Christmas Shimmer
by Debby Forshey-Choma
Adding different techniques, however simple or detailed to backgrounds, adds interest to the design.
Royal Brushes are available through www.RoyalBrush.com
#1360 – sm, med Debby Forshey's Texture brushes
#4160 – 5/8 Majestic angular
#1400 – ½ SG White Blending mop
#4170 – 8 Majestic filbert
#3080 – 1 Oval Wash Combo
#4585 – 20/0, 5/0, 0 Majestic liners
#4150 – 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 Majestic shaders
#4700 – 3/4 Majestic glaze wash
DecoArt Americana Acrylics available through www.DecoArt.com
Asphaltum 180
Hauser Dark Green 133
Raw Sienna 093
Black Plum 172
Hauser Light Green 131
Sand 04
Blue Mist 178
Hauser Medium Green 132
Snow White 01
Burnt Sienna 063
Lamp Black 067
Terra Coral 286
Cotton Candy 347
Light Buttermilk 164
Tomato Red 169
Dark Chocolate 065
Light Cinnamon 114
Warm White 239
Deep Burgundy 128
Marigold 194
Wild Berry 362
Grey Sky 111
Soft Black 155
Extreme Sheen Metallic Paint – 24K Gold DPM04
DecoArt Sealers/Finishes
Americana Acrylic Sealer/Finisher Spray – Matte DAS13
DuraClear Matte Varnish DS60
Multi-Purpose Sealer DS17
Surface Source
3 – Gift Tags, Double Scroll (4-1/2” x 3”) #SKU: 207-0549 available through www.vikingwoodcrafts.com
Misc Supplies
Blue Shop Towel Cosmetic Wedges / Brayer
Baby Wipes or Rubbing Alcohol Spattering Tool
Andy Skinner Cling Rubber Stamps - Toxic #SKU: 46-21717 available through www.cdwood.com
-OR- use the stamp of choice or sponge
Prep
1. With the Multi-Purpose Sealer, seal the entire three gift tags; using the glaze wash brush.
Lightly sand, wipe off with a lint-free cloth.
Basecoating Surfaces
2. Basecoat the entire tags with Lamp Black; using the glaze wash brush, to achieve opaque coverage.
Background Stamping
3. The surfaces and backsides are stamped; using the Toxic stamp (or stamp of choice or sponge) and 24K Gold.
When using paint on stamps it is important that you do not overload the image.
You can apply the paint with the cosmetic edge or a brayer.
Pounce the wedge sponge into 24K Gold and then dance-off on a clean area of the palette. When you look at the bottom of the sponge it should be covered in paint, but you should still be able to see the texture of the sponge.
Now quickly pounce the loaded sponge over the entire image and stamp it on the surface.
Repeat steps, randomly stamping over the surface; refer to photo for placement.
Repeat steps on the remaining surfaces and backsides of the tags.
When stamping is completed, clean the stamp with a baby wipe or rubbing alcohol.
TIP: When dry, lightly mist with matte, for easier clean-up.
You can lock down acrylic paint with matte acrylic spray at any time during the painting process, to preserve previous work.
This allows for fearless painting of the next steps, as any unwanted results may be wiped off without harming the underlying work.
Transfer Design
4. Transfer the designs to the appropriate surfaces.
Basecoating Designs
5. Use the appropriate size shaders or filbert to basecoat the designs –
Raw Sienna + Marigold 1:1 mixture – acorn nuts
Raw Sienna + Light Cinnamon – acorn caps
Cotton Candy – pink poinsettia petals
Hauser Medium Green – holly leaves
Tomato Red + Slate Grey (undercoat with one coat) – ribbon
Tomato Red – ribbon
Ribbon
6. Corner load the angle with Black Plum, float a wide shade under the acorns, and along the flip of the ribbon tail.
Corner load the angle with Terra Coral, wash over the ribbon tail that is flipped over.
Acorns
7. Corner load the angle with Burnt Sienna, float shading across the top of each acorn nut; if necessary, mop to soften.
Then corner load the angle with Marigold, float highlighting along the bottom edge of each acorn nut; if necessary, mop to soften.
Corner load the angle with Dark Chocolate, float shading across the top of the acorn caps.
To deepen, re-float shading on the acorn caps, not as wide with Soft Black.
Now corner load the angle with Marigold, float highlighting along the bottom edge of the caps.
To create the texture on the caps, corner load the angle with Soft Black, float ‘c’ strokes on each cap; refer to step by step image.
With Dark Chocolate, pull the stems at the top of the caps; using the 5/0 liner.
Pinecones
8. The petals are created with floats of highlights.
Corner load the angle with Dark Chocolate, float a wide highlight on each petal.
Use the Lamp Black basecoated background in between each petal, for the shade and separation areas.
Then float Light Cinnamon on each petal, not as wide as the Dark Chocolate.
