Beth Wagner Designs - Tips and Tutorials

Enhance your painting skills with tips from Beth.
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The Wet Stippled Background

Step 1

The wet, stippled background is one of my favorite backgrounds. I use a china bristol brush and three or four colors from the design. I start by base painting the surface with the lightest value. Let dry.

The colors I used for this project are: DecoArt Americana paints, DA03 Buttermilk, DA147 Antique Green, DA093 Raw Sienna, DA078 Fleshtone and DA093 Burnt Sienna.

Step 2

Starting with the base color fully loaded on the bristol brush, begin stippling being sure to turn and twist your hand and "crush" the brush onto the paper like you're crushing grapes.

Pick up the next color on one portion of the "dirty" brush, tap on palette to blend. then add to surface using the same motion as before.

Step 3

Repeat with each additional color blending one color into the next. Be sure to move colors around the surface. The look you want is a soft multi-colored background, where one color blends into the next, NOT one muddy all over sixth color or spots of the five individual colors.

Finished Look

From here, stamping and stenciling were added. The design is then painted on top.