desired and transfer them onto thetrunk using white transfer paper.

BASECOATPaint each leaf with a solid

basecoat of Flesh Tan using the no. 8and 12 brushes. Dry. Referring to thedesign, apply a light wash (paintthinned with water) to each leafwith either Pumpkin or Empire Gold.Brush the wash paint evenly over theleaves using the no. 12 brush. Try tokeep the layer even. Dry.

SHADEShade the large vein areas using a

sideload of Raw Sienna on the no. 12brush. Add Raw Sienna to the edgesof some leaves, pull a few streaks intothe center of the leaf, and shadeunder the curled areas. Dry. SideloadAdobe Red and apply at the edgesand a little over some Raw Siennaareas. Streak a little Adobe Red fromthe vein shadow outward and fromthe outer leaf edges toward the leafcenter. Dry.

HIGHLIGHTHighlight the opposite vein shad-

ows with a sideload of EmpireGold+Flesh Tan (1:2) using the no.12 brush. Apply highlight color tothe Pumpkin leaves. Highlight theEmpire Gold leaves with a sideload ofFlesh Tan+a little Apple Green. Ifdesired, slightly streak the colors out-ward.

ACCENTSideload the no. 12 brush with

Black Cherry. Apply a few accents tothe backs and outer areas of theleaves and in some vein shadows towarm them. Sideload the brush withApple Green+a little Colonial Blue (alight blue-green mix). Apply thismix to a few areas on the outer edgesof the leaves. Vary the mix by usingmore green than blue or vice versa.Create a few streaks on the light sideof the leaves.

DEEPEN SHADOWSSideload the no. 12 brush with

Chocolate Cherry. Shade the leaves nearthe stems and softly down a few largevein areas. Apply a sideload of eitherBlack Cherry or Adobe Red over theareas where more warmth is needed.

VEINSVein color is Empire Gold+Adobe

Red (2:1); add water to the mix formore fluid paint consistency. Youmay need to adjust the color mixesfor each leaf. Add a little AppleGreen or Flesh Tan to the mix ifneeded.

Using the script brush and EmpireGold+Adobe Red (2:1), paint thelarge center veins and stems. Dry.Shade with small amounts ChocolateCherry. Add accents using BlackCherry and Adobe Red. Add high-light strokes of Apple Green andApple Green+Empire Gold (2:1). AddFlesh Tan, if needed.

Paint the smaller veins usingthinned Adobe Red+Black Cherry(2:1) using a script brush. These aresecondary veins and should be verysmall and soft in color.

FINISHINGShade on the trunk under some

leaves using the no. 12 brush side-

loaded in Chocolate Cherry. Softenthe areas outward, if necessary.Apply the darkest shadows using thesame process and Black. Dry for 24hours. Apply three or four coats ofgloss or satin varnish according tothe manufacturer’s instructions.

I lined the inside of the trunkwith fabric and trims but you couldinstead paint it a color from thepalette. y

The Decorative Painter Issue No. 5, 2006 91

Faux | beginner Acrylic

Martha KentonTDA has been teaching paintingnationally at SDPConferences, mini-conventions andseminars for 26years. She has served on a numberof SDP committees and is a memberof Craft & Hobby Association (CHA).Martha has published more than100 instruction packets and numer-ous articles for painting magazines.Her current publication, The Ulti-mate Book of Faux Finishes, is pub-lished by Leisure Arts.

You may write to Martha at11641-112 Road, Dodge City, KS67801, call (620) 227-6071 or e-mail mkdesign@carrollsweb.com.

Artist’s Sketch

92 The Decorative Painter Issue No. 5, 2006

Design shown at actual size.

Glaze with Pumpkin.

Glaze with Pumpkin.

Glaze with Pumpkin.

Glaze with Empire Gold.

Color Step by Step

Base the leaves withFlesh Tan. Dry. ApplyPumpkin and EmpireGold glazes.

Shade down the centervein and outer leafedges with Raw Siennaand Adobe Red. Streakthe colors from the veinand outer edges.

