Inspiration comes from unexpected places
While I was visiting a friend in the hospital, I stumbled onto a large group of colorful panels arranged beautifully in a long hall. As I got closer I noticed the deep layers, rich textures and rich colors of each piece and was inspired to create my own version of these colorful art panels.
Use only the best for good results
Recently, I received a huge box of products from The Crafters Workshop and am very familiar with the amazing quality of these stencils. I had no idea what to expect with the new TCW Heavy Body Acrylic Paints and mediums. I have worked with the worlds best quality materials so I was a little skeptical when I saw the generous sized tubes with pretty color names. They are cute but are they good?
Yummy paints with pretty names
Don’t let the fun names on the tubes fool you, these are serious artist quality heavy bodied paints! They boast an extremely high pigment load, great mix-ability and intense color strength. I love that they dry to an almost matte finish which makes them look more like an oil paint without the shinyness some acrylic paints have.
Start with a great surface
The perfect surfaces for this project are Ampersand Gessobord cradled 6” square painting panels. These panels are great surfaces to paint on, don’t need framing and are ready to hang!
Make it thick
Mix a blend of TCW Clear modeling paste with Orange Slice heavy bodied paint using a palette knife. Make about a teaspoon of the blend and mix until smooth.
Apply stencils
Lay the TCW731S Celtic Knot stencil on the surface of the Gessobord panel and apply the mixture of modeling paste and color in a scraping motion over the stencil. Make sure to cover the entire area of the stencil. Carefully lift the stencil up and off the panel. When the modeling paste mixture is bone dry apply a thick layer of Grape Jelly paint onto the panel. Paint another layer of Candy Apple Red.
Create layers
Wait until the surface is dry and not tacky, and wet sand the layers of color to reveal the image underneath. I recommend 400 grit wet/dry sand paper. Sand in a circular motion and focus on the raised areas. Keep the surface wet while sanding. It’s better to go slow and wipe the surface with a damp rag to see your progress.
Add highlights
To bring out more color and to soften the highlighted areas, paint a wash of transparent Quinacridone Red and Quinacridone Gold over the entire panel. Grape Jelly heavy bodied paint was brushed on the sides of the panel to create more dimension. Keep adding color and wet sanding if necessary until you get the look you want.
Finish
Brush a thin layer of satin acrylic topcoat to the top and sides of the panel with a flat brush to finish. Brush on two or three coats of topcoat to give the colors more depth and dimension.
Try this technique with different stencils and color combinations to create a statement or tell a story. Create your own modular wall art using images and colors to fit your own decor.