WATERCOLOR EFFECT THROW PILLOW

Create your own unique and colorful throw pillow using Liquitex Soft Body Acrylics, Acrylic Ink and Flow-Aid to create the look of watercolors with the permanence of acrylics! Acrylic paint applied with Flow-Aid is ideal for fabrics as it leaves the material soft and pliable, can be spot-cleaned, and requires no heat setting.

TIME REQUIRED: 1 1/2 HRS.DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

Canvas or plain fabric pillowcase

Distilled Water

Empty bottle for the Flow-Aid Water

Paint palette with wells

Piece of cardboard e.g., from a box in the size of the pillow

Plastic sheet/bag to stuff into the pillow insert

Rag or paper towel

Water jarOPTIONAL: 8 little plastic cups – 1oz – one for each color for Flow-Aid water

LIQUITEXMATERIALS

OTHERMATERIALS

Flow-Aid

Acrylic Inks:

Deep Violet

Iridescent Bright Gold

Vivid Lime Green

Quinacridone Magenta

Cadmium-Free Orange

Mars Black

Medium Magenta

Round No. 2 Paint Brush

Round No. 4 Paint Brush

Flat No. 4 Paint Brush

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Cerulean Blue Hue

Soft Body Acrylics:

01Mix water with Flow-Aid in an empty bottle with the ratio of 20 parts distilled water to 1 part Flow-Aid.TIP: Avoid making foam when mixing the Flow-Aid with the water; don’t shake. You can explore different ratios but do not exceed a 25% Flow Aid to water ratio to prevent problems with adhesion.

02PREPARATION: Iron the pillow cover before painting on it. Cover a piece of cardboard with a plastic bag or plastic sheet and place it inside the pillow cover to prevent the colors from bleeding through to the back. Fill small cups with Flow-Aid water, one per color. Fill the palette with Quinacridone Magenta Acrylic Ink, Deep Violet Acrylic Ink and Medium Magenta Soft Body Acrylic for the purple flowers. Use Cadmium-Free Orange Soft Body Acrylic for the orange flowers.

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Start with the purple colors. Dip the Round 4 brush into the designated cup of Flow-Aid water each time before dipping it in to the paint. Working slowly, apply small amounts of color to the pillow fabric by pressing the loaded brush down to let the paint flow onto the material. Flowers will take shape this way. Add smaller amounts of each of the other purple colors into the first layer and let the colors bleed together for variety and interesting, unexpected shading. Apply Cadmium-Free Orange Soft Body Acrylic in the same manner to create orange flower buds.

TIP: Start with small amounts of color and small flowers to get used to the way the fabric takes the color. Every fabric will take paint in its own unique way. It’s easier to add more paint than to start with too much. Experiment and vary your hand pressure as well as the amount of paint. Allow the flowers to be soft and impressionist, not realistic.

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03Next, use a bit of Cadmium-Free Orange Soft Body Acrylic and create little flower centers in the purple flowers by stippling small dots carefully into the middle. Also add some areas of orange to the outer petals of the purple flowers. It will create interesting color effects and add dimension. Do the same with one of the purple colors of your choice on some or all of the orange flowers.

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04Fill Vivid Lime Green Acrylic Ink and Cerulean Blue Hue Acrylic Ink each into two wells in the palette. Dip the flat brush into the Flow-Aid water each time it is dipped into the green and use only the tip of the brush to create stem lines and leaves for the flower buds. Use the round brush and dip it into Flow Aid water and then into the Cerulean Blue Hue Acrylic Ink. Gently press down the tip of the brush to create little dots starting from the top of an elongated oval area to create abstract hyacinths.

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05Use Flow-Aid water with Deep Violet Acrylic Ink to create more dots in the blue hyacinths. Fill one of the wells with Mars Black Soft Body Acrylic and use the round brush and very little hand pressure to carefully create definition for the flowers by outlining some of the petals with a thin line. Also add black dots for flower centers here and there on some of the petals.

When paint is thoroughly dry, remove the cardboard and plastic. Insert the pillow form and enjoy your unique throw pillow!

06Optional: Finish the pillow cover by adding a few gold splatters to tie everything together. Fill a palette well with Iridescent Bright Gold Acrylic Ink. Dip one of the brushes into Flow-Aid water, then into the gold and carefully run your finger down the bristles to create little splatters and droplets.

TIP: Practice the splattering on a piece of paper before and make sure to protect your clothing, work table and surrounding areas!

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