Springtime in Paris with Sandy McTier

Happy New Year Y’all!!

Are y’all as ready for spring as I am?? I’m just not made for winter! lol

I remember many years ago, my husband and I took a trip to Paris during the spring. Paris is such a magical city and even more magical during spring! The colours, flowers, fragrance and feelings of being in this city during spring are still such fond memories I hold dear!

I think you’d agree that nothing speaks to Paris more than the Eiffel Tower?! I knew when I got this chipboard piece that I wanted to make it a focal point in one of my painted pieces! The SRTC Horizontal Filigree Wood Frame was the perfect piece to showcase a Parisian painted piece! Of course I wanted to figure out a way to use it differently, so I flipped the top part over and, instantly, I heard the piece sing! Don’t you love it when that happens!!

Prepping the Pieces:

• I painted both pieces with DecoArt’s All Purpose Sealer and let completely dry.
• Next, I painted both pieces with a smooth layer of DecoArt Media Gesso and let completely dry.

Eiffel Tower:

• I painted the tower with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics – Raw Umber and let dry.
• I loaded a damp sponge brush with DecoArt Metallic Lustre – Iced Espresso and painted the tower.
• I flipped the sponge painter over and loaded the other side with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics – Quinacridone Magenta and painted the word PARIS.  
• I added a bit of DecoArt Metallic Lustre – White Frost on the top half of the sponge painter and ran it back and forth over the top half of the word PARIS.
• Once the piece completely dried, I added some highlights of the White Frost Metallic Lustre here and there on the tower.

Horizontal Filigree Frame:

• I loaded a sponge with DecoArt Americana Acrylics – Spa Blue and Indian Turquoise, painted the frame and let dry.
• Next, I loaded some Turquoise Vintage Effects on the sponge, painted over the entire piece and let completely dry.
• I was going for more of a Tiffany Blue so decided to load the sponge with White Vintage Effects and painted that over the entire frame. Then I used a soft towel to wipe back some of the colour. It was exactly the colour I was going for!
• I stenciled on a beautiful rose stencil on the bottom piece of the frame using the White Vintage Effects and let dry.
• Roses seemed like the perfect addition to this Parisian piece! I based in the basic shapes of roses with DecoArt Fluid Acrylics… the roses with Quinacridone Magenta and the leaves with a mixture of Green Gold and Titanium White. An angle brush works great for adding the layers of petals on the roses. I’ll have a pattern packet with worksheets for this project on my website soon!
• I floated a mixture of Paynes Grey and Sap Green at the base of the leaves and also floated some straight Quinacridone Magenta in the center of the roses to give each more depth.
• Once dry, I dry brushed a mixture of Green Gold and Cobalt Teal Hue on the leaves to give them a subtle highlight and added veins on the leaves using a liner brush loaded with a mixture of Green Gold and Titanium White.
• Finally, I loaded a damp small brush with the Green Gold mixture and painted some soft transparent leaves and scroll strokes here and there to lighten up the design a bit and give the piece some movement.

Finishing Touches:

I used the On Point Glue by Imagine to glue the chipboard Paris piece in the center and set a book on top to keep it in place. Once dry, I added glue around the edge of the painted area and set the top frame piece on top. Again, I set a book on top of it to make sure it adhered to the bottom piece securely.

Southern Ridge Trading Company Products Used:

- Horizontal Filigree Frame

- Paris Tower

Other Supplies Used:

- Tracy Moreau Rose Mask Stencil

- DecoArt Americana Acrylics: Spa Blue and Indian Desert

- DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics: Quinacridone Magenta, Titanium White, Green Gold, Paynes Grey and Sap Green.

- DecoArt Media Metallic Lustre: White Frost and Iced Espresso

- DecoArt Vintage Effects: Turquoise and White

- Dynasty Brushes: Black Gold 1” Wash,  3/8” Angle, #8 Shader, #2 Round, IPC Large Oval Foam, Large Tracy Moreau Stencil Brush and a liner brush of choice. (Available from TheBrushGuys.com – use promo code: sandymc for an additional discount)

Imagine On Point Glue

Website: www.sandymctierdesigns.com

FB: www.Facebook.com/SandyMcTierDesigns

©2019 Springtime in Paris, Sandy McTier Designs ~ all rights reserved

Y’all have a GREAT day; Happy Creating!!  Sandy

Give Thanks Wall Hanging with Sandy McTier

I love the colours of autumn, and some of my favourite colours together are aqua, red, purple, green and orange! Fall is also a time when we gather with friends and family! Giving Thanks always but especially during the holidays when we’re reminded to give thanks and - be grateful for all we have! 

I hope you enjoy creating this sweet little frame and add it to your fall décor – or give it as a gift!

