Folk Art Fusion: Americana

Learn to draw and paint charming American folk art with a colorful, modern twist

Joy Laforme

• Publisher: Walter Foster
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781633224643
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

Fans of Charles Wysocki, Mary Engelbreit, Grandma Moses, and folk art in general will fall in love with this guide to painting, organized by seasons. Featuring projects that instruct artists of all skill levels how to draw and paint subjects that include quaint homes, pretty patterns, colorful gardens, picturesque farms, beautiful birds, and textured florals, this book features American-themed folk art infused with a modern twist. Beginning with an overview of what folk art is, followed by introductory topics like color, tools and materials, and drawing and painting techniques, Folk Art Fusion: Americana also includes sixteen simple step-by-step projects done in approachable and popular mediums. Rounding out the book is a gallery of folk-art pieces sure to inspire lovers of all things Americana. Simultaneously fresh and nostalgic, Folk Art Fusion: Americana draws on America's rich artistic tradition and heritage and provides a fun, accessible take on creating beloved scenes from the heartland.

PROJECTS

Wildflower Still Life

I am an avid gardener. The details I find in a garden are enough to keep me inspired forever. With a garden as a source of inspiration, there are endless possibilities for creating art!

STEP 1

With a pencil, lightly draw the shape of three vases or pitchers. Trace your favorites, or simply draw from memory, like I’ve done here.

STEP 2

With a large, flat-tipped brush, fill in the background with lavender mixed with periwinkle. This background feels more natural as a gradient of color, so don’t worry if it’s not a perfectly flat finish. Go over the table top in viridian green or a deep emerald green mixed with some primary black to create shading. Paint the background two or three time to achieve your desired color.

STEP 3

Carefully paint your vases. Paint the rear vases first, and let them dry completely before adding details. With ivory paint, color the pitcher in the front. Let this layer dry, and then add a bee and a handle. Add more details using cream yellow and viridian green.

STEP 4

With a small, round-tipped brush, paint the flower stems. Use viridian green, ash green, and emerald green to paint the different kinds of plants. After the stems have dried, use a pencil to sketch the flower tops onto the stems, as well as any detail you’d like to add to your piece, such as butterflies, bees, fruit, and scissors.

STEP 5

With a clean, small, round-tipped brush, paint the details that you just sketched, being careful to cover your pencil marks. Let the layers dry before adding more detail to the same area.

Now you can add shading. For the lemons, I used cream yellow and mustard yellow to create shading. To add shading to the other elements, add a bit of white or primary black to the paint color you used.

STEP 6

Using your smallest brush, go back and add bits of tiny flora and extra flowers. With viridian green mixed with black, add shading around the background edges to give your piece a finished look. Add shading under and around each vase to finish your painting.

Songbird

Growing up, my mother placed birdseed around the garden to attract songbirds. We saw so many kinds of songbirds that I think they will forever serve as inspiration for me. My favorite, though, remains the iconic cardinal.

STEP 1

With a pencil, lightly draw the shape of a cardinal. Reference wildlife photos to get an idea of the sizing and placement of the feathers, beak, and belly.

STEP 2

Using a large, flat-tipped brush, paint the background a light, dusty blue mixed with a bit of periwinkle. Paint around your cardinal. Go over the background two to three times, and then let it dry.

Paint the cardinal using various shades of light, primary, and dark red with a medium-sized round-tipped brush. The key to getting the perfect cardinal color is multiple layers of bright reds and blending. Keep the darker shades of red on the cardinal’s wing mixed with a bit of black. Keep the lighter reds at the base by the belly. You can even blend a touch of coral here. Keep the edges soft, like feathers. Using a slate gray or black, paint the bird’s mask and any feather detail you’d like to add.

STEP 3

With a pencil, carefully sketch stems and flowers around the cardinal.

ST...