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Revised 05/09/02 RJS

Sunflower Gift Bag Project

A "fun" beginning decorative project ...

Project Picture	Title	Notes
	Sunflower Gift Bag (Finished Bag is 3 by 4 by 10 in.)	For a detailed picture of this project, click on the picture thumbnail to the left.

Patterns and Bag Layout

Patterns and Bag Layout	Instructions and Notes
	For a full size drawing of all required patterns, click on the thumbnail to the left.
	For details of the bag layout, folding, and gluing instructions, click on the thumbnail to the left.

BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR WATERCOLORS

PLEASE PRINT AND READ BEFORE BEGINNING PROJECT

TRACING DESIGN TO WATERCOLOR PAPER: Use graphite paper, a light box, or place the pattern on a window with masking tape and place the watercolor paper on top. You will then be able to see the design through the watercolor paper. Trace the pattern with a #2 pencil. (I prefer to trace the pattern with a light box, or using a window. Graphite paper lines will lift sometimes causing you to loose the design.)

DROP IN COLOR: This does not mean exactly what it implies. It actually means to guide color onto wet paper with a loaded brush. Use the brush to guide, or float color, in the shape or direction desired. The paint will flow where the paper is wet.

SPATTERING: This is a technique for adding texture and interest to the painting. There are a number of ways to splatter. Shake a loaded brush over the painting, drag your thumb across a toothbrush, or tapping of a loaded brush with the handle of another brush.

TOUCH: Refers to barely touching the brush to the paper towels with just a slight amount of pressure to remove any excess moisture before applying color to the paper.

BLOT: Refers to pressing the brush on the paper towel so that the full length of bristles makes contact with the towel in order to remove most of the moisture from the brush.

SOFTENING EDGE: Apply paint to paper and then rinse your brush, blot and go back along edge with damp brush. This technique will allow the paint to flow and soften.

NEGATIVE SHAPES: This is the area behind or around the main design.

WASH: Refers to a very light wash of color that has been highly diluted with water and usually placed on the object without concern for shading. This can be used to change a color that does not blend, to gray down a color that is too bright, to make an object recede, to brighten a color, or simply to add additional color. It should be applied only to dry areas.

SHADING: Deepening a value or applying additional color to separate one object from another, to shape ripples and folds, and to add shadows where needed.

HELPFUL HINT: ALWAYS RINSE YOUR BRUSH, BLOT, PICK UP PAINT AND TOUCH THE TIP OF BRUSH TO A PAPER TOWEL, THEN APPLY PAINT TO THE WATERCOLOR PAPER. THIS WILL HELP YOU CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE BRUSH. I USE ABSORBENT PAPER TOWELS.

PAPER: WINSOR & NEWTON: COLD PRESS 140# WATERCOLOR
PAINTS: WATER COLOURS: DALER-ROWNEY, USA
Address: 2 Corporate Dr. Cranbury, NJ 08512-9584 USA,
Web Site: www.daler-rowney.com/usa
PALETTE: ONE WITH WELLS PLUS A LID
BRUSHES: WATERCOLOR BRUSHES: Robert Simmons
PAPER TOWELS: ABSORBENT (BOUNTY OR VIVA)

Sunflower Gift Bag Painting Instructions

Materials

Paints:
Daler-Rowney Water Colours: Gamboge Hue-640, Burnt Sienna-221, and French Ultramarine-123

Paper:
H = 11 ½" x W = 14 ½" 140# Cold Press Watercolor Paper

Brushes:
Sapphire Robert Simmons: S85-Round #8, S55-Flat Wash 1"

Special Supplies:
Black Waterproof fine tip pen. Old Tooth brush for splattering. Tissue Paper (like that from a florist). A 22" piece of Raffia, cut in 3 pieces. White paper twist 24" long cut in half for the handles. You may also use clothier rope. White Glue (e.g., Elmer's). Scissors, stylus (tool to score the paper for folding), "T" square, hole punch, rubber bands, and paper clips.

Preparation

Paint Preparation: Mix Gamboge Hue, Burnt Sienna, French Ultramarine, and Green (A mix of both Gamboge Hue and French Ultramarine)

STEP 1:
Measuring the paper and the placement of the design is very important. (See the Bag Layout for details.) In this sunflower bag design, one of the flowers is painted on the side of the bag. You must decide placement before painting and folding the bag. Take a "T" square and measure 3 inches from the left make a light pencil line (side), then from this line measure 4 inches (front), 3 inches for the other side and 4" inches for the back. You should have approximately ½ " paper remaining -- this is for gluing it together. To make the bottom -- make a light pencil line in several places. This measurement is ½ of the side measurement. The side on this bag is 3" thus; it is 1-½ inches.

STEP 2:
Trace the pattern onto the watercolor paper. You may use "homemade graphite" by turning the pattern over and covering the entire back with graphite (pencil). You may also use a light box, or "homemade light box" (i.e., glass top table with a light under it), or an outside window.

Let's Paint

STEP 1:
This design is a very "loose" wet into wet watercolor painting. Wet the paper extending the water about 3" beyond the edges of the center design. Drop in: Gamboge Hue on the petals, Burnt Sienna in the center, plus Gamboge Hue and Green onto the leaves. Dry completely.

STEP 2:
To yield more values, apply more paint to the flowers and then softening the edges with a damp brush. Allow the paints to bleed naturally. Paint the center with Burnt Sienna, and then drop in a small amount of French Ultramarine to yield a dark value of Brown.

STEP 3:
Wet the leaves and drop in: Green, Gamboge Hue and French Ultramarine. Allow all the paints to blend and bleed together naturally. Pull some of the color down for the leaves. Splatter with an old toothbrush, using Green.

STEP 4:
Once the paper is completely dry, use a Waterproof Black Pen to outline (very loosely) the petals, leaves, and the center of the design.

Finishing

Folding the Bag -- Take the "T" square plus a stylus and score the lines for all folds on the reverse side of the bag. Place the "T" square against a score line and fold. Do this on all side and bottom folds. Cut up to the fold from the bottom to form the bottom part of the bag. Glue all with white glue, using paper clips and rubber bands to hold the bag in place. Put something heavy in the bottom and allow the glue to dry completely. Once dry, measure 1/2" from each side and 1/2" from the top and punch holes in the bag for the handles. Do this on both front and back. Tie a knot at one end of the paper twist and pull through the hole. Put the other end through the other hole and tie a knot. Put in the tissue paper and your finished! You can use the additional included patterns for a gift tag and/or a card as shown in detail within the project photograph.

Hope that you enjoy this project. Please visit again for periodic updates and additional free Painting Projects.

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