{Summer School Art :: Home Portrait}

Anyone see The Nester's colored pencil rendition of her beloved house? I saw it and had to have one of my own. Today, together, we'll make one of your home.

Get out your supplies:
-a printed picture of your home
-heavy paper, card stock, watercolor paper, etc.
-pencil
-watercolors & brushes OR colored pencils OR fine tip pen
-painters tape may help, too

You may need to take your camera outside and take a quick photo of your house. Make sure the car's not in the driveway. The weather is not that important, this will just give us the basic shape. Upload your picture to your computer, determine the size you want your picture to be and print out a black and white or grey-scale copy. A photo may work, too, but you have less control over the size you want your picture to be.

Here I have printed out a picture of our home and taped it to the door where lots of light comes through. Painters tape is great because it will not harm your paper and it also can ensure a clean border around your picture. Take your heavy paper and place it over the print-out. Use the light to trace the basic outline of your home, shrubbery, trees and anything else you want in your art piece.

Step three: Color in the lines. Use watercolor, or pencils to add color, or leave as a sketch, if that is the look you are happy with. You may also try using a fine tip black pen over the pencil and erasing any seen lines when the ink has dried. In my example, I outlined my painting with a black pen after my watercolors were dry.

It's too easy-peesy, right? But wouldn't you love a framed hand-drawn picture of the place your family calls home? Wouldn't someone you love? Or a neighbor? See a gift idea?

Want to hear how cheap this project was? I didn't have my own set of watercolors when I did this picture (I've since bought my own when they were 50% off at HobLob). So this picture was actually done with a set of children's watercolors that comes attached to a coloring book. I may have used a real brush...not sure.

Okay, class is almost dismissed before you discredit me for exposing all my secrets for cheating at art. Just a reminder-get your supplies ready for tomorrow! And get your creativity ready for Giveaway #2. Link up with Mr. Linky here THIS FRIDAY with your post on any of the Summer School Art projects, or one of your own!

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