Country Tin Painted Strawberries

©2004 Donna Rose Prestridge, CDA

General techniques used for this pattern:
’Ä¢ Limited palette
’Ä¢ Mixing colors so they will relate to each other using an earth tone color for toning, i.e. Raw Umber (PBr7).
’Ä¢ The tone will dictate the amount of contrast. The more toner, the softer the contrast. Less toner produces more contrast.
’Ä¢ There is a light source, refer to the pictures for highlighting and shading.
’Ä¢ Red: The black background is cool and needs a cool red of Naphthol Red (PR170) so that it will not take over the oranges. A touch of black is added to darken for shading and to keep it cool. It is a good foundation for the oranges.
’Ä¢ Yellow: Raw Sienna (PBr7) is used with Raw Umber (PBr7) for the dark yellow. Raw Sienna sits toward the center of the pigment wheel and will take less toner. The yellow will not be too bright or too green. Hansa Yellow (PY74) is used instead of Titanium White (Pw6) to lighten the yellow as white will make the Raw Sienna cloudy.
’Ä¢ Green: Using Phthalo Blue (PB15:3) and Raw Sienna for the painting keeps the color more toward the cool green that relates to the cool background.
’Ä¢ Orange: Naphthol Red Light (PR9) plus Hansa Yellow (PY74) will give a bright vermillion. Add the Raw Sienna and Naphthol Red Light until the desired orange is achieved. Raw Umber toner is used to dull the orange.

Suggested Painting Techniques:
Round and filbert brushes are used for most of the basecoating, An angular brush is used for floating and making sharp points on leaves. A #0 short liner, #2 Raphael liner, #2 JS liner, or quill are used for line-work.

Float the shading and highlighting more than once to enhance and smooth out.

Color Mixes: (ato means "a touch of")
Background color is Carbon Black.
Raw Umber (PBr7) is the toner used below.

Yellows:
’Ä¢ Dark Yellow Mix: Raw Sienna + toner (2:1)
’Ä¢ Medium Yellow Mix: Dark Yellow Mix + Hansa Yellow + Titanium White (1:1:ato)
’Ä¢ Light Yellow Mix: Medium Yellow Mix + Hansa Yellow + Titanium White (1:ato:1)


Reds:
’Ä¢ Dark Red Mix: Naphthol Red + toner + Carbon Black (2:1:ato)
’Ä¢ Medium Red Mix: English Red Oxide + toner (1:ato)
’Ä¢ Light Red Mix: Hansa Yellow + Naphthol Red + Naphthol Red Light + toner (1:1:1:ato)

Greens:
’Ä¢ Dark Green Mix: Phthalo Blue + Raw Sienna + toner (1:2:3)
’Ä¢ Light Green Mix: Dark Green Mix + Raw Sienna + Titanium White + Hansa Yellow (3:1:1:ato)
’Ä¢ Medium Green Mix: Dark Green Mix + Light Green Mix (1:1)

Preparing the Surface: Multi-Surface Sealer is used for preparing the surface. Depending on the choice of surface refer to the JansenArt Traditions Artist's Technical Guide, page 11 for wood, page 12 for metal, and page 13 for paper machˆ©.

Step 1: Basecoating
Basecoat the entire surface, inside and outside, with Carbon Black + Multi-Surface Sealer (3:1). You can refer to the JansenArt Traditions Artist's Technical Guide for information on sealers. Dry with a hair dryer until hot. Be sure not to burn yourself on the hot tin. Cool and re-base with Carbon Black without the sealer. Dry and apply a coat of Glazing Medium to protect the background. JansenArt Traditions Artist's Technical Guide will provide you with information on the Glazing Medium.

All of the yellow stripes are painted with the Medium Yellow Mix. For the outer stripe, measure in 1/4" all around the outside of the lid. The stripe is 1/8" wide. It can be taped off on each side of the stripe for a clean edge. Paint the stripe using the #3 round brush. Dry. Mark off the inside stripe 1/8" from the outside stripe. This stripe is 1/16" wide. Tape off both sides of the stripe and paint using the #0 script brush.

Trace and transfer the pattern. The pattern on the base is approximately 1-1/4" from the bottom rim to the bottom edge of the large leaves.

