Frankenstein
by Debbie Huska
A classic literary character brought to life and into the electronic world through the eyes of a decorative artist. (Check out the 'mice' in his pockets!)
A bit about the artist... 'I have been painting for about 20 years, a friend at work showed me the brush strokes. I have painted every day since then. I love painting on anything that does not move.'
Supplies
Surface: Medium 9½" x 16" Gift Tag Plaque – #WDSF1379_3 CreativeArtsLifestyle.com
Palette
DecoArt Americana
Alizarin Crimson
Black Green
Blush Flesh (Retired - Substitute French Mauve, Mocha, Dried Clay 3:2:1 Add touches of Warm White to lighten.)
Burnt Umber
Buttermilk
Charcoal Grey
Country Red
Hauser Dark Green
Hauser Medium Green
Honey Brown
Lamp (Ebony) Black
Light Buttermilk
Moon Yellow
Orange Flame
Oyster Beige
Prussian Blue
Deep Blush
Slate Grey
Snow (Titanium) White
Ultra Blue Deep
Warm White
Yellow Green
Media Fluid Acrylics Interference – Blue
Mediums
DecoArt Americana
Triple Thick Brilliant Brush-On Gloss Glaze
Delta Ceramcoat
Color Float
Brushes
Papillion by Artist’s Club-
18/0 Liner
1/8” Comb
Artist’s Loft Vienna –
10/0 Script Liner
¾” Wash
#12 Shader
#4 Shader
#0 Shader
¼” Angle Shader
1/8” Angle Shader
½” Loew – Cornell 7120 – Rake
Royal & Langnickel Crafter's Choice -
½” Stencil Brush
¼” Stencil Brush
Royal & Langnickel -
1/8” Moderna M77DR – Stencil Brush (Dome)
*1” Stencil Brush*
Miscellaneous Supplies
Fine Point Stylus
Tracing Paper - Graphite & White
Sand Paper – fine grade
Bump in The Night - Creative Arts Lifestyle – Stencil
Eraser White Charcoal Pencil 1” Masking tape Paper Towels Strathmore Palette Paper 365-9
Helpful Hints: I have found out if you tape around the bristle of the dry brush, or stencil brush, you will have more control.
* I have 3 each 1” Stencil Brush to do the sky, otherwise you would need to clean the brush to do a different color each time.
Preparation:
Sky - Basecoat the top half of the plaque with Oyster Beige with a ¾” wash brush, give it two coats. Sand lightly with fine grade sandpaper. With the ¾” wash brush, cover the Oyster Beige with the color float. Don’t wash out your brush, dip it in Moon Yellow, start at the bottom of the Oyster Beige, using the ¾” wash brush and Moon Yellow, give it two brush widths with horizontal strokes from one edge to the other edge, back and forth towards the top of the plaque. Wipeout your brush, dip in more color float and then in Orange Flame, brush horizontal stroke next to the Moon Yellow to blend edge then with horizontal stokes up to two brush widths of Orange Flame towards the top of the plaque. Wipeout your brush, dip in more color float, and then in Cherry Red, next to Orange Flame blend Cherry Red and Orange Flame, to blend edge then with horizontal strokes. Brush Cherry Red up to two brush widths towards the top of the plaque. Wipeout your brush, dip in more color float, and then in Ultra Blue Deep, next to Cherry Red blend with Ultra Blue Deep, to blend edge then with horizontal strokes. Brush Ultra Blue Deep up to two brush widths towards the top of the plaque. Wipeout your brush, dip in more color float, and then in Prussian Blue, next to Ultra Blue Deep blend Prussian Blue and Ultra Blue Deep, to blend edge then with horizontal strokes. Brush Prussian Blue up to two brush widths towards the end of plaque. Let dry. I allowed it to dry overnight. (Image 1)
*Optional: Dip one 1” Stencil Brush in Orange Flame, wipe off some of the paint to dry brush over the Orange Flame to deepen the color. Clean Brush, make sure that it is dry. Dip the same brush in Cherry Red, wipe off some of the paint to dry brush over Cherry Red to deepen the color, and to blend between Orange Flame and Cherry Red, if necessary. Clean Brush, make sure that it is dry. Dip the same Brush in Ultra Blue Deep, wipe off some of the paint to dry brush to deepen the Ultra Blue Deep, and to blend between Cherry Red and Ultra Blue Deep, if necessary. Clean brush, make sure that it is dry. Dip the same brush in Prussian Blue, wipe off some of the paint to dry brush, to blend between Ultra Blue Deep and Prussian Blue, if necessary. Repeat till you get the effect you like.
