This project is an introduction to a fascinating popular technique that was born at the beginning of the century in Buenos Aires, called Filete Porteno. The etymological meaning of the word "Filete" is thread, from the Latin "filum," and it stands for "a thin line used as ornament." "Porteno," in a restricted sense, refers to Buenos Aires and its port, as well as its inhabitants and everything connected to the city. As poet Horacio Ferrer once put it, "A traditional art form and humble finery of the popular Buenos Aires, 'Filete' proudly and fondly embellishes carts and trucks, greengrocer's signboards and quaint, little flower windows. It has been handed down from masters to apprentices, recasting old European traditional patterns into a truly original Argentine art."
Filete is traditionally done with lettering brushes and enamel paint diluted with thinner or turpentine. But for this "Welcome" project, I've used acrylic paints and artists' brushes to make it easier for painters who are new to the technique and also to provide more versatility for multiple uses and surfaces-fabric, wood and so on.
Preparation
First clean your surface thoroughly and let dry completely. Trace the pattern onto tracing paper, then use transfer paper to transfer just the outer and inner ovals and the banner.
Backgrounds and Basecoat of the Banner
Paint the banner with Peaches & Cream and the inside oval with an equal mixture of Red Violet + Dioxazine Purple (see Step 1 of the workup). For the background, use Blue Mist and your 1/4" flat brush. Note: The paint must be lightly diluted, so it might be necessary to apply two or three layers for good coverage, depending on the paint. Once the basic colors have dried, transfer the rest of the pattern.
Basecoat
Paint the letters, the ornaments (top and bottom) and the outer border with True Ochre. If you're painting on canvas and mounting on a stretcher frame, add an extra 3/4" of True Ochre around the border to allow for covering the outside of the stretcher. Also, use True Ochre to paint the flower stamens. Next, paint the flower petals with Boysenberry (see Step 2).
Shading
Shade the ornaments and letters with Burnt Sienna, using the #6 script liner (see Step 3). Shade from the top to the middle of the letters and then add a thin line at the base of the letters. Shade the folds in the banner with Shading Flesh as shown in the workup, then shade the flowers with Cadmium Orange.
Highlights
Highlight all the elements with Snow White as shown in the photo: this includes light areas and edges on the banner, the top of the lettering and accents on the ornaments. Also highlight the tops of the flower petals and the stamens. Next, use the #2 script liner and Burnt Sienna to make the border line which separates the True Ochre of the outer border from the Blue Mist background.
If your welcome sign is going to be hung outdoors, use an old brush to apply several coats of protective varnish.
MATERIALS Artist canvas, 12" x 14" | |||
| ACRYLIC PALETTE | BRUSHES | OTHER SUPPLIES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mist Boysenberry Burnt Sienna Cadmium Orange Dioxazine Purple | Peaches & Cream Red Violet Shading Flesh Snow White True Ochre | #2 & #6 script liners 1/4" one=stroke flat Old brush | Satin varnish Tracing paper Transfer paper |
PRODUCT NOTES Acrylics by DecoArt Americana. | |||
Buenos Aires artist Jorge Muscia is the "unofficial ambassador of the fileteado art form" which became popular around the turn of the century in Argentina. More projects and information about the decorative art (and its link to the tango) are available in Jorge's book El Filete: Popular Art of Buenos Aires, published by Jackie Shaw Studio, 13306 Edgemont Road, Smithsburg, MD 21783.
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