I've been working away on the floor of the newly renovated Garden Shed. I'm pushing to get this project done so that I can move on from painting with brushes to printing fabrics and more. This week I decided to paint a faux rug design featuring easy to paint flowers.
I began by drawing and cutting out 3 different size flowers out of a heavy paper. These were my templates. After I had the shapes, I used a quilting ruler to measure out a large square in the center of the room. Here is the start to the project with a border painted.
Next I began tracing the flowers on the plywood floor - placing them randomly.
I painted them in.
I tried a few different colors to determine the background color.
I decided I didn't like any of them and painted over them with the original light pink color. Then I added the centers to the flowers.
Then it was to decide on the background color and do that. I chose a color I thought was bright pink but now looks more purple. I think I like it though. Lots of painting in the background and having to be very careful working around the shapes.
Lastly, I added a bright lime colored inner border.
Here's what it looks like after one coat on the border and background. I am going to add second coats to both of them - hopefully this afternoon.
I'm not sure if I am going to outline the flowers with lines like I usually do. The colors and shapes seem to be working together without lines. It is always hard to know when to stop. Since this is a project I will be writing instructions for, I am thinking I might leave off the lines so that it will be a little easier for people to copy.
What do you think? Would love to hear.
11 comments:
I really like the floor! I would vote to add the lines because I like that graphic quality. I think it will look great either way though.
My kitchen floor is chartreuse marmoleum because I had just had to have it after I saw your studio floor with all the colors.
I also vote for black outlining of somekind. And perhaps a little inner details, rib on leaves and stamens on flowers? I've done Bauernmalerie painting and it can get pretty detailed,but sometimes that over the top looks just right. Or as my mother-in-law used to say "Laudi how guadi." Helen
Looking at it makes me smile. It looks so cheerful. The red and yellow flowers stand out from the background but the peach (or more earth tone color) looks like it blends in. If I was going to add something it would be to the peachy/earth tone flowers.
hmm... Outlining... Difficult decision. However, if you decide to, go with a NAVY/COBALT/[dark INDIGO] instead of black. Or, perhaps a blue-ish CRIMSON..? You know, a black-cherry-ish tone. -- As nice as they are, all of those colours seem to carry the same tonal "temperature"... A shot of NAVY would pop them out.
Think GAUGUIN..? [the Polynesian stuff]
Actually, maybe swap out that lavender for the navy. As much as I love the "purples", THAT shade against those coral-ish colours just isn't "doing it" for *ME*. [*MY* "bad" and '60s-Flashbacks!] ;-}
Then again, it IS the GARDEN Shed "floor"... That, will likely be covered in soil eventually any way! So, it's all probably a moot point in the end.
Now, if we were talkin' "YARN"... well. That's a whole OTHER spectrum of "opinion"!
:-D
I vote for lines.
Wow! What a beautiful project! I really like it when you outline things. It causes them to pop, but I don't think this needs it. You may also want to ask Julia. I remember you talking about how she can identify that Kristin Nicholas look!
I have a different question. I know that you like a more worn patina. Will you leave the floor "as is" and let it wear or will you do any type of varnish or stuff to protect it?
Kristin, the faux rug looks great! It makes me want to tear out some carpet and try it! You always inspire me :)
I think that the outline is not necessary on this. The flowers really pop on their own against the background.
Mk
Love it! Then I saw the lavender... and was hesitant. Then when you popped that lime border on and WoW! Love it! It's gonna be a beautiful shed ~
Love the "rug"! As crazy as it seems because of all the bright beautiful colors (which I love!), without the outlines, it might blend in more than with.
I'm late here so it's probably finished. It's gorgeous as is! My vote would have been no lines :)
annie
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