GERANIUM WATERING CAN

Geranium

Watering Can

By Nancy Scott, CDA

Geraniums are the ultimate “Summer” flower, so colorful and bright! This is a wonderful and easy way to decorate a watering can, a flowerpot or any outdoor vessel. I have been painting for almost 30 years and whether I am designing something new or painting a design from a favorite artist, I thoroughly love the painting process. My favorite aspect of decorative painting, though, is teaching. Hearing a “thank-you” from a student who have just learned a new technique or an easier way to do something is my greatest “painting” joy!

SUPPLIES

SURFACE:

Metal watering can 6 3/4” high (not including handle). Look for watering cans at any garden/ hardware store. I found mine at Marshall’s®.

PALETTE: DECOART® AMERICANA ACRYLICS

• Aloe- DA364 • Golden Straw- DA168 • Hauser Dark Green- DA133 • Hauser Med Green- DA132 • Lamp Black- DA067 • Lt. Buttermilk- DA164 • Rookwood Red- DA097 • Scarlet-DA345 • True Red- DA129

BRUSHES: ROYAL & LANGNICKEL® AQUALON™ SERIES

• R2150 Shader size 10 • R2160 Angle sizes 3/4”, 1/2”, 1/4” • R2170 Filbert size 6 • R2250 Round size 2 • R2595 Liner size 1 • RBOBBIE Mop-size small

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES:

• Paper towels • Tracing paper • White transfer paper • Stylus • Water basin • Palette paper • Varnish of choice (l used Krylon® Satin Finish #1323) • Metal primer (spray on) of choice (l used Rust

Oleum® Painter’s Touch® 2X Ultracover Paint &Primer in flat Black) Helpful Hint: I find it easier to paint all the leaves first. Then, I can pull the strokes for the Geranium petals, coming from slightly over the leaves. It’s easier than trying to float the shading on the leaves up next to, and around, the geranium petals.

PREPARATION:

Prime the watering can with the metal primer, following all manufacturer’s instructions. Allow to dry thoroughly. If not using a metal surface, paint your surface with Lamp Black acrylic. Trace pattern and transfer just the lines for the general shape of the Geraniums and leaves.

PAINTING INSTRUCTIONS

PAINTING LEAVES:

First, base coat with Hauser Medium Green, using the #10 flat brush. Float shading at the base of each leaf with Hauser Dark Green using the 3/4” angle brush. (figure 1) Paint a “back-to-back” float, sometimes referred to as a “flip float” with Hauser Dark Green, down the center of each leaf using the 1/2” angle brush. (figure 2) Use a mop to soften as necessary. Float Aloe along the outside edges of the leaves using the 1/2” angle brush. (figure 3) With the liner and thinned Aloe, paint fine vein lines. (figure 4)

GERANIUMS:

Using the #10 flat, “fluff’ in Rookwood Red to form the shape of each flower. It’s preferable to keep the edges fuzzy, as compared to smooth) within the pattern lines. It will take 2 coats of Rookwood to get adequate coverage. (figure 5) Using the #6 filbert and True Red, begin forming the petals in a relatively random fashion. You can see an entire blossom in some places and just partial blossoms in other places. Refer to the picture and step-by-steps. There is no absolute

order as to the placement of the blossoms. Just try to fill up the entire flower with the True Red blossoms, pulling the color with your filbert from a little bit outside the edge of the Rookwood Red base coat. Let dry. (figure 6)

Using the 1/4” angle, float a brighter red of Scarlet along the outside edge of most of the petals. The smaller of the 2 main flowers in the center of the design (the one on the right) only gets the brighter Scarlet color from about the center on out, to the right Do the same thing

with the small flower on the far right. Again, refer to the finished picture to see where the lighter petals are. (figure 7)

FILLER FLOWERS:

Using Lt. Buttermilk and the #2 round brush, form the little filler flowers. You really don’t need a pattern for this. Just pull little onestroke petals in a circular spoke formation to form the little flowers. Add a stylus dot of Golden Straw in the center of each. (figure 8) The vertical green stripes are painted with Aloe. Float a shade of Hauser Medium Green down the right and left sides of all the stripes. The 2 handles, top of the watering can, and spout are painted with Aloe leaving the spout and the raised edges black. The horizontal border trim is painted Lt. Buttermilk.

FINISHING:

After allowing adequate drying time (overnight)- finish with spray varnish of choice following all manufacturer’s instructions. If you will be leaving your watering can outside, consider a nonyellowing polyurethane topcoat. When spraying, it is always better to do 2-3 light coats (drying well in between) rather than one heavier coat that might run or drip.

Enlarge or reduce the size to the surface of your choice.

Note to reproduction companies/stores: The bearer of the original color magazine has full rights to have this drawing reproduced and enlarged one time for personal use. This notice has been printed in red ink for verification of authenticity.