Highlight the opposite large vein areas with Empire Gold on the Pumpkinleaves and Flesh Tan+AppleGreen on the Empire Goldleaves. Add accents to theedges and veins with BlackCherry and some AppleGreen+Colonial Blue.

Deepen the shading with Chocolate Cherry. Add Adobe Red or BlackCherry for warmth. Shadeunder the leaves on thetrunk with Chocolate Cherry. Add darker shading with Black.

Faux | beginner Acrylic

The Decorative Painter Issue No. 5, 2006 93

Fall FrameFall Frame

photos/Steve Gerig

Prudy Vannier CDA

The crows and their friend Mr. Straware having their annual autumn get-together. This little fall design isadaptable to any surface, but the

leaf-shaped Fruzzle (part frame, part puz-zle) is a fun surface and always a conversa-tion piece.

SURFACEThe Maple Leaf Fruzzle is available

from Fruzzle, P.O. Box 6626, WoodlandHills, CA 91365, (866) 378-9953,www.fruzzle.com.

PALETTEDECOART AMERICANA ACRYLICS

Bahama Blue (TCS BG-4-2-4)

Bleached Sand (TCS WH-6-3-2)

Burnt Umber (TCS BR-7-6-9)

Cadmium Orange (TCS RO-5-1-7)

Cadmium Yellow (TCS YE-5-1-6)

Desert Sand (TCS WH-6-4-6)

Golden Straw (TCS YE-5-5-5)

Heritage Brick (TCS RE-4-6-7)

Honey Brown (TCS BR-1-2-4)

Payne’s Grey (TCS BL-5-2-9)

Red Violet (TCS RV-2-2-8)

Titanium White (TCS WH-5-1-1)

Williamsburg Blue (TCS BL-5-7-5)

Project | beginner Acrylic

A n amicable straw character makes friends with the crows on a distinctive photo frame.

A n amicable straw character makes friends with the crows on a distinctive photo frame.

O, it sets my heart a-clickin’ like the tickin’ of a clock,

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.

—James Whitcomb Riley

96 The Decorative Painter Issue No. 5, 2006

BRUSHES3⁄4-inch flat1⁄2-inch angularPrudy’s Best: Floater, Liner,

Mop and Mini Mop

SUPPLIESFine-grit sandpaperFine-point permanent black penStylusTracing paperTransfer paperWater-based sealer and varnish

PREPARATIONKeep the Fruzzle assembled. Sand,

wipe off the dust and seal.

BACKGROUNDBasecoat the surface with Honey

Brown using the large flat brush. Side-load the large flat with Heritage Brick.Float around the outside edges andthen paint the sides with the color.Float a little Burnt Umber around theframe opening to darken slightly. Dry-brush a touch of Bleached Sand in thenonshaded areas for a bit of a high-

light. Sand the edges and thentransfer the design.

CROWSBasecoat the bodies

and wings with Payne’sGrey. Use theliner to paint thebeaks and feetwith Cadmium Yel-low. For the birdon the hat, floatBahama Blue on thefront edges of the

breast and wing. Theother birds have this

highlight on the rightsides of the breasts. Use

the angular brush. Use a sty-lus to dot the eyes with Cad-mium Yellow.

MR. STRAWBasecoat the hat with Golden

Straw, the hatband with CadmiumOrange, the face with Desert Sand, theshirt and nose with Heritage Brick andthe overalls with Williamsburg Blue.

Use Prudy’s Best Floater to floatBurnt Umber in the top of the hatcrown and the back of the hat toshade. Float Desert Sand across thetop of the hatband and lightly on thehat here and there to “dirty it up” abit. Also use Titanium White andsome thinned Burnt Umber for this.With the liner brush, paint a criss-cross pattern in Honey Brown to looklike woven straw in random areas.

Float Burnt Umber under the hat,down the back of the head and neck,and at the neck separation. Float aHeritage Brick cheek and use the linerbrush to stroke tiny Titanium Whitehighlights on the cheek and nose.

Float Red Violet across the back/bot-tom of the sleeves and next to theoverall strap. Float Cadmium Orangeacross the top/front of the sleeves. Usethe liner brush to paint narrow stripeson the shirt with Desert Sand to makeplaid.

