Fall Home Decor with IOD Stamps, Ink, and Wise Owl Paints
Ahhhh the coziness of fall. What’s not to love? Show me fall leaves bursting with color and a gaggle of pumpkins and I want to bring it all into my home! Thanks to Iron Orchid Designs new release decor stamps and Wise Owl Chalk Synthetic Paint - that’s exactly what I’ve done. Let me show you how I did this.
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In this edited video, you’ll see exactly how I created this gorgeous piece of fall wall art. There’s a lot of fast-forwarding because most of the techniques are repeated to get this look. The secret trick for this project is repeating a few techniques in each layer. Click on the video and I’ll show you what I mean. (pssstt: if you like to read through the directions, scroll on down!)
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO CREATE THIS FALL HARVEST WALL ART PIECE TO ADD TO YOUR HOME DECOR
IOD Decor Ink (in Stone Gray and Black)
Wise Owl Chalk Synthesis Paint in:
Chocolate
Weathervane
Cypress
Tourmaline
Creme
Antique Red
Sea Salt
Black
Mandarina
Wise Owl Paint Bronze Heavy Metals
Daydream Apothecary in Sundance
Board to upcycle for project surface
Paper plate (or another paint pallet)
GET READY TO FALL INTO THIS PROJECT
I did some basic prep for this project, including cutting the individual stamps out that I planned to use. From the Fruitful Harvest stamp, I chose the large pumpkin and one of the small pumpkins.
I also chose one of the Vintage Texture stamps to add to the tree I painted, which gave it detail and dimension - like a real tree! You can see in the video which of the textures I used.
Once you have those pieces ready, and the masks that come with these stamps you’re ready to get started creating the piece. Take out the board you’ll be using and develop the layout you want. Just a rough idea of where the pumpkins, tree, and leaves will go.
STEP ONE: STAMPING + MASKING PUMPKINS
Begin by adding the IOD Decor Ink in Stone Gray onto the ink pad. Make sure the pad is well saturated with the ink, because you’ll use the pad to load the ink onto the stamps.
The first pass of stamping is with the small pumpkin. Stamp one onto the board and use that as the focal point for the entire grouping of pumpkins. Once the first stamp is on, grab the matching mask to the small pumpkin (that comes with the stamp) and lay it on top of the stamped impression. Wait for the ink to be completely dry, but that shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
When you stamp the second impression of a small pumpkin, it will look like it’s behind the first pumpkin because of the mask. So, continue this masking and stamping process even as you add the large pumpkin in a couple of places on your board.
I also add in an acorn with stems and leaves with the Stone Gray ink at the bottom of my board. It looks like it’s fallen off the tree and floated down to rest next to the pumpkins. When you’ve added enough pumpkins, it’s time to move onto painting.
STEP 2: THE FIRST LAYER OF PAINT
On a paper plate (paint pallet), I pour a bit of the Wise Owl Paint in Creme and Mandarina and begin to paint over my stamped pumpkins. I go back in and layer these colors by letting a coat dry while I add Chocolate to the pumpkin stems and the acorns and stem.
I use the next coats of the creme to add some highlights and then move to the mandarina. This step is all about feeling the color and shading and there is certainly no right way to do it. Let yourself go and play with the shading and mixing/blending the paint as you bring the pumpkins to life.
You can use some Weathervane with the other colors to create shading on the pumpkins. You’ll see in the supply list above that I also brought in some DIY Paint in Liquid Sunshine - which was the perfect way to blend and bring out one of the small pumpkins in the foreground.
I add a final large pumpkin to the left side of my board, letting it hang over the edge of the board. I mask the other pumpkins next to this so that when I stamp it on, it will look as if it’s behind these smaller pumpkins.
Then I begin stamping the leaves that are going to be coming from the tree I’ll add. I’m still using the Stone Gray ink for this step. I mask the branch and leaves before adding the next one so I can create the realistic look of a trees’ branches.
