- SIDE-LOADING
- This technique is used for shading and highlighting areas; ive found
that angular shaders work the best for me, instead of a flat shader. Here is
the technique I use - dip your shading brush into water. Lay it flat on a damp
paper towel, lightly, until the gloss is gone from the brush bristles - this usually
only takes a second or two. Then, you dip the pointed end of your brush into the paint,
getting paint on both sides of the brush, but not all the way from end to
end - using palette paper,(available at craft stores - wax paper works in a pinch!)stroke
your paint brush first on one side, then the other, using short strokes no more than a half
inch wide, and keeping your brush in the same spot - this gives you a gradual heavier/lighter
blend of color on your brush. If your brush is too dry, it will drag - dip it into water again
really quick, lay on a paper towel for a second, and continue. Use the pointed end that was dipped
into the paint at the darkest shaded part of your project. Repeat if needed, but always allow
to dry between coats - otherwise, it just pulls up whatever was painted previously.
- STIPPLING
- Also known as 'drybrushing' and 'pouncing' - this is a technique that works really well
on some floral backgrounds, and hilighting snow. Using a stippler brush, or a stiff, round brush,
dip lightly into your paint, and pounce it up and down on a paper towel until most of the paint is off -
you can check it out on a piece of paper, to see if there is enough or too much paint. When you apply
the paint to your wood piece, use a straight up-and-down motion, lightly, trying not to get too heavy in
one spot. A really good effect, is to use a shade darker than the original shade for the first coat, and
a second coat in a shade lighter - works great on Santa hair, beard, and fur on his clothes.
- STROKING
- I always used to think that the shorter the brush, and the fewer hairs on it, the finer line and better
control I would have. Not so. A Scriptliner brush gives you excellent control, even though its quite long.
When doing light stroke work, such as strands of hair, curling vines, etc., its best to mix paint and water
until the paint has the consistency of ink - again, just barely touching it to a damp paper towel, to take off
any excess water on the brush. Then use light, random strokes. For some reason, the more careful you try to be, the
more you mess up the lines! I hold my brush and paint as if I were using a pen, and it seems to work. When the paint
is an inky consistency, it can paint quite an area.
- DOUBLE-SIDELOADING
- This is basically the same as regular side-loading, except youre mirroring the first side-loading stroke. What
it amounts to, is the area where your shading is the darkest, you repeat the side-loading instructions, and place your
brush on the opposite side of the darkest shaded area, and repeat the stroke; one side mirrors the other. This works really
well on something like an eyelid, giving it real depth.
- TUTTI-DOTS
- This is a really nice addition, to give a piece an almost dreamy, cute quality. Its a mass of tiny dots applied with
the non-bristle side of a brush, a toothpick, in random sizes, and usually closely around the item itself. (For example,
roses, flowers, etc.). This works really nicely on Halloween pieces, which gives them a sort of dreamy quality, and gives
a sense of 'magic' -
- SPECKLING
- Speckling is about the easiest paintstroke to do, and it has a way of covering up little inconsistencies and 'boo-boo's' that you may have made while painting! Its always best to finish all the painting you plan to do on the piece, and seal it first- That way, if you over-do it on the speckling a little bit, you'll be able to wipe some away with a damp cloth without ruining all of your hard work! Take an old toothbrush, preferably with stiff bristles. Dip it into water, and pounce a couple of times to take the excess off. Put a puddle of paint on your palette paper, and lay the toothbrush into it, getting it on the bristles evenly. Pounce a little to get the excess off. Now here comes the 'yucky' part, but believe me, it helps! Dip your thumb into water, and shake it off- use this thumb against the brush, and test the speckles on a piece of paper to see if its heavy or the way you want it. Lightly fleck the paint onto your piece- repeat as necessary-
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