To create the curving over of each petal edge, corner load the angle with Raw Sienna, float a narrow highlight of Raw Sienna on
each petal.
Start the narrow float at one side edge of the petal, continue floating over to the opposite side edge.
The float will float towards the petal’s outside edge.
Now corner load the angle with Marigold, lightly and randomly re-float each petal’s curved edge.
If you have lost any shade areas between petals, just re-float Lamp Black.
Corner load the angle with Soft Black, float a shade across the backside of the pinecone.
Pink Poinsettia
9. Corner load the angle with Wild Berry, float a wide shade on each petal from the center of the flower towards the petal’s tip (about
2/3); if necessary, mop to soften.
To deepen, re-float shading not as wide with Deep Burgundy; if necessary, mop to soften.
Now corner load the angle with Sand, float a highlight along the tips of each petal.
Double load the 20/0 liner with Wild Berry + Deep Burgundy, pull the veins in each petal.
Pull-on a slight curve to give the petal life; taper off before the tip, so as to not cut the petal in half.
Corner load the angle with thinned Marigold, randomly float tints on a couple of the petals.
Place dip dots in the center of the poinsettia with Hauser Medium Green; using the handle end of a liner brush.
When dry, use the stylus and Tomato Red, place smaller dip dots in the centers of the Hauser Medium Green dots.
Repeat step with 24K Gold.
Holly Leaves
10. Corner load the angle with Hauser Dark Green, float a wide shade at the base of each holly leaf.
Then corner load the angle with Hauser Light Green, float a highlight along the tip of each holly leaf.
Now corner load the angle with Hauser Dark Green, float a vein in each holly leaf.
Float on a slight curve to give the leaf life, taper off before the tip, so as not to cut the leaf in half.
With the 5/0 liner and Hauser Light Green, outline one edge tip of the leaf with a comma stroke and then pull the stem.
Spruce Filler
11. With the 0 liner and Hauser Medium Green, pull the spruce filler; refer to photo for placement.
Then repeat steps, pulling Evergreen strokes.
Now for the highlight, randomly pull fewer strokes with Hauser Light Green.
Small Pinecones
12. Randomly place oval shapes of Light Cinnamon in the spruce; using the stylus; refer to photo for placement.
When dry, very lightly pull two Snow White highlight strokes on each side of the oval shape, place each one offset from the next;
using the 20/0 liner.
Small Berries
13. Randomly place Tomato Red clusters of berries in the spruce; using the stylus. There are three berries in each cluster; to achieve different size berries, do not re-load the brush handle for each berry. Refer to photo for placement.
When dry, place a Snow White highlight stroke in each berry at the top right (about one o'clock); using the 20/0 liner.
Spattering
14. With the Spattering Tool and thinned Black Green, very lightly spatter over the entire design.
TIP: Before spattering, apply one coat of varnish to the surface, it will be easier to remove any unwanted specks; using a
dampened Q-tip or brush.
Finishing Touches
15. With the 12 shader and 24K Gold, basecoat the wood edges of the tags.
Finishing
16. To protect your painted pieces, varnish the entire tags with the DuraClear matte varnish; using the Oval Wash Combo.
This brush doesn't leave any visible brushstroke marks when the varnish has dried.
DOWNLOAD ORIGINAL WORD FILE HERE.
For questions concerning this design, you can contact Debby at debbyforshey@gmail.com or visit her website www.DebbysTouch.com, on Facebook or Instagram.
Copyright 2021, Debby Forshey-Choma. All rights reserved under Pan American and international copyright conventions. Photocopying or any type of mechanical electronic reproduction of any part of this pattern packet or the designs herein are prohibited, except purchaser may mechanically electronically enlarge or reduce patterns for their personal use. If this pattern packet is purchased as an e-Pattern or CD, you may not re-sell the pdf file, nor make copies of the pdf files for re-sale or to give away. The projects created from the patterns in this pattern packet may be personally painted by purchaser for fun or for sale (i.e., at local craft shows, on internet auctions such as eBay, and on their own websites or photo sites), although if shown on the internet I do ask that you please give me credit for the design in your description. The designs cannot be used to create web graphics. The product created from or any derivative product made from the designs in this pattern packet cannot be mass produced in any form without a licensing agreement from Debby Forshey-Choma. Note to Teachers/Shop Owners…You may not teach this design or your adaptation of it unless a pattern is purchased for each student. I will be happy to sell patterns (print or digital) for each student at a wholesale discount so they can be included with the class supplies at a nominal cost. Disclaimer: The information in this pattern packet is presented to you in good faith. Since the author/designer has no control over the physical conditions surrounding the application of information presented, I cannot guarantee results, nor will I be liable for any charges against the user for claims of copyright or patent infringement. Please note that with printing differences it is difficult to match the images in this pattern packet to the original pieces, although every effort has been made to do so. Therefore, your finished project may look a little different in color than the images in this pattern packet. The colors used in the project instructions are the ones used by me to paint the finished projects.