Refurbish Your Garden Art

The first thing I did was to hose her off outside. Then I brought her in and scrubbed her with a brush to get off all the really stuck on bits. Some parts were permanently stained however. This is ok, because the paint will cover it up. Then I let her drip dry.

This is how she looked sitting on my paint table.

The paint I used is made by Plaid and is called Folk Art Outdoor. The Outdoor paint is made especially to go on almost any surface you would put outside, including cement, metal, stone and terracotta pots. It has a UV inhibitor (so your colors don't fade) and does not require an additional sealer. Another option would be Patio Paint by Deco Art. You should be able to find one or the other at your favorite craft supply store. I would be cautious about using plain acrylic on outdoor items, especially student grade paint, which has more fillers and less pigment. Regular acrylics definitely do need sealing against the elements and red colors, especially are prone to fade in strong sunlight.

For brushes I used what was handy and worked, mostly a 1/2 inch flat brush for larger areas, a small #2 flat for smaller areas and a #2 liner brush for small details and tight spaces. I use a Styrofoam plate to pour out and mix paint on. I trim the plate edges and keep it in an air tight container with a damp paper towel under the plate when not in use. While acrylic paint does wash up with water, once it dries it is basically water proof, so keep your brush bristles wet while you are not painting, until you can go and wash all of the paint out of them. If you don't have a dedicated painting space like I do, protect your work surface with newspapers or an old plastic table cloth. (When I teach classes I buy them at the dollar store, with care they last several sessions). Have some paper towels or old rags handy to wipe your brushes and fingers on. If you spill acrylic paint on something like your clothes immediately soak it with rubbing alcohol and rinse with water. The alcohol acts as a solvent and you can usually get all the paint out if you act fairly quickly.

Because most of the lighter colors are at least semi-transparent, I like to start off by painting a darker color where my shadows should be. When that layer is dry then I paint the base color over it. On my fairy I used a bright cobalt blue and painted in the veins of the leaves and the undersides of leaves that stuck out. I brushed a little blue on here and there on the grass clumps.

I used some random browns (mostly Maple Syrup and Burnt Umber) to paint the very bottom under the grass and a couple of places that looked like rocks.

I used some Maple Syrup brown to give some darker shadows in her hair.

Then I painted in most of her hair with Yellow Ochre with a few highlights of Lemon Custard.

Next I painted Grass Green over all the leaves and grass except the ones around her waist. You should always paint the things that are behind or under something else first, then paint the thing that is in front or on top.

I painted her dress with Rose Shimmer. This is a very transparent shimmering metallic paint. Because there was a lot of texture in her dress I decided not to add a darker color underneath. I just wanted the Rose paint to shimmer and shine on it's own.

Next I painted the leaves at her waist with the Grass Green. I painted the rose she is holding with the Rose Shimmer. I used Magenta mixed with Wicker White to make a pink for the flowers in the base. I put a faint smudge of Rose Shimmer on her cheeks by wiping most of the paint out of my brush and barely rubbing it on. I used my liner brush to add a little to her lips. Her eyes were still in pretty good shape so I left the old paint alone. I decided to leave her skin the plain off white resin. I am not so good at mixing skin tones and was afraid I wouldn't be able to come up with a color that would suggest a delicate fairy's skin and that I should leave well enough alone.

I used some Yellow Ochre to add some shading to her wings.

I painted her wings with Pure Gold. This is another transparent metallic paint. Over the Yellow Ochre and where it is thicker in the creases of the wings it is darker and then barely there where I have painted it on thinly.

For the flower centers I pushed one side of my #2 flat brush into Lemon Custard and the other side into Pure Orange, then just dabbed into the flower centers.

To give her a little extra pizazz I barely touched my brush into the Pure Gold, then wiped it lightly across the ridges of the leaves on her hat and dress. I did a little on her dress and some extra highlights in her hair.

My little fairy queen sits in a pot by my front gate. But she is now a hidden treasure and you have to look closely to find her! The catmint (Nepita) has grown up and is in bloom.