DRAWING & PAINTING TROMPE L'OEIL WINDOW & SKY ARTWORK ABOVE PATIO DOORS

DRAWING & PAINTING TROMPE L'OEIL WINDOW & SKY ARTWORK ABOVE PATIO DOORS 

Years ago, before I finally started using a digital camera I took lots of pictures of my work and had the "film developed".  I bet there are some people who don't know what that means.
Looking through those pictures I'm finding work I want to share with you.

In her living room, my client had very high walls and a big empty space above her doors that went out to her patio.  She asked me to come by and suggest something to go on that wall.  She asked what I thought about some design with scrolling.  But, seeing the outside I immediately saw a window with a sky and trees.  I suggested that to her and she loved the idea.

It was very easy to draw and paint.  I think you could do it, too.

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TUTORIAL

First I drew the frame that would frame the sky.  I made it 4" or 5" wide.  You can decide how wide you want your frame to be and paint it any color you want.  I painted it the same white as her doors and woodwork/trim.  Use craft paints raw umber or some darker browny gray for shadowing around the edges.  In your color tray water down the paint just a little bit so it will flow more easily as you paint.  Painting that thin shadow will make it look more 3 dimensional.  For shadow reference, look around the room at the shadows on other trim.  Next, with my brush I smudged and swiped blue and white (like faux painting) and made it look like a sky with clouds.  Draw you some birds.  You can make copies or draw them on paper and trace the birds on the wall, then paint them.  Decoupage would be ok, too, for the birds.  For the trees I like to draw the branches first with a pencil.  I draw lines where I want them to be.  Paint over them with raw umber or whatever shade of brown or gray brown that you want.  Then, draw leaves or use a small paint brush and dot, dot, dot with green.  You can also draw any size or shape of leaves you want.  At first you might not be happy with your artwork, but wait a while and let your family and friends see it.  After a while I bet you will be very happy with yourself.  Have fun!!

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HAND PAINTING ARTWORK ON A KID'S PLAY TABLE & TRAIN TRACK ARTWORK PLAY TABLE & TUTORIAL

HAND PAINTING ARTWORK ON A KID'S PLAY TABLE & TRAIN TRACK ARTWORK PLAY TABLE & TUTORIAL

My client had this little table that she kept for her grandchildren in her playroom.

The finish was a lightly stained wood.

She asked me to paint it and this is how it turned out.

I love the bright colors!

Because her grandson loved trains, she asked me to paint this little table for his room at home.

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TUTORIAL

I used craft paint for the artwork and sealed with several coats of clear sealer.

If you don't have or can't find a table just the right size, you can build one.  It's not that hard.
You can build it any size you want and legs can be shorter or taller.

These tables were fun to paint.  I bet your children would love painting the artwork.

Remember to seal really well so it won't get scratched. 

 If it does get scratched you can touch it up and seal it again.

Have Fun!
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VISIT MY NEW BLOG ~ STILL WORKING ON IT

VISIT MY NEW BLOG ~ STILL WORKING ON IT

I'm building a new blog.

On my decorative artisan blog my tutorials get lost in all of the other posts.

So, this new blog will be a HOW-TO DIY blog.

I will continue to post on my Decorative Artisan blog, too.

It will take me a while to search all of my tutorials and move them to this DIY blog.

Here it is for now:

LYNDA BERGMAN DIY BLOG

Still building.

Thank you for your visits!

PAINTING A VINTAGE MANTEL TO A BLACK DISTRESSED FINISH & TUTORIAL

PAINTING A VINTAGE MANTEL TO A BLACK DISTRESSED FINISH & TUTORIAL

Recently, I found this vintage mantel.  It was from the 1960's and still in good shape. 

It was stained brown, only a few scratches and perfect for a new paint finish.

I always start with an oil based bonding primer.

I painted a brown undercoat so when I distressed the black it would look like wood.

Painted a coat of black paint.

Then, two coats of a low sheen sealer.

This could be a fireplace mantel,

 a nice headboard or

 a fancy shelf.

