Painted Harvest Platter

Materials:

Walnut Hollow oval tray #3566
Folk Art artists pigments: Hauser Green Light #459, Hauser Green Dark #461, Hauser Green Medium #460, Green Umber #471, Pure Orange #628, True Burgundy #456, Burnt Umber #462, Burnt Sienna #943
Folk Art blending gel medium #867
KALA Brushes Golden Onyx Series 2100 liner #1 brush
KALA Brushes Golden Onyx Series 2200 shader/bright (flat) brushes #4, 8, 12
KALA Brushes Golden Onyx Series 2350 Filbert brushes #14, 8
Masterson’s Sta-Wet Palette
Plaid Brush Basin
100% cotton rag, old T-shirt, very soft paper towels
Folk Art satin varnish
good straight-blade metal palette knife
Plaid small 1/4" dauber #50138
tracing paper
fine-grade sandpaper
tack cloth
stylus
gray Saral transfer paper
piece of brown paper bag with no printing (to smooth the nap of the wood)

1. To prepare the surface: Sand the surface, if needed, with fine-grade sandpaper and wipe with a tack cloth.

2. Neatly draw your design on the tray, or trace a pattern onto tracing paper and carefully transfer the pattern using Saral transfer paper (figure A). Use a very light touch when transferring the pattern so the lines won’t be too heavy.

3. To paint the pumpkin: Apply blending gel to the pumpkin, waiting 30 to 60 seconds for the gel to penetrate the wood.

4. Float shadows of burnt sienna in the creases (figure B). Deepen the shadows with true burgundy. Let dry.

5. Apply more blending gel and reapply burnt sienna and true burgundy to the shadow area. Then apply pure orange (figure C).

6. Wipe the brush and blend the pure orange and shadows together (figure D). A little more gel or paint may be added, as needed. While still wet, use the small dauber and wipe out highlight if necessary.

7. To make the stem: Apply blending gel. Let the gel penetrate the surface. Float on shadows of burnt umber (figure E).

8. Wipe the brush and blend the burnt umber into the stem.

9. For the leaves: Apply blending gel to the leaf. Wait 30 to 60 seconds for the gel to penetrate the unsealed wood.

10. Pick up green umber on the edge of your #8 brush. Apply green umber to the shadow area and on the dark side of the leaf.

11. Wipe the brush, pick up Hauser green light and apply on the light side of the leaf (figure F).

12. Wipe the brush and pull the color down into the gel. Add more gel and a little more paint, if needed.

13. Using the #1 liner brush filled with thinned green umber, vein the leaf.

14. For the line work: Be sure you have a good #1 liner brush in excellent condition. Thin green umber to an ink-like consistency with water. Fill the liner brush good and full of paint.

15. Stand the brush on its end with the handle pointing straight up toward the ceiling and slowly paint the curlicues.

16. After the piece has dried and cured, rub with a piece of brown paper bag (with no printing on it) to smooth the nap of the wood.

17. Varnish with two or more coats of the varnish of your choice, letting dry thoroughly between the coats.