Because of my busy college/work/social life, I often times create in batches! Whenever I get the “itch” to paint, I sit down and make four or five pieces of art with the knowledge that I probably won't get another time to paint in a few months!
This week's post will focus on adding a little extra to a painting “after the fact”! This art piece was created a few months ago, and I framed and set it in my house for the last few months! It has kept catching my eye, and I keep going back to “it needs more!”...so here we are!
As an artist, a lot of the time we are our biggest critics, and I noticed with this painting that I wanted a bit more to elevate it!
That’s where The Smiling Hippo watercolor paints came in handy! So I went to work with a thin paintbrush, and a lot of water (I’d like to remind you of one of my life mantras, if it is hard, add more water!). I focused on adding the metallic paints for effect and went about it in a way that controlled the final outcome of my art.
What you will need:
- The Smiling Hippo metallic watercolor paints in a color scheme that works best for the piece of art you are embellishing on.
I specifically went for a more metallic color with minimal chunks of glitter, this paint has a very fine glitter texture to it, and that was what I was going for…I would imagine a chunky glitter would be a very cool addition to a piece of art!
- A fine paintbrush, if you are working with a set of brushes that came in a pack, I would use the smallest one available for starters!
- A piece of art that you have been staring at for a while and thinking “it just needs a little more”
- A jar of clean water
- Paper towel sheets
Steps I take:
- On a separate piece of watercolor paper experiment for a few minutes with The Smiling Hippo Watercolor paints.
- Add the metallic paint in SMALL amounts, with a heavy amount of water to the bottom part of your piece of art. Keep in mind where your light source is in the painting.
- Continue this process as you work up through your painting adding embellishments to all areas of your art!
- You will know when you are done! There isn’t really a specific trigger that I can explain to you, but when you feel like your art is done (the first time) listen to it!
- Sometimes I go overboard and regret it, so listen to your inner artist brain and realize that you can always do this activity again after you have stared at it for a while!
This specific blog post is a bit different than my others because it is a risky and more cerebral activity! But with quality metallic paints like what The Smiling Hippo has to offer, it can take a piece of art to a different level! Not everyone adds or uses metallics in their art, and you could create a different perspective and focal points for those you plan on giving or selling your art to ( if that is something you do!).
I would do this craft with a hydrated body, a clear mindset, and an end goal in mind!
Be creative and courageous! As always, post your art and send it to our DMs @thesmilinghippo and @happihippishop We have LOVED what you have been up to so far!
See you in February for some Valentine’s Day love notes!