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How To Paint Waving Flag – 3 Colors

June 3, 2010 By Colleen Jorgenson 4 Comments

How to paint flat

Before we know it, the 4th of July will be here. So I want to post some easy painting projects you can start now.

This flag is really just a study in simple highlighting and shading. Highlight creates the illusion of bringing things forward; shading makes the area recede.

First, just basecoat your flag with red, white & blue.
How to paint flat

Then add white on the left side of the ‘folds’.
How to paint flat

I also added some white to accentuate the curves of the ‘fabric’.
how to paint a flag

Then add blue shading next to the white highlights on the ‘folds’. Do this on each stripe – red & white.
how to paint flag

Topcoat with your original colors – blue over blue; red over red; white over white. One coat will not completely cover your highlighting & shading. I use acrylic craft paint. Any ol’ kind will do. I have used latex house paint. That won’t cover in one coat either. I just happen to like the rich color choices in craft paint.

how to paint flag

There you have it! Do you see how the highlighting & shading makes a flat piece of paper seem 3-d? It’s a really simple way to create fabric folds with only three colors. You could add more folds simply by adding more curves with highlighting/shading lines. And just 3 colors!

Sharing with these great linkies –

Beyond The Picket Fence

Get your craft on Thurs.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wyytHe89oSc/St-fgmXa0QI/AAAAAAAANrM/PWHApafOhoY/s320/thriftthursday.bmp giveaways

Colleen

Filed Under: Highlighting, How To & PIY, PIY, Shading, Techniques

Comments

  1. Teresa @ ♥ TOO MANY HEARTBEATS ♥ says

    June 4, 2010 at 1:54 pm

    How cool! That is awesome and beautiful!

    Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Friday!

    Blessings,

    Teresa <><

    Reply
  2. Kim @ Starshine Chic says

    June 30, 2010 at 9:00 pm

    Thanks for the tute!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Patriotic Printable plus Crafts and Recipes says:
    June 24, 2014 at 9:22 am

    […] How to Paint a Waving Flag Tutorial […]

    Reply
  2. 33 Summer Paint Projects and Patterns says:
    June 1, 2015 at 7:14 am

    […] How to Paint a Waving Flag […]

    Reply

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    About Me

    Hi there! I'm Colleen, a self-taught artist, writer and blogger, among other things. You don't get to be old enough to order off the Denny's senior menu without accomplishing a few things in life. Read More…

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