Moon - Draw a circle on the upper right-hand side of the sky. (I used the inner circle of the masking tape). Basecoat with Oyster Beige using #12 shader – 2 coats. Clean, and give it a second layer of Light Buttermilk – 2 coats. Using the ½” stencil brush, wipe off most of the paint, dry brush around the outside edge of the moon. Walk out the stencil brush from the moon.
Clean and dry brush, dip in Prussian Blue, wipe off most of the paint, dry brush lightly on the moon.
Clean, dry and dry Brush, dip in Snow (Titanium) White all over the face of the moon.
Bats - Paint the bats with 18/0 Liner brush in Lamp Ebony Black on the moon.
Grass - For the bottom half of the plaque, basecoat Black Green with 1” wash – two coats.
Dip 1/2” Rake brush in thinned Hauser Dark Green, starting up by the sky then working downward towards the bottom.
Repeat with Hauser Medium Green. Repeat with Honey Brown. Repeat lightly with Evergreen.
Frankenstein - Basecoat with #12 and #4 Shaders in Oyster Beige – two coats.
When dry, paint the suit and boots with Charcoal Grey using #12 Shader. Shade the suit with Lamp (Ebony) Black with a 1/8” angle shader. Dry brush (wipe off most of the paint ) with the 5/8” stencil brush in Snow (Titanium) White dry brush lightly.
Buttons – dip the end of #4 Shader into Lamp Ebony Black. When dry, highlight the tops with the ¼” angle shader.
Sweater – Basecoat with Buttermilk using the #4 shader. Shade with Honey Brown with 1/4” angle shader, deepen with thinned Lamp Ebony Black. (Image 11)
Bolts on the neck – The bolts are based with Slate Grey with the 18/0 Liner. Shade with thinned Lamp Ebony Black with the 1/8” angle shader.
Face and Hands – Basecoat with Yellow Green with the #4 shader, may need up to 3 -4 coats. Shade with the Hauser Dark Green with the 1/8” Angle Shader. Dry brush (wipe off most of the paint off) with 1/8” Stencil Brush in Snow (Titanium) White, dry brush lightly. Dry brush lightly with 1/8” stencil brush using Blush Flesh on the cheeks.
Lips – Mix 4:1 Yellow Green and Blush Flesh and apply with the 18/0 liner, shade with Hauser Dark Green, and the 1/8” angle shader. Eyes - Basecoat with Snow (Titanium) White with 18/0 Liner. Irises – Hauser Medium Green with 18/0 liner. Shade with Black Green, highlight with Snow (Titanium) White and the 1/8” angle shader. Pupils – Lamp Ebony Black with 18/0 Liner. With a small Stylus dot the pupils with Snow (Titanium) White in a 2 o’clock position.
Hair – Lamp Ebony Black using 18/0 Liner. Highlight by dry brushing Slate Grey lightly with 1/8” Stencil Brush.
Stitches on the wrists – Paint a heavy line with the 10/0 liner using Country Red on the cut. Make a thinner line in Lamp Ebony Black with the 10/0 liner on the cut and stitches.
Cut on the Forehead – Country Red with 18/0 Liner, when dry, repeat with Alizarin Crimson. Staples on the Forehead – Paint staples Slate Grey with the18/0 liner, shade with thinned Lamp Ebony Black with the 1/8” angle shader.
Fingernails Paint with Black Green with 18/0 liner.
Computer Mouse – Basecoat with Oyster Beige, then with Light Buttermilk with the #4 Shader. Button – Country Red with 18/0 liner. Shade with thinned Lamp Ebony Black and the ¼” angle shader.
Mouse – Basecoat with Oyster Beige with #4 Shader. Rake fur in Buttermilk with the 1/8” comb. Repeat with Light Buttermilk. Repeat with Warm White. Ears, nose and feet – Basecoat Warm Beige with the 18/0 Liner. Shade with Shading Flesh with the 1/8” Angle Shader. Eyes – Dip end of #0 shader in Alizarin Crimson. Let dry. With a small stylus dot the pupils with Snow (Titanium) White in a 2 o’clock position. Shade with thinned Lamp Ebony Black.
Ghosts (optional) – Use the ghosts in the stencil and Interference Blue with the ¼” stencil brush. (This shows in the main photo in the upper left-hand corner, it is really faint.)
Varnish – 2 coats of Triple Thick with 1” wash. Let dry.
Enjoy!
Line Drawing - Increase 140% or adapt to surface.
Pattern and photos ©2020 Debbie Huska