| Russian Painting Technique |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-236 |
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Artist Priscilla Houser shares a 200-year-old Russian painting technique that originated in the Russian folk art center of Zhostovo. Originally done on metal trays, the painting technique can be adapted to many home-decor accessories and is marked by its rich appearance. Historically, the trays were sold to the wealthy of Russia -- Catherine the Great even commissioned a large number of them for her palace in St. Petersburg -- but Houser says it's easy for most crafters to achieve similar results. Materials: Wastebasket kit (in pieces)
Black acrylic craft paint
Floral pattern
Chalk
Stylus or pencil
Filbert brush
White acrylic craft paint
Acrylic craft paints in red, burgundy, orange, yellow and green
Painting and blending glaze or medium - Paint each section of preassembled wastebasket black.
- Apply chalk to entire back of floral pattern.
- Place back of pattern (chalked side down) on black surface. Use pencil or stylus to lightly trace floral pattern, transferring the image to the black surface (figure A).
- Use Filbert brush to apply white base coat. Houser advises that "comma-shaped" petals be created by touching the brush to the surface, pressing down mid-stroke and then lifting the brush toward the end of the stroke. All strokes should begin at the edge of the image and move toward the center (figure B).
- Next, apply green base coat for leaves and stems.
- Once white base coat has dried, apply red base coat directly over the white, and allow to dry.
- For shading, add burgundy accents directly over the red paint (figure C) and allow to dry thoroughly.
- Use painting and blending medium to dampen the base coat and shading colors and blend them together. Don't worry about smudging onto the black surface -- the medium dries clear.
- Using the comma-shaped strokes, add more red paint to create depth.
- To finish, add orange and yellow highlights to flower petals (figure D).
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