Decorative Painting: Fern Worksheet

Ferns

Use the Liner Brush and mix thinner into your paint for an ink consistency to make the stems of the fern. Use the back corner of the flat brush to put small dabs on each side of the fern stem. You need to angle and stagger the dabs so they don’t look to stiff. Use one dab to start the fern, then get wider as you move down the stem.


Chisel Edge Ferns

Use the liner Brush and mix thinner into your paint for an ink consistency to make the stems for the ferns. Load the flat brush with paint and touch the canvas using the chisel edge of the brush, pull down some, then release the pressure as you pull toward the stem to get a tapered point. Complete on side of the fern and then the other side. Double load with another color if you like.

Stems with Dabs

Paint in the stems first (same as above). Load a round brush with paint and dab and release the brush with the point facing away from you. Start at the top of the stem and work down toward the bottom. Dabs on the bottom can be larger than the top dabs. Try loading the brush with a double load, one side green, the other with yellow

Dab Flowers

Follow the same procedures as above and make flowers using the same brush stroke. Place a dot of paint for the center of the star flower and make dabs around it in a star shape. Add the stems next or first.