How to paint Bees–and Upcycle Photo Frames

A few months ago I signed up to teach painting classes at our local Parks & Rec Dept. The office asked me if I could paint some samples to show prospective students. No problem, I said.

Um, it’s now April. The class guide comes out next week and, as usual, I’m a bit behind.

On the positive side, I have managed to paint 3 out of 4 samples – Sunflowers, Geraniums & Hydrangea. But they aren’t framed. Just paintings on plain ol’ watercolor paper.

So today I hit the thrift store and found three matching – at least pretty close to matching – frames.

Each frame was a buck-fifty. Right in my price range.

Did I mention that I hadn’t measured my paintings? I just grabbed the frames ‘cause they looked ‘close enough’.

Just a smidgen too small.

I used the glass for a cutting template and figured cutting some of the painting off might look kinda ‘artsy’.

Sure, scissors would work. But I love my rotary cutter.

I used to have a ‘thing’ with my scissors and rotary blades. Some were for fabric & ribbon only. Some were for paper. Cutting paper definitely dulls the blades so I had all my stuff marked – like the guys in my house would actually read the label.

Yeah. Right.

I’d like to think I’ve gotten over my OCD-ness about my cutting tools, but I’d be lying. It’s just that I so rarely cut fabric anymore, who cares? I do, however, cut a ton of paper so why not use the rotary cutter? It’s loads faster, too.

Zip, zip, zip, and three paintings were cut to size.

That was the easiest part of this project.

I had primed the frames with spray primer. The little suckers soaked up coat after coat of primer. The frames might’ve cost only $1.50, but they drank up nearly $5 of primer!

I figured I’d be logical and smart for once and paint the frames the same shade of green as the leaves on my paintings. Smart, right?

Except this shade of green looks nowhere near the shade on the leaves.

Time for Plan B. Except most of my greens are in my tote at my mural clients’ house.

Time for Plan C. I’ll just glaze over this for-some-reason-too-light green with a darker green.

But first I had to let the paint dry. Have you ever noticed when you’re in a hurry and driving you hit nearly every red light on the road?

Same with paint, I think. When I’m in a hurry, paint seems to take forever to dry. For-Evah!

Since I can’t just sit and do nothing, I figured I’d clean the glass for the frames.

What do you do with three panes of glass you’ve just washed? Stack them in a pot lid rack, of course.

I actually use this rack all the time for my paintings that are in various stages.

Rather than mixing the paint with the glaze, I glazed the frame first and then added paint.

This worked for me. Weird little brushstrokes in the middle of a piece of wood drive me nuts (yes, I know I have issues, okay?) and glazing first and then painting made it easier to have a continuous flow of paint.

Now, for the bees. I bet you thought I forgot about the bees, huh? Nope. Just a little chatty tonight. {how un-usual!?!}

These are uber simple bees to paint. Seriously.

A circle for the head and an oval for the body, okay?

A dot for the eye, a couple of stripes on his back and two lines for his antennae.

I added two white ovals for wings, but the little bugger started flying and screwed up the pic.

Ok. One more issue. My hands shake. They have since I was a little girl. Here’s another weird factoid. They don’t shake when I’m doing really fine, close-up painting – like little stripes on bees.

But hold a camera steady? No way.

And just in case you’re impatient like I am and just can’t wait for the yellow to dry before you add the stripes, just smoosh the colors together. It’ll work.