Day of the Dead Gentleman Painting

Other Supplies

11” x 14” Stretched canvas, Palette, Water basin, Paper towel, Graphite pencil, Light blue pencil, Ballpoint pen, Tape, Downloadable pattern

Instructions

1. Print out the downloadable artwork at 100% scale. Flip the print out over and color over the lines with a soft lead pencil to create a transfer.
2. Place the artwork on the center of the canvas (pencil-side down) and tape in place. Outline the artwork with a ball point pen, and it will transfer the pencil onto your canvas. Un-tape one side and look to ensure you have drawn all lines. Remove.
3. With a light blue pencil, carefully redraw the lines.
4. Prepare your palette by squeezing out a 1” diameter size amount of each color. Add more as needed.
5. Basecoat your canvas in Black using a ¾” flat brush going around the skull and flowers. Let dry. Apply a second coat. Let dry.
6. Paint in the skull using a #8 round with White and add Butter Cream underneath the flowers edge. Blend the two colors together in a painterly fashion. Paint over the skull face decorations. When dry, you still should be able to see your lines. Let dry.
7. As your white paint dries, paint the centers of the daisies in Yellow with the #6 round brush.
8. Paint the eyes, nose and mouth solid Black with the #6 round brush.
9. Referencing the project photo, paint the roses with Festival Pink in a circular motion with the #8 round brush. Before the pink dries, paint a spiral of Magenta starting in the center of each rose and working outwards. Add paint to your brush as needed. Let the lines blend with the Festival Pink to create a painterly effect.
10. Paint each daisy petal with Laguna Blue with the #6 round. Before a petal dries, add a dab of white paint in the center of the petal and blend to create a highlight. See project photo.
11. Paint each leaf with Classic Green with the #8 round. Before a leaf dries, brush on a dab of Gecko on the top edge and blend to create a highlight.
12. Using the #2 round, paint the scallop design around the eyes in Festival Pink. When dry, add White dots.
13. Using the #2 round, paint all of the vines and leaves in Gecko. Before the vine and leaves completely dry, add Classic Green accents. See project photo for reference.
14. Paint the chin burst and center dots in Classic Green and Gecko.
15. Using the #2 round, paint the small heart in Festival Pink. Add small Laguna Blue dots with vines and with the heart. Let dry.
16. To finish: Using the #6 round dab a small amount of White and paint a simple spider web in each corner with tiny dots along the edge in between each web. Let dry completely.
17. Please share your Day of the Dead painting with us at #plaidcrafts!