Winter Welcome Plaque PDF Includes: photo, supply list, instructions, line work

Winter Welcome Background Sampler Plaque

This project plays special emphasis on creating the background with stencils and stamps.  We then put in the characters and main elements with stencils or you can use the line work to transfer in the characters and base in the traditional way.  Someday, stencil basecoating will be the tradition!

I recommend that you watch the lessons in numerical order so you can see the project from start to finish. Of course, you can always go back and watch them over as many times as you need to in order to grasp the skill being demonstrated. The time it will take to watch each video varies from lesson to lesson, and is shown in parenthesis () after each video link. It is recommended that you let the video load completely in the browser window before you attempt to play it.

NOTE: To view each video, click on the links below. The video will open in a new window. Close the window to return to this page.

Video 1: Introduction–Inspiration for Project (3:32)

Video 2: Blending the Background (4:00)

Video 3: Using Stencils on the Background (13:34)

Video 4: Adding Lettering using Stencils (7:32)

Video 5: Snowman and Penguins (9:07)

Video 6: Using Stamps–Snowflakes (10:00)

After you have gotten the basics into the project, go to your instructions and finish the piece by putting in all the shading and highlighting.

Here are some areas to pay interest to:

Did you know you can add “shading” with white?  Well, sort of…

Floating full strength color on the dry brushed snowman will make the area along the edge seem more opaque and stand out.  It is like putting color in when shading or highlighting.  In reality we are only adding a floated “outline” of color.  The floated line is more interesting than a plain solid line.

Add the scarves.  You can double-load a flat brush with both colors and do it all at once.  Load the whole brush with the base color and the left edge of the brush with shading color.  Blend on your palette, then apply to the surface.  May take more than one coat.

The penguins need scarves, beaks and a little tuff of hair.  Decorate scarves as simple or complicated as you want.  Give them a little character and attitude.  Placement of eyes is important.

Shade around the characters with color.  This will make them stand out from the background.  Work on that floated line and make sure it is not too heavy.

Don’t forget to add shaded color on the snowballs.  Work in a “C” motion with your brush.  Once you get it loaded correctly, you can do one right after the other without adding more color to your brush.

Float color around the lettering too!  Finish off with simple dots to make the lettering more interesting.  You could do any pattern of decoration you would like.  Practice some different variations and decide what you like.  Simple or complex?

Don’t forget the edge.  Float color around the edge to finish it off.  You may do this more than once.

That’s it, it’s a wrap!

Go back to your instructions and get all the areas finished that you need.  Hope you found some good tips to use for getting those fun backgrounds done.

Keep a smile in your brush in all that you do.  Make yourself and others smile with some simple strokes of that brush. : )