Cottage Garden Welcome Slate
by Linda Lover

Black Gold Paintbrushes:
Set BG 7 (#5 round, #1 liner, #s 4,6,8 shaders)
DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paints: Hauser Lt. Green, Black Forest Green, Peony Pink, Buttermilk, True Ochre, Dark Chocolate, Lavender, Wisteria, Burgandy Wine, True Blue, Cashmere Beige, Payne's Grey, Cadmium Yellow
DecoArt Sealer/Finisher, spray matte
7" x 12" slate with banner*
Tracing paper
Transfer paper
Stylus
Paper towel
Water basin
Disposable palette
*Slate available from Cape Cod Cooperage, 1150 Queene Anne Rd., Chatham, MA 12633

Technique for foliage and flowers:
Using two paint colors on a brush (double loading), a gentle pouncing stroke is used to achieve the impressionistic appearance of leaves and flowers. The large shaders are used to cover large areas and smaller shaders for more confined or individual areas. Add more paint of either color if a darker or lighter look is preferred. Pounce leading with the tip of the brush that holds the paint color that will be toward the outside edges. Use just the tip and a very small amount of paint to create and "airy" look. Use the , smallest shaders or round brush double loaded to paint individual or clustered flowers. Double load the liner and pounce the tip for stalk flowers.

Instructions:
1. Remove leather hangers. Wash the slates with warm water, rinse and wipe dry. Transfer pattern to tracing paper and then onto slates. Transfer design whenever needed, for example, when overpainting occurs.

2. Pounce a double load of Hauser Lt. Green and Black Forest Green around the top of the banner. When dry, double load the #4 shader with Peony and Buttermilk and press in petals, placing flowers randomly. Turn brush and use chisel edge for buds.

3. Using the #8 shader and the round brush, paint the lettering Buttermilk.

4. Use the large shader double loaded with Black Forest Green and Hauser Lt. Green and pounce in the tree foliage. Repeat this technique using only Buttermilk and scatter randomly about the green painted areas. Double load the liner with Dark Chocolate and Buttermilk and paint in short lines for branches.

5. Basecoat the cottage Cashmere Beige with the large shader and pick up Dark Chocolate on the tip of the brush and blend under the eaves to shade. Paint the window Dark Chocolate. Pick up Buttermilk on the liner and paint the window panes. Double load the large shader with True Ochre and Buttermilk and paint the thatch roof. Dry brush Dark Chocolate over the roof to shade.

6. Pounce Black Forest Green and Hauser Lt. Green at the left side of the cottage and pounce Black Forest Green and Buttermilk under the cottage. Pounce Black Forest Green and Hauser Lt. Green with a small shader under the window. Double load the round brush with Burgandy Wine and Buttermilk and paint the flowers under the window being sure the previous paint is dry.

7. Double load Lavender and Wisteria and randomly pounce for lilacs using a large shader. Use the smallest shader or round brush and paint in the roses with Peony Pink and Buttermilk using small quick strokes. Use the tip or chisel edge for the buds. Double load the small shader with Cadmium Yellow and Buttermilk and press in the petals for the flowers dotting the centers True Ochre with the tip of the liner.

8. Paint the fence solid with Buttermilk and the large shader. When dry, use watered down Dark Chocolate and the corner of the brush and shade the slates on the right sides. Paint the latch and hinges Payne's Grey with the round brush or liner.

9. Double load the large shader with Cashmere Beige and Dark Chocolate and painting side to side, paint the walkway. Blend in a small amount of Buttermilk to highlight.

10. With various shades of green as used previously, pounce the foliage at each side of the walkway. Use the liner double loaded with True Blue and Buttermilk to paint the stalk flowers; repeat with Peony Pink and Buttercream.

11. Use the smaller shaders double loaded with True Ochre and Cadmium Yellow to paint the yellow flowers on each side of the walkway. Double load the small shader with Burgandy Wine and Buttermilk and pounce in the flowers in front of the fence at the left. Double load the #4 or #6 shader with Peony Pink and Buttermilk and press brush down for each petal; dot centers Cadmium Yellow with the liner.

12. When paint has completely dried, spray with the sealer. If hanging slate where it will be affected by weather, DecoArt Patio Paints can be substituted using similar colors or use and indoor/outdoor varnish sealer.

13. Reattach the leather hangers.