Canvassing Hen

 

 
 
Products Used

Bisque
  • MB-1353 8 ' x 10" Clay Canvas
Color
  • SC-6 Sunkissed
  • SC-14 Java Bean
  • SC-15 Tuxedo
  • SC-16 Cotton Tail
  • SC-24 Dandelion
  • SC-42 Butter Me Up
  • SC-73 Candy Apple Red
  • SC-74 Hot Tamale
  • SC-83 Tip Taupe
  • SC-92 Cafe Ole
  • S-2101 Crystal Clear Brushing or Clear Glaze of Choice
Decorating Accessories
  • CB-110 #10/0 Liner
  • CB-220 Detail Liner
  • CB-404 Pointed Round
  • CB-604 #4 Soft Fan
  • BT-910 Synthetic Sponge
  • AC-213 Sponge on a Stick
  • AC-230 Clay Carbon Paper
  • MC-002 ½" Low Tack Masking Tape
hen canvas
 
 
Additional Materials
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Palette or Tile
  • Bamboo Skewer
  • Cheesecloth Stamp
  • Damask Stencils - from Hobby Lobby  - Show Offs #836593
  • Michael's - Martha Stewart #32268 Scrolls
  • Download Project Pattern
 
Project Info
  • Designer: William Pulse
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Time: 2½ hours
 

Instructions

  1. Begin with properly fired shelf cone 04 bisque.  Moisten a clean sponge and wipe bisque to remove any dust.
  2. Using a CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply 2 coats of SC-16 Cottontail to the front surface of the piece.  Let dry.
  3. Cut out the basic shape of the chicken. Wet the back of the surface with water and place on the canvas.  Place the chicken slightly center right on the canvas. Make sure there are no air bubbles under the paper. Press with a paper towel to absorb any excess water.
  4. On a palette or tile place some SC-14 Java Bean. Using AC-213 Sponge-on-a-stick to apply the color to the cheesecloth stamp.  Print the pattern randomly onto the background area in spotty manner.
  5. Place SC-6 Sunkissed, SC-42 Butter Me Up and SC-24 Dandelion onto a palette or tile. Starting at the bottom areas on both sides of the chicken apply SC-24 Dandelion using CB-604 #4 Soft Fan.  While the color is wet, start painting and wet blending SC-42 Butter Me Up towards the middle of the background area. Continue towards the top now with SC-6 Sunkissed. The colors should blend from dark to light at the top of the canvas background. Repeating applications of 2-3 coats of each color will ensure color saturation. The stamped texture previously painted will show through slightly after firing. Once the color has slightly dried, remove the paper cut out of the chicken exposing the white area. Allow to dry.
  6. With a pencil and AC-230 Clay Carbon trace the detail in the chicken.
  7. Start with the head of the chicken when painting.  Using a CB-220 #2 Detail Liner, paint in the eye of the chicken with thinned SC-14 Java Bean.  Darken the outside of the iris with another thin coat of color to shade.  Using a CB-110 #10/0 Liner to apply SC-15 Tuxedo to the pupil of the eye. Detail the edge of the eye (above and below) with thinned SC-15 Tuxedo.
  8. Thin some SC-73 Candy Apple Red and apply a thin wash to the comb and facemask on the chicken. Apply some rows of fine dots below with the thinned color. Darken the comb, back edge of facemask and lower jowl with some SC-73 Candy Apple Red (un-thinned).  Detail the top of the comb and reinforce the shading on the face and jowl with SC-74 Hot Tamale.
  9. Paint in the beak with SC-42 Butter Me Up. Shade the beak with thinned SC-14 Java Bean.  Mix some SC-15 Tuxedo into SC-14 to darken and detail and accent the separations of the beak with the thinned mixture.
  10. Starting with the feathers in the head, apply some thinned (inky consistency) SC-83 Tip Taupe to the markings in the feathers. Darken these markings and feather separations with thinned (inky consistency) SC-15 Tuxedo. Remember it is easier to go back and reapply thin layers of color than applying thicker color all at once to achieve color saturation and nuisances in the shading. Detail the points in the markings and feather separations with stronger color.
  11. Using the inky SC-83 Tip Taupe to shade under the neck feathers on the body and continue along the back to tail feathers and down along the chest. Paint in some sketchy strokes to the wing feathers and chest. Darken these areas slightly with some inky SC-15 Tuxedo.  Keep the black very light.
  12. To the tail feathers apply some inky SC-15 Tuxedo leaving an edge of white area between the feathers. Darken the feathers with more thinned color up next to the recessed areas. Apply some thicker color to accent these separations as pictured.  Detail the wing feathers with some inky SC-15 Tuxedo.
  13. Using the point of a bamboo skewer to sgraffito the feathers to create highlights.  Dust off any debris from the sgraffito lines.  Let Dry.
  14. Place one of the larger Damask stencil toward and above the tail. Note that the stencil will not be painted over the chicken. Secure the stencil with MC-002 ½” Low Tack Masking Tape and mask off the edge of the chicken. Using a DRY AC-213 Sponge-on-a-stick to apply one coat of SC-92 Café Ole over the stencil.  Let dry. Apply a second coat of color and while it is damp, tip the AC-213 with SC-14 Java Bean and shade portions of the stencil to darken.  When dry, remove the stencil and tape.
  15. Place a smaller Damask stencil above the head of the chicken. Use masking tape to secure the stencil and mask off the head of the chicken.  Thin some SC-73 Candy Apple Red to apply a light and faint veiling coat to the stencil using the DRY AC-213 Sponge on a Stick.  Remove the stencil when dry.
  16. Position the linear scroll stencil along the lower section of the chicken securing it with MC-002 ½” Low tack Masking Tape.  Mix some SC-14 into SC-24 to darken slightly. Apply 2-3 coats over the stencil using a DRY AC-213 Sponge on a Stick.  Remove the stencil when dry.
  17. Using a CB-604 Soft Fan, apply 1 coat of S-2101 Crystal Clear Brushing to the front of the clay canvas. Or if dipping apply Clear Glaze of Choice. Allow to dry.
  18. Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06/05.

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