Prep: I painted the chipboard with an even coat of Gesso using a large oval foam brush. This allowed me to either brush it on or tap it on for added texture. For this particular piece, I brushed on a smooth coat of Gesso. Once one side was dry, I repeated it on the other side. I think this gave the chipboard a bit more stability.

I painted all of the branches with Raw Umber and then added some Quinacridone Gold in places to give the branches some variation in colour. Next, I added some Raw Umber and Titanium White and added some highlights here and there.  

I painted in all of the elements with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics. For the leaves, I used Green Gold. For the purple flowers, I used Dioxazine Purple just along the edges of the petals and Titanium White on the inside of the flowers. For the two larger mums, I used Pyrrole Red and Pyrrole Orange. Finally for the smaller mums, I used Quinacridone Gold. 

While the base colours were drying, I painted the frame with DecoArt Vintage Effects – Turquoise and then let it dry.

I added petals to the large mums with a mix of Yellow Oxide and Titan Buff and then painted petals along the back with Vermilion. Once dry, I added some brighter petals along the front with a mixture of Hansa Yellow Light and Titanium White. I shaded inside the flower and along the base of the bottom petals with some Raw Umber. 

Using an angle brush, I shaded the base of each of the leaves with Sap Green. Using a liner brush, I added small stamens with a mixture of Dioxazine Purple and Titanium White and randomly topped them with dots. The dots are a mixture of Green Gold and Titanium White. 

I finished by dry brushing a mixture of Cobalt Teal Hue and a touch of Titanium White on the leaves. Then I added some Metallic Gold to the front petals of the mums. Finally, I darkened some shading between the branches, leaves and flowers. 

While the chipboard was drying, I added some subtle interest to the frame. I used an M2-2L stencil by Tracy Moreau and yours truly, a Tracy Moreau Stencil brush and Metallic Gold.

TIP: Load the brush up well and then wipe most of it off onto a paper towel. Using a circular motion, brush over the stencil. Repeat, reloading the brush and wiping it off really well, as needed. 

Turn the cardboard insert for the frame over and paint with Titan Buff; let dry. Splatter some Metallic Gold on the frame and let dry. Transfer the words on using transfer paper and a pen or stylus. Paint words with Raw Umber and then add a mixture of Cobalt Teal Hue and a touch of Titanium White to the right of the letters as shown. Let dry. 

Once everything is dry, varnish with DecoArt Soft-Touch Varnish.

To finish, glue the chipboard on the frame using E6000 and insert the card piece into the frame. Place on an easel or let it stand with the little stick that comes with the frame. Note: Make sure you know where the hole is on the back and position it at the bottom before gluing your chipboard into place.

I hope this inspires you to create some Happy Fall Art today!!

Southern Ridge Trading Company Supplies Used:

- Floral Circle Frame (coming soon)

Other Supplies Used:

- Surface: Wooden Frame 

- M2 Stencil: M2-2L (Available from www.SandyMcTierDesigns.com)

- DecoArt Vintage Effects: Turquoise

- DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics: Titanium White, Titan Buff, Sap Green, Green Gold,

Quinacridone Gold, Pyrrole Orange, Pyrrole Red, Cobalt Teal Hue, Hansa Yellow Light, Yellow Oxide, Dioxazine Purple, Vermilion & Metallic Gold

- DecoArt Media White Gesso & Soft-Touch Varnish

- Dynasty Brushes: IPC Large Oval Foam, Black Gold 3/4" Flat Wash, Black Gold #2 & #4

Shaders, 1/4" Angle, & Mezzaluna (Sm)

- Tracy Moreau Stencil Brush (Med) (Available from TheBrushGuys.com – use promo code:

sandymc for an additional discount)

- Other Supplies: E6000, Transfer Paper and Pen/Stylus

Website: www.sandymctierdesigns.com FB: www.Facebook.com/SandyMcTierDesigns

©2018 Give Thanks, Sandy McTier Designs ~ All Rights Reserved

Y’all have a GREAT Fall day; Happy Creating!! Sandy 

Orchids and Dragon Flies with Tracy Moreau

Dragonflies are my Totem, By Spirit guide so to speak. I have an odd affinity for them and they to me. They frequently land on me when I'am out of doors. I love to watch them fly and am enthralled by them when at rest. The delicacy of their wings and the vibrancy of the colour are inspiring. They are...uniquely elegant.

I have used the laser cut dragonflies in a previous post, but NOT the stencil! And I loved this Tavern Sign piece so, I combined them to create this.

I started with the chipboard Vintage Sign Kit, using the middle piece for the surface (I have other plans for the rest of the pieces!) One chipboard Zen Dragonfly and Dragonfly Stencil. 

