Four Seasons Tree Canvases

1. Begin with properly fired shelf cone 04 bisque.  Moisten a clean sponge and wipe bisque to remove any dust.

2. Transfer the tree pattern to the clay canvases using AC-230 Clay Carbon and a pencil. Note the area of foliage on each tree. Note each of the seasons on the inside back of the canvas in pencil.

3. Each canvas has a season and different stencil used to enhance the background of the skies. The stencils were placed on an angle over the canvas and not all the stencil was printed to the ware.  Use the noted Stroke and Coat with a Foam Roller Brush or dry Sponge-on-a-Stick to apply the color over the stencil: Spring is SL-435 Curlicues Stencil with SC-11 Blue Yonder; summer is SL-441 Spots Stencil with SC-45 My Blue Heaven; fall is SL-456 Camo Stencil with SC-83 Tip Taupe; winter is SL-445 Kaleidoscope Stencil with SC-71 Purple-licious.

4. Using CB-404 Pointed Round and CB-220 Detail Liner to paint 2-3 coats of SC-14 Java Bean to the tree trunk and limbs. Detail one side of trunk and lower edges of the branches with SC-34 Dow To Earth using CB-110 Liner. To the trunks below the foliage, areas apply 1-2 Coats of S-2101 Crystal Clear Brushing using CB-220 Detail Liner.

5. Apply 3 coats of the following glazes with CB-604 Soft Fan and CB-404 Pointed Round to the sky portions of each noted canvas excluding the foliage areas except on the winter canvas:  Spring is FN-212 Blue Diamond; summer is EL-103 Sea Spray; fall is EL-103 Sea Spray.   For winter, stir and shake the jar and apply 2-3 coats of CG-975 Sky Diamonds to the entire sky area up to the tree pattern.

6. For the ground areas on each canvas apply 2-3 coats of the following glazes using CB-604 Soft Fan and CB-404 Pointed Round: Spring is EL-123 Patina; summer is EL-131 Turtle Shell; fall is EL-133 Autumn; winter is SG-302 Snowfall, apply this glaze in one direction for all three coats when possible.

7. For the three trees with foliage, apply the following glazes. Shake and stir each color to fully incorporate the crystals in the glazes. Use CB-604 Soft Fan to apply 2-3 coats of glaze with crystals.  Saturate the foliage area with crystals for the best results: Spring is CG-963 Lemon-Lime; summer is S-2714 Herb Garden; fall is CG-966 Tiger Lily.

8. To the spring tree paint in some SP-270 Speckled Pink A Dot to one side mostly in an irregular dappled pattern using CB-404 Pointed Round.

9. To the winter tree apply 1-2 coats of SG-302 Snowfall to the branches where they form a “Y” and would accumulate snow.

10. Stilt and Fire all pieces to Shelf Cone 05-06.