Diane M Kellogg
- Aug 1, 2022
- 4 min read

Fall Chalkboard

By Amanda Novaes

SUPPLIES

Wood Surface 8in x 12in (20cm x 30cm)

Paints:

Decoart© Americana:

Avocado - DAO52

Bleached Sand - DA257

Burnt Umber - DAO64

Charcoal Grey - DAO88

Georgia Clay - DAO17

Grey Sky - DA111

Honey Brown - DA163

Olive Green - DAO56* (DA312 Irish Green - DA168 Golden Straw - DA164 Light Buttermilk - 2:2:1)

Payne’s Grey - DA167

Persimmon - DA293

Plantation Pine - DA113

Raw Sienna - DAO93

Red Alert - DA301

Slate Grey - DAO68

Soft Black - DA155

Yellow Ochre - DAO8

*Retired

Mediums/Varnish:

Decoart©:

Americana acrylic sealer/finishers

Chalkboard Paint

Brushes:

Royal & Langnickel©:

5/8, 3/8, 1/4 Angle Majestic R4160

6, 4, 2, 1 Round – Aqualon R2250

20/0 Round Mini Majestic R4200R

4, 2 White Bristle Interlock R1455

1/2, 3/8 Soft Grip Mop SG1400

8, 6 Shader/flat - Majestic R4150

3, 5 Regis Filbert bristle brush L404T

3/8 Soft-Grip Filbert Comb SG930

3, 5 round bristle brush R325

3, 5 White Bristle Interlock Brite R1455

4, 6 Filbert Fusion R3170

Miscellaneous Supplies:

Sandpaper

Tracing Paper

Graphite Paper

PREPARATION:

Sand the wood surface and basecoat with Chalkboard Paint.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pumpkins:

Basecoat with Yellow Ochre. Using a round bristle brush dry brush the left pumpkin with Avocado following the shape of each pumpkin section. Still with the same brush, dry brush with Persimmon on both pumpkins. Using a round brush shade all sections using a watercolor technique (using the wet and clean brush to build a gradient) with Persimmon. Let’s keep shading but now with an angle brush, so shade both pumpkins with Georgia Clay then Burnt Umber including the overlapping shadow . Highlight each section of the pumpkins with Yellow Ochre then Bleached Sand.

Pumpkin Stalks:

Basecoat with Avocado. Shade the bottom of the stalks with Soft Black. Highlight the top area with Olive Green.

Branches:

Using a round brush basecoat with Raw Sienna. Using a bright bristle brush with Honey Brown, add “C” strokes all along the branch to get the cylindric shape. To reach the rough texture of the branch with this brush you need to load it with less paint, but you do not need a paper towel. So, add this texture with Honey Brown on the outside edge of the circle and repeat the process with Burnt Umber on the inside edges. Let dry and repeat the process with Yellow Ochre on the light side.

Vine:

Using a liner brush do add a Yellow Ochre Vine all along the branch. Next to all vine that is seen on top of the branch add a cast shadow with a thin Soft Black layer.

Leaves:

Use a round or a filbert brush, as preferred. Load the brush with Avocado and a touch on the tip of the brush of Olive Green and alternate with Plantation Pine. Play with all 3 colors to build all leaves.

Cardinal:

The bristle brush is a kind of brush that needs to be almost dry and have no excess paint on it. That way it will offer more similarity to natural fur. It is a way to avoid a flat basecoat on the first layer of your animal painting. IMPORTANT: the brush strokes need to follow the feather's direction like the first layers.

For the first layer on the grey area will use an oval bristle brush (that way will be easier to reach a feather aspect with fewer toothbrush layers). So, layer with Charcoal Grey, then Grey Skey. Repeat if necessary. For the red area use Persimmon using the same previous process. Now with a toothbrush with Grey Sky add a layer of feathers then another layer with the same brush with Bleached Sand (add layers as necessary).

On the red area use Persimmon + Bleached Sand (1:0,5) to add a toothbrush layer. Next layers are done with Red Alert. Using a liner brush add some feathers on top of the crest with more control alternating Persimmon and Red Alert.

Beak:

Basecoat with Grey Sky. Shade the top and bottom with Charcoal Grey then Payne’s Greys. With a liner brush and Soft Black add the division line of the beak and the nostril hole. Highlight the tip of the beak with Bleached Sand. On the red feathers shade next to the beak and near the eye (between grey and red feathers) with Payne’s Grey.

Eye:

Basecoat the eyeball with Persimmon. With Soft Black line the eye and add a dot in the center. With a liner brush add a dot circle around the eyeball with Persimmon + Bleached Sand (just touch the tip of the liner brush). Then highlight the same dotting work with Bleached Sand. Shade around it with Payne’s Grey. And finish with a light spot using Bleached Sand.

Tail:

Use a round brush with Payne’s Grey. With a liner brush add a Grey Sky details of the feathers tip.

Wing:

For the wing use a small round brush with Paine’s Grey.

Feet:

Don’t be afraid. A little tip is to search any image on the internet that explains the bird's feet anatomy. This will help to understand the shape.

Basecoat the feet and nails with Charcoal Grey. Shade the dark side of each finger with Soft Black. With Slate Grey use a liner brush to add some curved lines on the light area of each finger (as a “C” stroke to preserve cylindric shape). Highlight each nail with Bleached Sand. Shade the belly area next to the fingers with Charcoal Grey then Soft Black.