the paper to deepen the background. I wanted a muted background; therefore, I did not add any additional paint.

Once you are satisfied with the background color, it is time to remove the masking from the painting. I use an eraser to pull up an edge of the masking and then pull the masking off with my fingers. You can use the eraser to remove all of the masking or remove it by rubbing lightly with your finger. What ever method works better for you is the one to use. The ease in masking removal is also dependent upon the thickness of the masking fluid applied. The thicker the masking, the easier it is to remove.

The photo above shows the dogwood blooms with the masking removed.

Prepare a wash of the following colors:

Crimson
Sap Green
Sap Green mixed with Ultramarine Blue
Medium Yellow
Van Dyke Brown

How to paint the dogwood blossoms - petals:
To paint the dogwood blossoms, wet the entire petal area. You will need to do each petal separately. Drop in Crimson in the tips and allow the water to pull the color down toward the center. A little bit of brown is also added to the very tip. A diluted wash of Sap Green is dropped in near the center of the bloom and allowed to pull to the edge. Medium yellow is dropped in several places along the edge of the petals. Allow to dry. When dry, drop in some sap green in the center. Do not completely fill the area with color. Allow to dry.

How to paint the leaves:
Wet each leaf with clean water and while still wet, drop in sap green, ultramarine blue and medium yellow. Allow these colors to blend.

See the photo above as an example.

Next blog, we'll add the branches and finishing touches! Until then,

Happy Painting!
Karen