I love the Southern Ridge stencils...tons of details!!

I started with base coating the surface with Carbon Lamp Black. Then stencilled the dragonfly with DecoArts Bronze Dazzling Metallic. I just applied the image randomly over the surface taking care to allow portions of the image in a few places.

The stencils are easy to clean up with a little hand sanitizer!

I traced and transfer the floral to the panel and then based coated the Americana Acrylics. The petals are based with Warm White and the centre portion with Light Orchid. I based the leaves with Avocado Dip.

I shaded around the floral using a float of Lamp Black and began shading the floral with floats of Light Orchid, then deepened them with a float of Brilliant Purple. The leaves are shaded with floats of Plantation Pine and highlighted with floats of Margarita/Warm White. I then toned both the floral and the leaves and stems with floats of thinned Asphaltum.

I outlined the edge of the panel with a 18kt Gold Paint Pen. While this was drying I painted the dragonfly with a sponge dabbing first Bronze, then Gold, then Green Metallic and then Peacock Pearl Metallic. I glued a small wooden block to the back of the dragonfly. To give it elevation over the floral.

Here's what you need to complete this project:

Southern Ridge Trading Company Supplied Used:

- Vintage Sign Kit

- Zen Dragonfly Stencil

- Zen Dragonfly

Other Supplies Used:

- DecoArt Americana Acrylics: Light Orchid, Brilliant Purple, Titanium White, Warm White, Lamp Black, Avocado Dip, Plantation Pine, Sunny Day, Persimmon, Margarita, Asphaltum. Dazzling Metallics: Crystal Green, Peacock Pearl, Bronze and Bright Gold

- DynastyBlack Gold Brushes: 1/2 angle shader, 10/0 Liner and #4 Filbert

- Tracy Moreau Stencil Brush: 1/2 stencil brush

Questions?? Contact me at tracy.moreau@tracymoreau.net

Designed by Tracy Moreau

www.tracymoreau.net

Barbed Wire Beauty with Tracy Moreau

I'am known for my skulls. I love painting them, weather they be cute Skulls or more Gothic. I'am particularly enamoured with Skulls that fall into the Tattoo style. It’s not often I find a surface that lends it’s self so perfectly to this style. Southern Ridge Trading had this Wonderful HEART with a barbed wire overlay frame.. PERFECT!  My creative juices began to flow and I thought that a basic tattoo style skull with rosary and Roses would be perfect for it!! This piece is available in two sizes  and would be perfect for a door sign as well!!

I started with a base coat of Lamp Black on both the panel and the frame. For the frame, I mixed DecoArt Texture Sand with Soft Black, and lightly dabbed it all over the frame, creating a fine grainy texture (like rusted metal)

I used two Metallics to get this metal look. First by stroking in some details, like the twists in the wire with simple diagonal lines between the barbs. Then I dry brushed a Copper metallic and a Gold metallic onto the frame in a random fashion. I shaded the twisted barbs to give them a little more dimension and then added a small highlight to the twists with a small stroke of Gold mixed with a little Warm White.

I used the same Gold to stencil a little pattern onto the panel , only a little as it was just to carry the metallic onto the background. I based the roses with Scarlet, The Leaves with Antique Green,The Rosary Beads and the Skull with Warm White and the Cross with Dove Grey. I used what Soft Black to shade the petals of the Roses, And a Mix of the Soft Black and Antique Green to shade the leaves. Thin floats of Asphaltum are used to shade the rosary, cross and the Skull.

Dry brushes of Warm White mixed with the scarlet , and Antique Green with a touch of Warm White is used to Highlight the leaves,  highlight the petals, with a fine squiggly line of the same is added to soften the edges of the petals . All of the finer details are added with a liner. 

Adhere the Barbed wire frame with a CLEAR glue and allow it to dry.  Lightly Spatter the finished piece with Lamp Black and Asphaltum to create and aged look. I sealed my finished piece with two light coats of DecoArt Matt Spray. 

Southern Ridge Trading Company Products Used:

- Wood Barbed Wire Frame

Other Supplies Used:

- DecoArt Americana: Soft Black, Lamp Black, Scarlet, Warm White, Dove Grey, Asphaltum and Antique Green

- DecoArt Extreme Sheen: 24 KT Gold and Copper DecoArt Matte Spray

- Dynasty Brushes: Faux Squirrel - 1827 1/2 Angle, #4 Round, #2 Rigger, #4 Dome Blender and Tracy Moreau Stencil Med. Brush (www.thebrushguys.com)

- Tracy Moreau Stencil: Elegant Swirls (www.tracymoreau.net)

Thanks for joining me today!

- Tracy