(this picture is before I sealed it with the clear coat low sheen) 

PAINTING AN ANTIQUE PIANO FOR JESSIE & SAM ~ TUTORIAL

PAINTING AN ANTIQUE PIANO FOR JESSIE & SAM ~ TUTORIAL

Sam was searching for a piano to surprise Jessie on her birthday.

He found this beautiful antique piano.  The owner told him it would be $2,000.  So, Sam kept looking for that special gift for Jessie.  After a while the owner couldn't sell it, so they called Sam and told him if he would come get it there would be no charge!
 Oh my goodness!!  No charge!!

This is wonderful, playful Henry.  Such a good doggie.

Jessie wanted to paint the piano white, so she called me.

Look at the beautiful carved panels.

 I don't know the date when the piano was built, but it was before the 1920's.  

Sam showed me inside the piano where a piano tuner had written a date in the 20's.

Jessie wanted to leave a bit of the original finish, so that is the brown above.

Good idea and a nice contrast.

The white painted piano is on the wall to the right of this picture.

The colors are wonderful together.  Last year I painted the navy cabinet and Jessie put beautiful white antique family dishes inside the glass doors.  She's a good decorator.

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I painted an oil based bonding primer and two coats of oil based paint.

The carved panel is removable, so Sam took if off of the piano for me to paint.

HAND PAINTED BUNNY MURAL ~ LITTLE GIRL'S ROOM

HAND PAINTED BUNNY MURAL ~ LITTLE GIRL'S ROOM

Bunny Mural I painted in a little girl's room.

I painted colors to match the room decor.

I love bunnies!

Bunny hiding in a flower pot.
See the hummingbird?  I painted green sparkles all over him.

Butterflies are fun!

Hippity Hoppity Happy Bunny

SELL YOUR HOME FAST ~ PAINTING A BLACK DISTRESSED FINISH ON LORI'S NEW WET BAR

SELL YOUR HOME FAST ~ PAINTING A BLACK DISTRESSED FINISH ON LORI'S NEW WET BAR

Today I received this text from my client Lori:

"Lynda, look how beautiful you've made the house and it sold the first day is was on the market!" 

Wow!  The first day!!  Painting cabinets really does make a difference.  The past few years, I've painted nearly all of the cabinets in Lori's large home.

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Below is my post from March, 2014.

PAINTING A BLACK DISTRESSED FINISH ON LORI'S NEW WET BAR

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Lori wanted to change her wet bar area.
  She had a new cabinet built and had beadboard installed on the wall under the bar.  Also, she added new tile on the back splash.  She showed me a picture of the special finish she wanted on the new and old cabinets.  The original cabinets were the pickled/white washed finish.

She wanted black distressed.

(She's having walls and ceilings painted and she said the other painter could touch up my messy lines.)

This wet bar is kind of in the middle of her living area and the new wood that she added and the black distressed finish look just wonderful!!  

Black is such a good "accent" color and for this wet bar, such a great choice. 

Remember Panda Lu?

  When she was tiny, Lori taught her to ring that bell when she needed to go out and it's the cutest thing!  She will keep touching and ringing the bell until someone notices and lets her out.  Her sister, Buffy, is a senior doggie and doesn't think much of ringing the bell.  But, when Buffy is standing at the door to go out, Panda Lu will ring it for her.  I was working right there by the door and it tickled me to watch Panda Lu managing all the "going out" time.

Selfie of my leg :)  

I always sit on the floor to paint the baseboards and bottom of whatever I'm painting and since the floor is cold in winter, I wear long socks and they're so warm.  I have colorful socks to match all of my paint clothes.

 I'm really colorful, but I'm good with that!!

I just love the black contrast with her lighter floors and walls.

Lori planned, very carefully, the design of her new wet bar.

So glad I got to paint it for her and she's very, very happy.

 This sweet message was in an email she sent to me.

                                           Thank you Lynda, and Brian is home now and loves all your work.

                 Thank you again, you’re the BEST!! Your talent is a true treasure and I couldn’t ‘create’ without you!!

                                                                                                 Lori

 That makes me feel really good!

 Thank you, Lori!! 
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A link to Lori's upstairs bath cabinets that I painted:
PAINTING LORI'S GUEST BATH CABINETS TO AN AGED GRAY BROWN FINISH