~Adding the Finishing Touches"

~Adding the "finishing touches" to your product~

Adding the extra details to a finished "product" always makes a difference to me. I sometimes don't like what I have painted until I add some chalking, lining, or highlights. I will explain what that means.

Chalking ~ Chalk around the edges to highlight words, create depth on an object, or outline to add different effects.

Aging paper with chalk. I love to make my paper look old just by using chalk. I use a combination of brown and black. Tear the edges of the paper and blend the chalk in, usually darkest on the edges fading toward the middle. Don’t forget you can also chalk the side-edge of the paper, not just the surface.

*Frugal tip: I have found that generic Q-tips hold together better than name-brand, and eye shadow applicators work just as well as the marketed chalk applicators. Also alligator clips found at the hardware store are just as good as chalk applicator clips.

Lining ~ Is outlining to add detail. Examples would be to outline the eye brows as I did on the 4th of July Dude, or outlining the eyes. Adding some "stitching" around an object.

Practice double and triple loading your paintbrush and then again practicing the basic strokes, according to the zestit.com website. This will provide shading and delightful nuances in your decorative pieces. This is a quick technique to place highlights and shadowing in your art.

Practice with a liner brush until you feel in control. Start by writing your name and just doodling with the brush. You need to be relaxed but in control. The paint needs to flow and so does your arm and wrist. Try swirls and figure of eights, long, loose comma strokes and flowing 'S's.

Highlighting ~ Many decorative painting techniques use a basecoat or main color with shading and highlighting colors to create the depth and dimension that characterizes decorative painting. While shading and highlighting is a simple concept, choosing the correct shading and highlighting colors can be confusing. I usually follow the directions or change to what I like. Even if you follow the directions exactly, no finished "product" is the same.