Painting Santa Faces

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get this posted for you . 

SO many distractions these days. 

Today, I am showing you how I paint my clay and chalkware faces.  As you have probably seen my last post on how to actually sculpt the clay faces. 

This is simple and basic, and quite honestly, I'm a little embarrassed, because, I don't feel that I do that good of a job. But, the end result looks pretty good, and they have been well received over the years.  

Start by base coating the face with flesh tone paint. Using about a 1'' paintbrush.  My preference is Ceramcoat AC Flesh Paint.  It's just a nice and light shade and not too pink.  You can find it at Hobby Lobby.

Here are all the colors needed,  They do not have to be these brands. 

Flesh, Off white , blue, black and brown for the eyes and a dark red for the cheeks. 

Any brand of dark antiquing wax looks good for the finish coat. 

You need a teeny tiny paint brush for the eye details. And, I"m sorry, I don't know why the sharpie marker is there. Ha ! 

After your flesh paint has dried, Paint the whites of the eyes.  Simply paint a little eye shape.  Heaven knows I have never perfected this.  

After the white has dried, paint the  blue iris.  Just circles in the middle of the white.

While the blue is drying, you can sponge on the red cheeks....

Simply use a piece of a sponge or cotton ball,  dab in a little dark red paint,  blot on paper a few times and then gently blot onto the cheeks. You might want to dab a little on the mouth too.   Not too much, but enough to show up under the brown antique wax. 

You don't need to do the pupil or outline of the eye until the entire face is antiqued. If you do, those tiny details may bet wiped away.

So, once the paint you have so far on the face is completely dry,  Wet your paintbrush with water ( about 1'' brush ) , and then dip the brush in the antique wax.  Coat the entire face with it, and then wipe off fairly quickly with a rag. Let Dry.

Once the antiquing wax is dry,  paint in some little black circles in the middle of the blue iris. 

Let Dry . 

Then, outline along the border of the eye, ever so faintly with brown paint.  More on the top than on the bottom.  You don't want it to look like eyeliner, but, just add a little definition. 

Perfectly imperfect ! 

Very last touch .... Add a little twinkle in his eyes by dotting a teeny white  speck to one side of the pupil .

All finished !  Now it is ready to attach to the body and add the beard ! 

Thank you all so much for all of your support !  

Have you gotten your Cinnamon Creek Santa Pattern yet ?  Have you started on it, or maybe even finished ?   I truly hope you are enjoying this Christmas season and having fun creating ! 

I think I am done offering Christmas patterns for the year. New things for the new year are dancing in my head !  I will be offering some finished goods ( Santas :)  in my Fine Farmhouse Etsy Shop sometime over this weekend.  So, keep your eye out. 

Happy Weekend ! 

Dru Ann

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CinnamonCreekFolkArt 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/aFineFarmhouse