A pair of friends, feathered in lots of color and sparkle, take refuge from a spring storm In this whimsical wall plate.

SUPPLIES

• water container
• palette or plastic plate
• paper towels
• tracing paper
• #3 round brush
• fine-grit sandpaper
• 1" painter's tape
• stylus
• 1/2" angle brush
• 11-1/2" round basswood plate
• #12 round fabric dye brush
• #14 round fabric dye brush
• tack cloth
• grey and white graphite paper
• graphite pencil
• #10/0 liner brush

INSTRUCTIONS

NOTES:

Let dry completely between painting steps.

Sand the plate well with fine-grit sandpaper; use a tack cloth to remove dust. Apply Americana Primer & Sealer to the entire plate. Allow to dry thoroughly. Lightly sand again.

1. Transfer the pattern onto the basswood plate with tracing paper, graphite paper, and a pencil.
2. Basecoat the outer edge and back of the plate Snow White.
3. Mix Snow White and Slate Grey 70 percent to 30 percent and basecoat the inside of the plate. Stipple a few Snow White clouds in the background around the umbrella. Basecoat the bottom portion of the umbrella Snow White.
4. Basecoat the birds Spa Blue.
5. Basecoat the bird feet and beaks Moon Yellow.
6. Basecoat the bowtie Pistachio Mint.
7. Dry-brush the center of bird faces, tummy, and wings, Snow White. Float Snow White highlights on the birds' hair and heads, sides of body, feet, beaks, and wings.
8. Mix Bahama Blue and Spa Blue 1:1 and shade the bird bodies, heads, hair, and wings.
9. Deepen the shading on the bird bodies, heads, hair, and wings with Bahama Blue.
10. Use Poodleskirt Pink to basecoat the top half of the umbrella and to dry-brush the birds' cheeks, center of feet, and tummy areas.
11. With Bubblegum Pink, shade the top portion of the umbrella. Dry-brush Bubblegum Pink to deepen the shading on the birds' cheeks and tummies.
12. Basecoat the umbrella top knob and bottom of the handle Bubblegum Pink.
13. Basecoat the large dots on the umbrella and float to shade the bottom portion of the umbrella with Moon Yellow. Float Snow White tops on the Moon Yellow dots.
14. Float Saffron Yellow to shade the beaks, feet, and the bottom of the Moon Yellow dots.
15. Mix Saffron Yellow and Bubblegum Pink 1:1. With the mixture, shade the bottoms of the Moon Yellow dots, beaks, and feet; basecoat the right flower on the bird; and shade beaks.
16. Basecoat the trim on the umbrella, the large knob on the top, and the knob at the bottom of the umbrella handle Pistachio Mint. Dot small Pistachio dots on the Bubblegum Pink section of the umbrella.
17. Mix equal parts of Bahama Blue and Bubblegum Pink. With mixture, basecoat the center flower on the bird; dot the bottom portion of the umbrella and the Pistachio Mint knob on the top of umbrella.
18. Basecoat the left flower on the bird Bubblegum Pink.
19. Mix equal parts of Pistachio Mint and Festive Green. Basecoat the leaves by flowers on birds and float the bottom and sides of the umbrella trim.
20. Float Festive Green to shade the leaves on the bird; deepen shading on the bottom of the umbrella; bowtie, and umbrella trim.
21. Double-load the brush with Saffron Yellow and Carousel Pink and shade the Saffron Yellow/Bubblegum Pink flower, bottom of the birds' feet, and beaks.
22. With Carousel Pink, shade the Bubblegum Pink flower and umbrella handle and top knob.
23. Double-load the brush with Slate Grey and Bahama Blue; float the bottom side of raindrops.
24. Float the top side of the raindrops in Snow White.
25. Mix Lamp Black and Bahama Blue 1:1. Using the 10/0 liner brush, outline everything and basecoat the eyes.
26. Dot Snow White eyes and apply Snow White highlight strokes to the raindrops, umbrella, wings, top of beak, and feet.
27. With Limelight, basecoat the knob on the top of the umbrella and on the bottom of the handle, bowtie, and Pistachio Mint/Festive Green umbrella trim.
28. With Ice Crystal, basecoat the rain drops, Moon Yellow umbrella dots, beaks, and feet.
29. Using 1" blue painter's tape, mask off the striped area on the outer rim of the plate. Basecoat the stripes Sea Glass; let dry. When dry, remove tape.
30. Mix Warm White and Slate Grey 70 percent to 30 percent; float to shade around the striped area, creating a border.
31. Apply two coats of Americana DuraClear Satin Varnish to both sides of the plate, allowing to dry thoroughly between applications.

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