Big Red

by Shirley Koenig

Big Red
By Shirley Koenig

Palette:
DecoArt Americana Acrylics
Burnt Sienna #13063
Cadmium Red #13015
Lamp Black #13067
Paynes Grey #13167
Saffron Yellow #13263
Ultra Blue Deep #13100

Burnt Umber #13064

Dioxazine Purple #13101
Napa Red #13165
Purple Cow #13262
True Red #13129
White Wash #13002

Surface:
Folk Art Sled #62508

Misc. Supplies:
Wedge shaped Make-Up Sponge (use scissors to trim the edges off the bottom making it more
rounded.
Cotton Swabs
Saral Sampler Pack #82069 (I used the blue one)
DecoArt DuraClear Varnish Satin #87394
Craft Wire #80154

Brushes:
Papillon by the Artists Club
Glaze Wash, size #20102
Shader, size 6 #20127
Round, size 2 #20158
Script Liner, size 2/0 #20139
Filbert Comb, size #20105
Angular Shader, size #20109
Other brushes used:
Small round old scruffy brush

Preparation:
Lightly sand the sled front and back. Use a Glaze Wash paint runners and the underside of
the sled with Paynes Grey let dry apply a second coat. Paint the front with a light blue mix
using White Wash plus a touch of Ultra Blue Deep and Dioxazine Purple. Use a Glaze Wash and
pat and pull the medium mix ( same mix as above with a little less White Wash) on the bottom section pouncing to blend with a damp make-up sponge. Pat in a few touches of Dioxazine Purple.
Use the damp make-up sponge and pounce a little Purple Cow around the top of the sled and down
the sides. Using a clean damp make-up sponge, lightly pounce White Wash through the center section. When the background suits you, transfer the pattern using Blue Saral transfer paper.

Painting Instructions:
Red Bird: Mix Napa Red plus a touch of Lamp Black. Using a liner, outline the body, tail feathers,
head and beak. Paint the mask and the eye Lamp Black, leaving a small light line around the eye.
1

Paint the head, body, wings and tail with

True Red. This will need at least 2 coats.
Mix Napa Red + Lamp Black and paint the
lower ends of each wing and the left upper
wing blending into the left side of the body.
Use the Angular Shader and float and
streak this same mixture under the head,
down the right side and upper part of the
tail below the limb. Mix Cadmium Red plus
a touch of White Wash plus a dot of Saffron
Yellow. Use the Filbert Comb and highlight the head and chest. Highlight the tip
of the upper tail with Cadmium Red plus a
touch of Saffron Yellow. Paint the beak with
a dark orange mix of Cadmium Red plus
a touch of Saffron Yellow. Highlight with
the same mix plus a touch of White Wash.
Highlight the eye with a dot of White Wash.
Use a Angular Shader and float shading
on the upper tail and under each tail feather to separate. Highlight the edges of the
feathers with a float of Cadmium Red plus
White Wash. Use a liner and Lamp Black,
paint the toes and then lightly tap along
the top of the toes with a gray mix of White
Wash plus a dot of Lamp Black. Accent the
curves with a little Cadmium Red.
Limbs: Outline and paint with a mix of
Burnt Umber plus a touch Lamp Black. Use
a size 3 Round brush and a mix of Burnt
Umber plus a touch of White Wash plus a
dot of Ultra Blue Deep to streak and tap
highlights on the limbs.
Berries: Paint the hulls around the berries.
Use a size 3 Round brush, a light orange
mix of Saffron Yellow plus a dot of Cadmium
Red start at the berry, press, lift and pull.
Float shading next to the berry and outline
the hulls with a mix of Burnt Sienna plus a
touch of True Red. Use a cotton swab to
paint the berries. If the tip starts spreading, use a new one. Pick up a small amount
of True Red on the tip, touch one edge into
Napa Red and dot the berries. Apply more
pressure for the larger berries. When dry,
shade and separate with floats of Napa Red.
Darken some of the shaded areas with Napa
Red plus a dot of Lamp Black. Highlight
2

edges where needed with a float of Napa Red plus a touch of White Wash. Connect the berries to
the branches with a thin line of the dark limb mix (Burnt Umber plus a touch of Lamp Black).
Leaves: Make a yellow green mix of Saffron Yellow plus a dot of Ultra Blue Deep plus a dot of Burnt
Sienna. Using a Angular Shader, start at the tip, float one side flip and float the opposite side.
When dry, float spots of the same mix used on the hulls. Add a few small dried leaves with the
thinned down brown mix used on the limbs.
Snow: Use an old round scruffy brush and stipple the snow on the limbs and berries with White
Wash.

Finishing:
When paint is dry, finish with DuraClear Varnish Satin. Use a thin wire for the hanger, curl the
ends by wrapping it around a pencil or paintbrush.

Step 5

Step 6 &
Step 7
Combined

1 x 1

To ensure your
pattern is at 100%,
this box should
measure 1 x 1 when
printed.

Copyright 2010 Shirley Koenig and Crafts Americana Group, Inc.

All Rights Reserved. #331503

No.

*A331503*

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