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Art ProjectsSUPPLIES
- Wood object
- Soft cloth
- Sandpaper, medium and fine
- Water-based primer or sealer
- Acrylic or oil-based paint
- Brushes, pointed, small and medium
- Varnish, matte or semigloss
Overview
Do folk art painting on wood for a simple, colorful piece of artwork. Folk art began with rural artists who practiced and perfected their skills without the help of formal training. Folk painting is marked by simple country scenes and characters. Artists can work with a great variety of subject matter and items to paint.
Step 1
Decide on a wooden object to paint. Consider wood furniture, planks, fence posts or sculptures. Secondhand objects often work well for this project. Check around your house, at thrift shops and at auctions for interesting wood pieces with little to no damage.
Step 2
Clean the wood object well. Use a soft cloth and plain water to remove light dust and dirt. Use a wood cleaner for heavier grime. Sand any old paint and varnish off with medium- to fine-grain sandpaper. Fill any large gouges or holes with wood filler and sand smooth. Be sure to clean off any sanding residue with a dry cloth or brush. If desired, cover the object with water-based primer or sealer before beginning your folk art painting.
Step 3
Use your choice of acrylic or oil-based paints. Acrylics clean up easier, but oils dry slowly, giving you more time to work with the paint. Create a palette of paint in tones of red, yellow, blue, green, gray and brown. Be sure to have some white for creating highlight colors. Use brown or gray for creating shades or dark hues.
Step 4
Using the limited palette of colors listed in Step 3, create various shades and tones by blending the paints. Blending them yourself creates richer colors than buying tubes of already-mixed colors. Knowledge of the color wheel might be helpful (see the Resource section). Brushstroke patterns and blending of colors are characteristic of folk art.
Step 5
Choose a simple subject matter that tells a story when you do folk art painting on wood. Folk art most often features rural scenery and cheerful subjects.
Step 6
Complete your artwork with a coat of matte or semigloss varnish or sealer. This protects and enriches the colors in your piece. Allow the paint to dry completely before applying varnish or sealer.
Resources