Strawberries and berries on the side: English Red Oxide + Raw Umber (1:ato)
Leaves and stems: Medium Green Mix using a #4, #6, or #8 filbert brush depending on the size of the leaf.
Turned leaf flip over: Light Green Mix using a #3 round brush.

Step 2: Shading
Big leaves: Shade the base and the center of the leaf where the main vein will be on the leaf. Float the Dark Green Mix using a 3/8" angular brush.
Little leaves on the side of the box: Shade the side of the leaf that faces toward the bottom with Dark Green Mix using a side-loaded #4 filbert brush.
Stems: Shade one side of the stem with the Dark Green Mix using the #0 script liner brush.
Strawberries: Shade the right side of the strawberries by floating Dark Red Mix with the 3/8" angular brush. Notice that there are 2 strawberries that slightly overlap onto another strawberry.
Little berries on side of box: Shade the side that faces toward the bottom with Dark Red Mix using a side-loaded #4 filbert brush.

Step 3: Highlighting
Big leaves: Highlight the left side of the leaf, floating the Light Green Mix using a 3/8" angular brush. Start on the outside of the leaf with the point of the brush facing toward the edge of the leaf. The float may be a little choppy because of floating the jagged edges. But, that is a good thing; it gives the leaf texture. The second float is next to the center vein with the point of the brush facing toward the vein leaving the dark area for the vein.
Little leaves: Highlight the side of the leaf that faces toward the top of the box. Float Light Green Mix using a side-loaded #4 filbert brush.
Stems: Highlight the side opposite that of the shading using the Light Green Mix and a #0 script liner brush.
Strawberries: Highlight the left side of the strawberries with a float of Light Red Mix using a 3/8" angular shader.
Little berries on side of the box: Highlight the top of the berry with Light Red Mix using a side-loaded #4 filbert brush.

Step 4: Details
Big leaves: Dry brush Light Yellow Mix + ato Titanium White with a #4 filbert brush on the leaves near one edge. Pull the color toward the center vein. Dry brush using the same color near the center vein and pull out toward the outside edge.
Tint the leaves with a transparent float of Dark Red Mix using the 3/8" angular brush in the shaded areas near the base and/or side of the leaf.
Center vein: Using the #3/0 short liner brush and a mix of Medium Green Mix and Light Green Mix (1:1), pull the vein from the base of the leaf toward the point of the leaf, stopping before reaching the point of the leaf. Highlight the middle third of the vein with Light Green Mix with a liner brush. Re-highlight with Light Yellow Mix on a dirty brush. Keep highlighting until you get the desired lightness.
Side vein: First establish the vein with Dark Green Mix using a liner brush. Outline one side of the vein with Light Green Mix.
Strawberries: Dry brush Titanium White + ato Light Yellow Mix using a #4 filbert brush on the left side of the berry. Start a little in from the edge so it won't flatten the berry. There are four colors of dots in the berry. Start with the Carbon Black in the shaded area using a #3/0 short liner brush. The second color of dots is Medium Yellow Mix started in the black area and continued on into the light side of the berry. The third color is Light Yellow Mix dotted in the center. Add a few Titanium White dots also in the center.
Brackets: Trace on and base with the Dark Green Mix using a #3/0 short liner brush. Highlight with Light Green Mix and then re-highlight in a smaller area with Light Yellow Mix added on a dirty brush.
Stems: Re-highlighted, if needed, in a small area with Light Green Mix + Light Yellow Mix (1:1).
Little berries: Highlight with Light Red Mix + ato Light Yellow Mix in the upper area of the berry. Dry and put a final sparkle of Titanium White using the #3/0 short liner brush.
Tendrils: Stroke on with Dark Yellow Mix + Medium Yellow Mix (1:ato). Highlight the high points of the tendril with Light Yellow Mix . Re-highlight a smaller area with the Light Yellow Mix with ato of Titanium White.

Final Finish:
Apply a coat of Glazing Medium inside and outside. Dry.
Varnish with two coats of Satin Varnish.

©2004/2005 These designs may be used for personal study. Please request permission for teaching from the individual artist.

Back to Design Library