1. Begin with a basic hot air balloon shape (this is called an envelope). Use a pencil!!!
2. Draw a curved oval at the top of the envelope and a horizontal line near the bottom.
3. Draw curved vertical lines from top to bottom. Notice that the lines on the left and the right are spaced closer together---the lines that are in middle are spaced farther apart.  This helps to create depth. Image shows (5) vertical lines; can draw more if desired.
4. Draw curved horizontal lines (repeating the curved line from step 2). Lines can be spaced closer together at the top and bottom--spaced farther apart in middle. Image shows (4) lines; can draw more if desired.
   

   *These lines are just suggestions---look for photos of fantastic hot air balloon patterns and designs--many designs use the basic vertical lines shown here.

5. NOW PAINT!!! If you want lines to show, draw in lines with a black permanent marker. To make “invisible” lines, use only a pencil.
6. Paint in a background color-- I used a darker blue near bottom and lighter blue at top to avoid looking “flat”. Don’t forget to paint the edge of your canvas---makes painting look “neat” and eliminates the need for a frame.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE GUIDE

1. Begin with a blank canvas and masking tape (tape not included in kit)- most common width of tape is ½” -¾”.  Much smaller widths of tape are available online and are optional. Make sure to press down all edges of tape to avoid “bleeding” of paint later on. Tape lines should intersect/ overlap with other lines or continue off canvas--lines should not just “stop” in the middle of a section of canvas.

 

2. I cut my masking tape by applying tape to a board with half the width of tape “hanging” off the edge. Using very sharp scissors, I cut tape with long cuts (using the entire length of blades), rather than short cuts that will result in a jagged edge. This takes a little practice, so PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

3. NOW PAINT!  You can go with a totally random color scheme (a great way to use up extra or leftover paint). Or choose a range of ANALOGOUS colors from a color wheel ( I chose blue, green, and yellow--of course, blue + yellow = green, so I mixed different amounts of blue to different amounts of yellow to get different variations of green. *Remember--the white of the canvas (under the tape) will also be in your color scheme! I also chose a completely different color (Orange) to add a “pop” to my color scheme (optional).

4. Let paint dry completely and then remove tape.  If paint has “bled” underneath tape, just paint over area with a few layers of white paint, letting each layer dry completely.

OTHER OPTIONS:

*Before removing tape, add more tape lines to painted areas and continue to paint (darker colors on top work best).

*Before applying any tape to blank canvas, paint a base coat of paint and let dry (light colors work best) then apply tape lines.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE TUTORIAL SHEET

1) Cut out paper stencil included in your kit and trace onto canvas. Use a pencil!

2) Paint inside “dove” with a light blue.

3)While lt. Blue paint is wet, apply white with a sponge or “wad” of paper towel, let dry.

4) When completely dry, add white with a sponge to lighten cloud areas-can go beyond pencil lines!

5) When dry, reposition dove stencil and retrace with pencil.

6) Using a flat detail brush, add dk. Blue background paint around the edge of “dove” first. This will make filling in background color easier. *Suggestion: apply background color in horizontal stokes, keeping strokes as even as possible.

7) Finish background color--may want to darken color by letting each layer dry completely in between.

OTHER OPTIONS:

*Make a series---using same stencil and directions, change the 2 main colors from lt. Blue/ dk. Blue to Peach/Red Orange or Pale Green/Dk. Green.

*Change stencil shape while keeping color scheme and technique the same: Some Magritte inspired shapes---apple, Bowler hat, eye.    

Click Here to Download the DIY Sheet

1. Start on right side of canvas and draw a partial Saguaro cactus with one “arm”. A simple flower blossom adds a focal point (can add more than one).  Can also do this on the left side if you want!
2. Paint flower with any color of your choosing. Paint a background sky. I chose a light blue-- painting thicker, horizontal strokes near the bottom and lighter strokes as I neared the top, letting the white of the canvas show through.
3. Use a medium green and light green to cover cactus -thickly and completely. I used vertical strokes on the main cactus stalk and curved strokes on the cactus “arm”.
4. *While paint is still wet, take a smaller brush loaded with a dark green and repeat the vertical/curved strokes---but make these strokes much shorter.  This will mix the paint on the canvas. You will find that you will need to reload your brush with dark green quite often. Too much dark green? Go over dark green with light green (or white) while paint is still wet.
5. Let dry completely!  Mix a very light pink (pink with a lot of white) for cactus needles. Begin at top, making vertical “lines” of needles. Each of the needle “patches” consist of (3) brush strokes. (2) strokes that form a “v” with the last stroke in the center. All (3) brush strokes start at the bottom of the “v”. Practice a few on a scrap piece of paper.

 ***Option---instead of the brush strokes, you can use a q-tip to make round dots instead of “needles”.

Click Here to Download the DIY Sheet