Folk Art Fusion

Learn to paint colorful contemporary folk art in acrylic

Heather Galler

• Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781633224049
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

Folk art still influences everyday art in some surprising ways. Folk Art Fusion shows you how to blend classic subjects with new techniques to create a lovely work of art that is completely unique. Folk Art Fusion explores the colorful combination of art styles andpresents them in modern folk art paintings. This is your chance to learn how traditional folk art continues to influence today's painters, and to discover how to create contemporary folk-art paintings yourself! Even if you're new to creating art, Folk Art Fusion makes creating your own works approachable with step-by-step projects. The projects are as varied as they are colorful. You will enjoy paintingclassicsubjects painted with creative techniques and in popular styles, including flower fields, Frida Kahlo, the Tree of Life, a cat, a quaint English cottage, and much more. Colorful, contemporary, and inspirational, Folk Art Fusion allows artists of all skill levels to quickly discover the joy of creating modern, global-inspired art in this time-treasured genre.

Frida Kahlo

Now it’s time to create your own art, starting with a very popular subject in folk art: Frida Kahlo. One of Mexico’s most famous artists, Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) achieved great international popularity during her short lifetime. She is best known for her frank and revealing self-portraits, many of which include her beloved pets.

STEP 1

With a fine-tip black marker, copy the Frida Kahlo template onto a sheet of paper. Fill in the large black areas with a broad-tip black marker. Alternatively, you can use a small, flat brush to fill in the large areas with black paint.

STEP 2

Using a medium, flat brush, apply a thin coat of green paint to the background. Let the coat dry, and then apply a second thin coat of green paint. You’re trying to create a dark-green background, so depending on the type of paint you’re using, you might even need three thin coats. Next, use a medium, flat brush to paint Frida’s sleeves and shirt a dark orange-red. Then use a small, flat brush to paint the inside of the flower in her hair the same orange color as the sleeves and shirt.

As your painting dries in between steps, go over the black lines with a marker to keep the lines looking sharp.

STEP 3

Wet a small, flat brush with water, dip it in magenta paint, and color the shirt ruffles and flower petals. You’re looking for a light, translucent coat of magenta; the wet brush helps thin the color a little. Next add a pinch of magenta to some white paint to create a pinkish hue, and paint the face, neck, and arms with a medium, flat brush. It’s OK to paint over the eyebrows at this point, because you’ll paint them back in during step 6. Using a small, flat brush, paint the watermelon flesh—which sits below her neck and above the bodice of her dress—red. Paint the watermelon rind and flower leaves green.

STEP 4

With a small, flat brush, paint the birds using teal, turquoise green, ultramarine blue with a pinch of white, and yellow. Let the birds dry, and then add details to their bodies with a medium-tip black marker. Now use an orange oil-based paint pen to add line details to the sleeves. When that is dry, use a medium-tip black marker to add details to the flower petals and leaves in Frida’s hair. Now paint black seeds on the watermelon, and add details to the bodice of the dress.

STEP 5

Now you’ll focus on adding detail to the background. Using a baby-blue, oil-based paint pen, start from the top left of the page, and paint circles randomly over the green background. Let this dry for at least an hour.

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• What is folk art?
• Tools & Materials
• Painting Techniques
• Naïve Style
• Color Choices
• Drawing & Painting Projects
• Copyright