A hand painted heart shaped wooden plaque would be something your loved one could treasure and look at for years to come. Hand painted cards are very thoughtful too. You can really personalize them by writing whatever you want inside.
Most people exchange cards, candy, gifts, and flowers for Valentine’s Day. Dining out is very popular too. I associate Valentine’s Day with chocolates. You know, the heart shaped boxes that you see on display at all the local stores.
The Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift
In my opinion a hand painted gift, along with a hand painted card with a personalized message inside and a box of chocolates would be the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Much more meaningful than a store bought gift, a store bought card, and a box of chocolates. It would be like turning a great gift into a fabulous gift.
This is really not even that hard at all to do. You can purchase all your materials at Amazon, your local craft store, or even at a department store that has a craft section. Painting both the painting and the card at the same time will actually make it easier. You can be painting the background on one while the other is drying then move on to the next step and go back and forth using the same paint on your palette. See my page on How To Make A Wet Palette. This is an extremely helpful since acrylic paint dries so fast.
Here is your list of what you will need:
- Your painting surface (this will depend on what you are making, you will only need what you will be painting on but I have listed several possibilities for you to choose from) - heart shaped wooden plaque, any shape wooden plaque, piece of card stock folded in half (for a Valentine’s Day Card), pre-stretched canvas (stapled to a wood frame and ready to paint), or use your imagination.
- Assortment of acrylic paint colors - see Best Paint
- Paint brushes - see Best Brushes
- Palette or wet palette - see How To Make A Wet Palette
- Graphite paper
- Bowl of water
- Paper towels or cloth rag for wiping brushes clean
- Acrylic spray sealer (if you’re painting on a wooden surface)
- Marker - black or whatever color you want to write inside your card
Note:
- yellow + red = orange
- blue + yellow = green
- blue + red = purple
- blue + red + yellow = brown
Now It’s Time To Be Creative
For the sky of the Owl plaque, I’ve used blue and white, for the sky of the Card, purple and white. Dip your brush in the water and squeeze out the extra water on the side of the water bowl. Put some paint on your brush and starting at the edges with the darkest color and working inwards lightening the color blending it with white, paint your sky in circular motions. Keep your brush wet with paint and water until you get to the center circle of the lightest color representing the sun/moon for your background.
Use a template if you have one, the copy of an image that you want to use, or a drawing that you’ve drawn. I’ve included a download of the the Owl plaque and Valentine’s Day Card below that I’ve used. Click Here for the download of the templates. Transfer the general outline of it to the painting surface via transfer paper or draw it lightly with a watercolor pencil in freehand. You want to see it but still be able to cover it with paint and not indent the surface.
Now you’re ready to paint the rest of the pictures. When you’re done let them dry completely. For wooden plaques you could use an acrylic spray sealer to preserve and protect it. When the card is dry you can write any personalized message you want on the inside. Your loved one will truly be touched by your creativity.
Hi Gina, love your page and your ideas for personal valentine gifts. You are very true in that something that is made by someone you love is nicer to get that something that can be bought by lots of other people too.
ReplyDeleteYou give great advice on all the materials that are needed to people who are artistic and would be loving the chance to make things for loved ones that nobody else will have.
I would definitely lead people to your site for any art materials if they said they had an interest in acrylic painting for any time of the year, not just valentines day.
Your page looks good and reads well.
Hi Cheryl,I'm very happy you love my page and ideas. Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment. Do not hesitate to send others to my site too. I'd really like that. I wish you all the best!Gina
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