IT'S A WINTERY WONDERLAND ~ SO LET IT SNOW WITH DECOART!

Hello everyone!  

Welcome to my blog and my Winter Challenge Piece for 

DecoArt's Winter Challenge.

Are you ready to join in on the fun for another DecoArt Media Challenge?  This challenge has a winter theme full of blue and purple hues and maybe even some snow!  Even if you're not a blue or purple fan, you're still welcome to join!  Simply create something wonderfully  "Winter"!

This challenge opened December 28th and closes January 29th...so there is still time to create and share with all of us on the DecoArt Media Blog. The DecoArt Design Team will choose the winner of this challenge and that winner will be announced on Facebook on February 2nd.

There have already been several beautiful winter projects posted on individual DecoArt Design Team member's blogs.  Be sure to check out the links to each of those by clicking on the BLUE DecoArt's Winter Challenge link above.

And now on to my project and the complete tutorial for you ...

I created an adorable and very useful little snowman coaster; perfect for resting your hot cuppa coffee or cocoa with marshmallows as you sit by the fire and watch the snow flurries rush past your window.

This was a fun, simple and useful project to make.  Grab that cuppa something warm and join me in this pictorial step by step tutorial using the fabulous DecoArt Media products!

Supplies for project:

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Phthalo Blue

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Cerulean Blue

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Ultramarine Blue

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics English Red Oxide

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Phthalo Green-Blue

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Burnt Umber

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Paynes Grey

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Medium Grey Volume 6

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Yellow Green Light

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Sap Green

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Primary Magenta

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Vermillion

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Yellow Oxide

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Interference Blue

DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Interference Violet

DecoArt Media Gesso White

DecoArt Media Tinting Base White

DecoArt Media Matte Medium

DecoArt Media Ultra Matte Varnish

4” x 4” tile for coaster – in this case, a Tumbled Tile

Paint Brushes

Pencil

“Let It Snow” sized on computer and printed on copy paper

Old Toothbrush

Stylus

Cork backing for coaster

Instructions:

Step 1:  Paint a blank coaster with DecoArt Media White Gesso and let dry or heat set.  In this case, I used a more porous tumbled coaster but any type will work.

Step 2:  Playing with DecoArt Media Tinting Base, mix various colors of blue to decide colors to create a wintery sky background. 

Step 3: Mix DecoArt Media Tinting Base and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Phthalo Blue and brush onto the coaster as a background.  Let dry or gently heat set.

Step 4:  Using a fairly dry brush, brush light, wispy strokes of DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Ultramarine Blue onto the background to create almost an effect of seeing the cold air circling around on the background.

Step 5:  Create a landscape by lightly brushing DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White on the lower portion of the coaster and create a horizon line.  Then lightly brush DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Interference Violet particularly around the edges of the sky to create an iridescent light effect of the wintery sky.

Step 6:  Begin painting little pine trees on either side of the landscape background.  First use a small brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Phthalo Green-Blue to create the first layer of the pine trees.  Then add some DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Yellow Green Light to the trees to vary the green color. 

Step 7:  Using a small brush, dot the trees with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White to create a snowy tree look.

Step 8:  Use a small piece of sponge or a makeup sponge and randomly dabble a mixture of DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White and Cerulean Blue onto the wintery sky.

Here is a photograph of the coaster to this point in the process: a wintery sky and sort of blowing snow effect for the background with pine trees blanketed in falling snow.

     

Step 9:  Using a same small sponge, randomly dab DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Interference Blue onto the wintery sky to create some subtle iridescent blue highlights.

Step 10:  Sketch the snowman in place on the coaster using a pencil or you can sketch your snowman onto a piece of paper first and then use DecoArt's Graphite Grey paper to transfer the image to the tile.

Step 11:  Paint in the white areas of the snowman using DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White. Gently heat set or air dry.

Step 12: Paint the scarf of the snowman first with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics English Red Oxide.

Step 13:  Add shading to the scarf first with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Yellow Oxide mixed with a touch of DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White for the lighter highlights.  Add DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Burnt Umber for the darker highlights.  Add pattern to the scarf using a small detail brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Yellow Oxide. Outline the scarf with a detail brush and DecoArt Fluid Acrylics Burnt Umber.  Gently heat set or let air dry.

Step 14:  Repeat Step 13 for the snowman’s hat.

Step 15:  Paint the snowman’s carrot nose with a small brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Vermillion followed by outlining and shading in DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Burnt Umber. Gently heat set or air dry.

Step 16:  Draw the snowman’s face using a pencil.

Step 17:  Randomly add a wash of water and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide to gently “age and warm up” the coaster. Gently heat set or air dry.

Step 18:  Using a stylus and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Payne’s Grey, dot the snowman’s eyes and mouth in place.  Gently heat set.  Add color to the snowman’s cheeks by mixing DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White and Primary Magenta.  Gently brush the blush onto the cheeks.  Add small, subtle smile lines under the snowman’s eyes and a little shading around the nose, cheeks and sides of the snowman’s face using DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Paynes Grey. Gently heat set or air dry.

Step 19: Using a detail brush and DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Burnt Umber, paint the woody part of a small pine tree on the right front side of the snowman.

Step 20:  Add needles to the pine tree with a detail brush and brushing small strokes first with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Phthalo Green-Blue followed with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Sap Green.  Gently heat set.

Step 21:  Make a mask to cover the face of the snowman using a piece of scrap copy paper.  Cut it out and lay it in place over the snowman’s face.

Step 22:  Create a wash using DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White and water.  Circle an old toothbrush around in the wash mixture and flick it onto the coaster to create snowflakes.  Gently heat set.

Here is a photograph of the coaster as you have completed Step 22.  Coming into the home stretch now with just a couple more things to complete it!

Step 23:  Using a fairly stiff brush, stipple “snow” onto the pine tree limbs using DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Titanium White.

Step 24:  Generate “Let It Snow” in a whimsical font on a computer about ½” tall.  Make the letters white and the background black.  Cut out the sentiment and place it on the coaster.  Use DecoArt Media Matte Medium first as an adhesive by brushing the Matte Medium onto the surface of the coaster where you want the words to go.  Place the words and press in place.  Then brush over the words with Matte Medium to seal them in place.  Brush over the entire surface of the coaster to seal it.  Matte Medium dries clear.  Gently heat set or air dry.  Apply one more coat of Matte Medium as a sealer.

Step 25:  Finally, brush over the entire surface of the coaster one more time using DecoArt Media Ultra Matte Varnish to give the surface and silky smooth texture and another layer of sealer.

Step 26:  Cut a piece of cork adhesive backed paper just a bit smaller than the coaster.  Then remove the backing and lay the cork backing in place.  There you have it; a great little coaster!  Make a whole set or give them as gifts!

Won't you join us over at DecoArt's Winter Challenge?  You could be the lucky winner of a fabulous prize package of DecoArt Media Art Products worth $120!  Click on the link above for all of the details on how to enter.

Good luck!