WATERMELON BOWL
BY: Tammy R. Brown

PALETTE
Decoart Americana Acrylic Paints
Antique Mauve                                        Hauser Green Dark
Buttermilk                                              Celery Green
Lamp Black                                              Honey Brown
Napa Red                                                 Dark Chocolate         
Golden Straw                                          Khaki Tan
Light Buttermilk                                     White Wash
Napa Red

BRUSHES
1/4  Debbie Mitchell Stippler, #1 round, #4 shader, #4 filbert
Donna Dewberry large scruffy brush, 3/4 wash brush, #18 liner, #3 round

OTHER SUPPLIES
Gourd about 8" around at base, cut opened and cleaned well
Sand paper for inside of gourd
Styrofoam plate for palette
Transfer paper
Decoart Duraclear Satin Varnish
Container of water, paper towel

Let's Begin:
Be sure the gourd edges and inside are sanded smooth. Apply a base coat of light buttermilk
using the wash brush. Let dry. Squeeze a puddle of khaki tan and a puddle of light buttermilk onto your plate.
Using the larger  scruffy brush dip one side into khaki tan and the other side into the light buttermilk.
Pounce onto your gourd in random manner. Twist and turn as you go, adding more paint to the brush in the
same way as needed. Always load the same color to the same side of the brush or you're painting will look
muddy. You will need ample paint on  your brush to get a good effect. Repeat this process around the entire
gourd and let dry completely. Paint the inside of the gourd with hauser green dark and let dry. I sometimes
mix the varnish with the paint to seal as I go.

Transfer your pattern to the gourd using transfer paper. You may need to reduce or enlarge it to fit your
gourd.

Base coat the daisies first, begin with the petal, using the   #3round brush paint first layer of petals with
buttermilk, let dry. Paint the second layer with light buttermilk, let dry. Paint the third layer with white
wash and let dry. Paint the center of the daisy with golden straw, let dry and shade with honey  brown around
the bottom.

Next, using the 1/4" Debbie Mitchell stippler brush stipple in the watermelons. Squeeze equal amounts of
antique mauve and buttermilk onto your plate. Dip your brush into water and dab onto paper towel. Dip brush
into each color and gently blend into wet brush, then stipple in the meat area of the watermelon.  Let dry
totally. Paint the rind using #4 shader and celery green. Then make a slight strip with hauser green dark for
the outer rind with the #1 round brush.
Back to the meat of the melon, stipple the entire area with only antique mauve using wet scruffy brush as
before. Let dry and then use napa red to stipple the meat area keeping it more dark in the center and top
area. When dry, paint the seeds with lamp black, then highlight on one side with light buttermilk using the
#18 brush.

Paint the vines using dark chocolate and honey brown, squeeze a puddle of each on y our plate. Dip your #1
round brush into each color, then paint. Repeat until complete. Paint the vine leaves using the #4 shader and
hauser green dark and golden straw. Sort of a one stroke leaf. Dip one side of the brush into each color,
paint the leaves keeping the darker green to the under side

Paint the ants with the #1 round brush using lamp black, then highlight with light buttermilk using the #18
brush. When all is dry apple two coats of varnish, allowing to dry between each.