Float Payne’s Grey to shade theoveralls around and behind thesleeve, pocket and strap. Highlightthe tip of the strap and the pocketwith floats of Bahama Blue.

Use the liner to paint straw underthe hat, under the neckline and forthe hands. Start with Burnt Umber,and then add Golden Straw andBleached Sand.

INKINGOutline and detail everything

with the pen. Outline all parts of thehat and add crisscross patterns. Lineand dot the straw hair and hand.Add an eye, eyebrow and the mouth.Line the shirt to complete the plaidpattern. Add stitches to the pocketand overalls strap. Add a button.Outline the crows’ beaks and feet.

FINISHINGUse the stylus and Golden Straw

to place random dots in the strawand background areas. Varnish withyour favorite satin or matte water-based varnish. y

Prudy Vannier CDA

owns and operatesPrudy’s Studio Inc., apublisher of decorativeart books. She is anSDP past presidentand currently servesas chair of the new Designer Certification Task Force.

Prudy’s style of acrylic painting isfun, whimsical and lighthearted. Itreflects her sense of humor and herlove of this art form. Her simple tech-niques can be applied to any subject orsurface and are taught by her nation-ally and internationally.

For a brochure of books and othermerchandise from Prudy, send a SASEto Prudy’s Studio Inc., 279 MaplewoodSt., Northville, MI 48167-1149 or visitwww.prudysstudio.com.

Artist’s Sketch

Project | beginner Acrylic

The Decorative Painter Issue No. 5, 2006 97

A Family Fruzzle

Create an art piece to frame a family memory. AdamKovar of Fruzzle shared an idea with us about how toturn a Fruzzle frame into a family heirloom. “One of my

customers showed me a Fruzzle she and her family did,”Adam said. “She and her sisters got together with two oftheir daughters to paint a Maple Leaf Fruzzle. Two of theladies ‘weren’t very good at painting,’ she said. But they allpainted their individual piece using similar fall colors andthe end product looked amazing. Because each painter hada different style and skill set, the whole Fruzzle togetherwas perfect!” The frame was finished with a photo of thefamily members who painted it.

Adam suggested these ideas, too:

■ Friends who get together regularly to play cards or do crafts each paint a piece of an Original Fruzzle (it’s a rectangular shape) to create a friendship quilt.

■ Each student in a class paints a Fruzzle piece for theirteacher. Put it together and frame a class photo as a classroom memory.

■ Create a family tree. Give a Maple Leaf Fruzzle to each unit of the family. Each member paints a piece of theframe, assembles it and adds a photo of the group. Theleaves can be hung together at Grandma and Grandpa’shouse to represent the entire family.

Color Step by Step

Project | beginner Acrylic

98 The Decorative Painter Issue No. 5, 2006

Design shown at actual size.

V I D E O S / D V D s

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Oils -- Paint that specialsomeone

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Horses, Series IIIAcrylics/Oil set upLearn a variety of techniques75 minutes$29.95

Cats, Series IAcrylics/Oil set up

Learn to paintshort & long

haired cats75 minutes

$29.95

Wildlife, Series IVAcrylics/

Oil set upFeaturing White-Tail

Deer90 minutes

$32.95

Dogs, Series IIAcrylics/Oil set upHow to stroke long,curly fur75 minutes$29.95

Plus $5.00 P & H ($5.50 Canada) for eachvideo. Iowa residents add 6% Sales Tax. 1Video + 1 Book $6.50 (7.50 Canada).For a new color brochure, send $1.50 to:

Vi Thurmond • Box 35394 DP • Des Moines, IA • 50315-0403(515) 244-8061 (phone) (515) 244-3880 (fax) VTLTD@AOL.COM www.thurmondsltd.com

Complete instructions from preparation to completion.

CONTACT VI FOR COMMISSION WORK

SPECIALWith the order of a video,choose a free animal painting

book -- Farm Friends, ForestFriends, or Realistic Animals

DVDs available

on allpackets

photos/Steve Gerig