Painted Shells by Wendy Aspinall

After a recent trip to Rhode Island I came back with a bag full of large shells. Beautiful creamy colored shells with a large area perfect for painting.

Supplies you will need

• Acrylic gesso
• sponge brush
• Acrylic paints
• Paint brushes
• Inktense block in burnt earth
• Spray bottle with water
• Kae Pea | Goddess Within | Foam Stamp
• Kae Pea | Dot to Dot | Foam Stamp
• Posca White fine tipped paint pen
• Ink Buddy or sponge
• Gold leaf
• Gold leaf glue
• Clear Polyurethane varnish
• Golden shading grey

1. Gesso the inside of shell, two coats with drying time between. Spray ArtFoamies with water, rub a intense block on stamp. Stamp. Dry.
2. Paint in with Acrylic paints colors of your choice. Dry. Add shading and more colors.
3. Add details with Posca paint pen. Rub tiny amounts of shading grey to the shell . This will knock the colors back. This step is optional.
4. Add foil glue to edge of shell and any areas you to like to highlight with the gold foil. A heart or halo.
5. When glue is clear add the foil and brush off loose foil over a trashcan.
6. If some area didn’t stick. You can re apply the foil glue and foil again. Let's dry completely overnight.
7. Add a coat of polyurethane varnish to seal gold and painted area. 

Enjoy your shells. They make beautiful receptacles for your rings or in my studio for my pins and needles. Practical and stunning.

Video tutorial available here: https://www.wendyaspinall.art/

Thank you,
Hugs Wendy

Pretty Face Boxes By Wendy Aspinall.

Hello friends! Who doesn’t love a special box to put treasure in? Who doesn’t love a pretty face? With my boxes , you get both. It’s fun and whimsical. More importantly, it’s easy and practical. You could paint a few over a weekend.

I’m using acrylic paints in the the same way i would use watercolors in this project to produce a soft , ethereal treatment. Lots of watery washes of color that you can build up. The results will delight and please you.

Supplies

• Blank wooden boxes
• Sunny Carvalho | Two Heads are Better than One | Foam Stamps - Set of 2
• Kae Pea | Dot to Dot | Foam Stamp
• Kae Pea | Scribble Florals Set | Foam Stamps - Set of 4
• ArtFoamies | Gibberish | Foam Stamps - Set of 2
• Acrylic paint SoHo urban artist acrylic in burnt sienna , cerulean blue , Golden so flat in black,Fluorescent pink,Naphthol red light
• Stanz-On ink black
• Acrylic gesso white
• Matte wax rusty red
• Scrapbook paper
• Mod podge glue
• Scrap buddy
• Derwent inktense block in baked earth
• Spray bottle with water
• Paint brush
• Sandpaper nail file
• Bone folder

Step by Step -- Video tutorial at wendyaspinall.art

1. Prime the outside of your box with two coats of acrylic gesso. Let dry.
2. Spray the ART FOAMIE face stamp with water and then the rub the Derwent inktense block over the stamp face. Stamp on the lid of the box. Before the impression dries, smear the impression into a round or oval shape. This is your first layer of the hair.
3. Now re stamp the face in the middle of the hair smear shape.
4. Paint face with mix of Burnt sienna and Gesso or white acrylic this combination will make a beautiful skin tone. The key to this technique is lots of watery layers. Use finger to Smooth and bend. Let dry. Add another later. Let dry.
5. Paint in a neck and body.
6. Paint in the white on the eyes and the black of the eyes.
7. Paint in the nose and eyes lids. Let dry.
8. Add pink to cheeks and lips.
9. Paint hair, adding layers with drying time between. Like painting with watercolor you want to build up your color and contrast. Let dry.
10. Using the same technique as the face add a pattern to the background of the box. (Scribbled rose) Art Foamie. Be careful to avoid stamping over the face.
11. Color in with the watery burnt sienna and gesso mix. Don’t worry if it bleeds out this is the affect you want to get.
12. Color in the background with more watery acrylic in a different color. Let dry.
13. Do the same to all the sides. Let dry.
14. Add more layers of pattern with a text (gibberish) art Foamie stamped with Stazon ink in black. Be light handed, this wants to add a light image.
15. Add more pattern this time with a the (dot to dot) art Foamie stamp stamped in white gesso or acrylic paint full strength not watered. Let dry completely.
16. Add colored wax to latch and hinges and side of box.
17. Add scrapbook paper to bottom to finish.

Thank you for watching and I hope you will try this acrylic watercoloring technique yourself.

Hugs Wendy