Those who know me well are aware of my slight spray paint addiction. It’s magic in a can that can breathe new life into a worn-out object or add flair to your home. Everything began innocently enough; I was looking to dress up some dried hydrangea and pinecones for a party I was chairing years earlier when my kids were smaller. Due to our tight financial situation, we had to be inventive. Since then, a straightforward can of spray paint has assisted in bringing new life to holiday decorations and repurposing some worn-out items in my own home, many of which are brought out during this time of year.
At the conclusion of the season two Christmases ago, a straightforward boxwood wreath served as the foundation for the entire project. To examine if the leaves would remain intact and protected, I made the decision to paint it. They did, and ever then the wreath has been on the front door for the duration of the holidays (and occasionally even longer). This year, I might add decorations to the wreath, or I might not!
I wanted to change the appearance of my pumpkins before Thanksgiving. After applying a few coats of gold paint, they underwent a dramatic transformation. Many homes, it seems, are decorated for both the fall and the holidays. Give those pumpkins a little sparkle before it’s too late! (See image below)
All of the shells we collected one summer were painted. Below, several plain oyster shells receive a makeover and are transformed into salt and pepper shakers. They will certainly enliven your Christmas table, whether you reside in a seaside area or not.
When covered with gold, conch, whelk, and similar shells are incredibly exquisite. Our defective shells, which had barnacles and stains, were instantly transformed by magic. The ideal mantel or table piece. Lighter shells can be added to your wrapping, strung and hung from a tree, or inverted to make the ideal place card holder. (Below)
I play with wish bones with my youngest child and save any that I don’t manage to break. What would a wishbone made of gold look like? After it had dried (and been cleaned!) I decided to spray one; it needed a couple of coats. The end effect was so lovely that I almost didn’t want to destroy it. I then had a thought. What if I painted every wishbone after saving a couple of them? And what if, on Thanksgiving, I put a painted wishbone on each person’s plate? I frequently purchase rotisserie chicken. It works well in a variety of recipes, including sandwiches, pasta dishes, soups, casseroles, and even just as a healthy snack. Since we go through one virtually every week, I started to gather, wash, dry, and paint them. Pictured below What a joy it would be to bring this to our Thanksgiving dinner. I predict that this will quickly become a custom!
Another resource we all possess is leaves, and even though it is December, there are still plenty of them in the air. Pick up a single item or a few. Make sure the leaves haven’t already become brittle and dry. You must have recently fallen leaves. Before applying the second coat of paint, properly dry the first side. two or three more times. After the leaves have completely dried, place each one between two sheets of parchment or wax paper and press them for a few days using a heavy book. By doing this, you can prevent the leaves from curling and brittleness. The leaves will continue to be flexible and supple. Use them as place cards at the meal, gift tags for presents, or on a cheese plate.
I had countless boxes of unopened wooden ornaments that I had accumulated throughout the years. Probably handed down to me by my mum soon after I graduated from college. I was about to donate them to Goodwill when I had the wild notion to try spray painting one of them gold. From there, it snowballed from there, with one becoming two, three, and so on. On the tree, they look fantastic!
If I didn’t include the common pine cone, which comes in a variety of sizes and forms and is almost ubiquitous, my list would be lacking. They look lovely thrown carelessly into a gorgeous glass or ceramic bowl, on the fireplace, or on the tree. Decorate gifts, place settings, or place cards with them.
How are leaves accented in paint?
You can construct any form and size you need to incorporate in your painting now that you have a basic idea of how to paint a leaf.
- Leaf #1
- On the watercolor paper, lightly outline your leaf with a pencil.
- Wet the leaf’s top section.
- Use a thick, juicy mixture of any of the paint colors mentioned above to paint the top of the leaf and stem, or use Shadow Green directly from the tube.
- You can wet and paint the leaf’s lower half when the paint has dried.
- Allow the entire leaf to dry before lifting the veins with the chisel edge of a damp flat brush.
- Leaf #2
- To remove the color, pull it out with a wet, flat brush.
- Work your way inward from the leaf’s outer border toward the vein region.
- Lift the color, then wipe your brush clean of any extra.
- Third Tulip Leaf
- Apply your yellow paint to the leaf’s base.
- Paint in a dark mixture of Antwerp Blue and Burnt Sienna or any other paint color you’ve selected to employ using the chisel edge of a no. 20 flat brush.
- Top and bottom are colored with a chisel.
- Rinse the brush quickly, squeezing out most of the water until it is only moist.
- On the leaf, pull the color or apply it longitudinally.
- No. 4 Holly Leaf
- The veins of the holly leaf on the left were lifted out and its base was black.
- The dark was sideloaded into the one on the right, which had the same base.
- Leaf Shape #5 – Basic
- The outside edge of the front side (right side) was colored, and the transition line was merged.
- To give the leaf some roundness or roll, I left a bright portion (see above right).
- The area above the vein on the back’s (left) side was painted dark. It was dried out.
- This has been sideloaded with darker pigment to give the appearance of veins. Move the brush toward the vein starting at the leaf’s outer edge. The area above the vein has had paint added in three strokes adjacent to the leaf.
- Leaf No. 6
- Illustration 6 demonstrates the steps involved in giving the leaf form.
- Dry the leaf on a base.
- Paint each color one at a time, blending the transition line between each color as you go.
- I most frequently use this form. It is quite simple.
Along with stems, tears, flips, and veins, you can also select to add accents and tints.
Any of my online painting classes will teach you how to paint lovely flowers using these methods.
You can purchase individual painting classes below if you enjoy this method and wish to learn more about painting lovely florals, landscapes, or still lifes with Louise. To view a large image of the entire painting and a picture of the complimentary bonus painting packet, click on the images.