Hi Y’all!!
I know SPRING just arrived but many of you still have snow
on the ground. Hopefully this project will let you daydream of an escape to the
beach!!
There’s always been something about the beach that speaks
to my soul. There is a calmness that comes over me when my toes are in the sand
and my feet are in the water. When I got the Southern Ridge Trading Company
Starfish and Scallop Shells, I knew I had to create a seascape just for them!
As I started painting, I was flooded with wonderful
childhood memories! They spoke to my heart; my heart spoke to my brushes and ta-da…
the results! So for just a moment, I hope you’ll look at the picture, then close
your eyes and escape to a secluded beach, feeling the sun on your face and the
sand between your toes while enjoying the wonderful starfish and scallop
shells!
My palette inspiration came from the new 2017 acrylic
colours by DecoArt! I mixed them in with a few of my other favourite colours and
then finished it off with DecoArt’s New Vintage Effect Wash in White to give
everything a soft, subtle tone. Can’t wait to hang this in my home as I wait
for summer to arrive! I love that the SRTC scallops and starfish come in a
variety of sizes so that I can create additional projects using the bits I
didn’t use for this piece.
Surface: This project
is painted on a panel wood surface; however, you could paint it on a piece of
reclaimed wood or canvas, or even RocLon and make it into a garden flag.
I sealed the surface, let it dry and gave it a light
sanding. Even though I did this, I didn’t want to use my good brushes to put on
the initial base colours. I used a large bristle brush, the Large Joiner, by
Dynasty; it’s in their Urban FX line. It worked great working the colour into
the surface and blending from colour to colour. I also used a pretty wet brush,
wiping off in between colours.
I love pinks and purples in the sky, often referring to
them as ‘cotton candy skies’ ~ they’re just so yummy!! Started at the top with
Brilliant Purple and then, appropriately enough, Cotton Candy. I added some
Primary Magenta and Titanium White to soften the pinks and continued that down
to the horizon line. I used Bright Blue at the horizon line and added Laguna
and Titanium White as I continued to paint down to the sand. I added more white
and a touch of the pinks to finish the bottom of the surface. I painted a few
waves, some soft clouds and a lone seagull flying above the water. I painted a
wash of Vintage Effect Wash – White over the entire surface to tone everything
down and then wiped it back with a paper towel. I also added some Metallic
Lustre to the waves and foam for some added shine!
I knew that the shell and starfish were going to be in the
sand somewhere but wasn’t quite sure what else it needed. I kept hearing the
word ‘Calm’ so I grabbed a stencil and added it, then added ‘Drift’ and ‘Beach’
and finally stenciled on the boat.
TIP: If
you’re not quite sure where you want to stencil something, stencil it onto a
piece of transparency. That way you can lay it down where you think you might
want it and move it around to find the best place!
The scallop shell needed very little to bring out the
beautiful and intricate curves. I loaded a wet brush with a little bit of blue
paint and White Frost Metallic Lustre and brushed over the surface. Then I
painted the starfish with the pinks and painted white dots using a stylus. Before
gluing them in place, I splattered some White all over the sand and then
varnished the project with Soft Touch Varnish. I used a toothpick to add the
E6000 glue on the back of the starfish and scallop shell and set them in the
sand.
I hope this inspires you to create a soft, calm seascape
and a beautiful place for your starfish and scallop shells to call home J Happy Creating!
Southern Ridge Trading Company Supplies Used:
- Starfish (set of 3)
- Scallop Shells (set of 3)
Other Supplies Used:
- Surface: Bear With Us (www.bearwithus.com) 2868-3 Panel Fence Board
- DecoArt Americana Acrylics
- DecoArt Americana Multi-Purpose Sealer
- DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics
- DecoArt Media Matte Medium
- DecoArt Vintage Effect Wash
- DecoArt Metallic Lustre – White Frost
- DecoArt Media Soft-Touch Varnish
- E6000 Glue
- Dynasty Brushes (Available from TheBrushGuys.com – use
promo code: sandymc for an additional discount)
Website: www.sandymctierdesigns.com
©2017 Seaside, Sandy McTier Designs ~ all rights reserved
Y’all have a GREAT day!!
– Sandy