I work in some individual leaf stamps, masking to add multiple layers, to create a look of falling leaves. And, I add in more acorns and other bits of the oak tree. Once the ink is dry, I layer paint on the stamped images, beginning with the last large pumpkin I added. This one is done in Tourmaline.
Next, I begin to paint the tree trunk, using more Chocolate Wise Owl Paint. I add it free hand but the placement of the branches, leaves, and pumpkins makes it easier. Once the paint has had a few minutes drying time, I pull out the wood texture from the Vintage Textures stamp.
I arrange three of these texture stamps onto the plastic sheeting that comes with the stamps. You can also use a separate IOD Thin Mount for this. By doing this, I can use the IOD Brayer to roll some of the Wise Owl Paint in Black onto all of these stamps at one time.
I pour the Black onto another paper plate and roll the brayer in it, and then stamp them on the tree, creating a natural looking pattern of real tree bark. Continue this down the trunk of the tree. I go back with a single texture stamp and add more black paint on the tree as needed.
STEP 3: STAMPING OVER THE PAINT
By this time all the paint on the pumpkins has dried and I’m ready to add some details back by stamping again with IOD Ink in Black. After loading an ink pad with the black ink, I ink up the small and large pumpkin stamps, one at a time, and stamp the painted pumpkins. I use the mask to protect the surrounding pumpkins as I stamp each one.
The details of the stamps in Fruitful Harvest are amazing and so realistic. Stamping over the painted pumpkins brings them to life.
STEP 4: PAINTING BRANCHES AND FALL LEAVES
I pull out all of the other Wise Owl Paint colors I’m using, including the Antique Red, Cypress, and the Daydream Apothecary Sundance, switching to my Turquoise Iris artist brushes. I start by adding brown to the branches and acorns.
If you watch this section of the video, beginning at minute 4:25, you’ll see me start to have a whole lot of fun! Because I’m painting on the fall colors of nature, blending colors as I go. No one can tell you the exact colors to use and blend for this step - give yourself permission to create what you see in nature’s fall pallet.
The best part of this step is - you don't have to paint inside the lines! jUst worry about getting the fall foliage look you want right now. And don’t be afraid to add the red to those leaves.
Next, I go back and add a wider trunk to the tree. This adds the look of branches of fall color hanging down over the trunk - as if you’re glimpsing the tree behind the colorful leaves. I switch back to the wood texture stamp to add more of that finish onto the new part of the tree.
STEP 5: BACK TO STAMPING
Once I’ve painted in the tree, the paint on the branches and leaves is dry. So I load the ink pad up with black ink again and repeat the process as I did with the painted pumpkins. I stamp with the blank ink over the top of the paint and create a detailed, realistic look to the leaves.
Again, the detail in these stamps adds depth and complexity to the leaves. Combined with the layered and blended paint on the foliage - just WOW. (if I do say so myself!) Note that I’m careful to mask the branches before stamping the one next to it.
PRO-TIP: masking prevents your stamped images from getting a muddy look. That happens when images are stamped over the top of each other. It robs the picture of its detail.
Do the same for all the acorns and other Oak tree bits and pieces. Next, I add the Wise Owl Paint Bronze Heavy Metals to highlight the leaves' gorgeous color. You can use the Turquoise Iris Artist brushes for this step.
STEP 6: FINAL TOUCHES AND POPS OF COLOR
I used a paint pen to go back and add in larger areas of detail along the tree branches and the acorn's thin branches. I also outline the tree trunk for some definition.
Then I dip a paintbrush into the bronze and brown (one at a time) and add flecks randomly across the piece. I run my thumb across the bristles and let the flecks fall and lightly spatter the entire piece.
The final step is letting the paint dry thoroughly and then sealing it with the Wise Owl Paint Matte Varnish. Then you step back and smile! Because this piece of fall decor is so gorgeous!
Happy Fall Creative Friends!