Pineapple Quote!

Pineapples!

Just can't get enough of this fun tropical fruit!

We've been getting in TONS of pineapple-themed goods at our stores including bags, ceramics and wooden serving platters.  This is the perfect time to stock up for summer entertaining, so it's time to come on down and get crafty!

Today, I have a great painting project that would be great for kids as well as adults for those artsy get-togethers.  It's time to bring the fun of the boozy painting classes home!  All you need are basic pineapple colors like yellows, oranges, greens, oranges and some tans, as well as a cool tropical blue and white for the contrasting background.  You will also need a tan Stabilo marker, a black fine tip acrylic Montana or DecoColor marker, as well as a White Gelly Roll. 

Here, I painted on a natural slice of wood for a rustic feel, but feel free to paint on a canvas or wooden pallet.  Whatever floats your boat!

 

 

I first laid down a coat of white and then, while it was still wet, blended in some Delta Americana AcrylicTropical Blue for a lighter toned turquoise blue.  Once that background layer was dry, I used Ceramcoat Acrylic in Butter Yellow to paint the top three quarters of an oblong shape for the pineapple.  This took two coats for good coverage. 

 

After this was dry, I went ahead and painted the leaves.  Using upstrokes, I started at the top of the pineapple and tapered the tops of the leaves by slowly turning my brush sideways. (As a note, I used a 1 inch synthetic flat brush.)  I mixed a different shades of green such as Ceramcoat Spring Green and Delta Americana Chartreuse just to add more depth and dimension.  Just don't add too much!  You will be writing over the pineapple afterwards, so don't put too much effort into making it too detailed! 

 

I then used the Stabilo pen to lightly sketch the "eyes" of the pineapple.  This is where I brought a bit more detail into the painting, but feel free to use a paint marker or regular acrylic paint.  You can add a little more detail in this area, depending on how long of a quote you use.  After this was dry, I wrote the quote "You are the pineapple of my eye." in black Montana marker straight over the pineapple.

 

 

Afterwards, I used the white Gelly Roll gel pen to add some 3D effects to the letters!  I love the sketchy look, so I went over my lines multiple times.

 

 

Once everything was dry, I sprayed the painting with a light and even coat of Acrylic Sealer.  This is to prevent the water-based pens like the Stabilo and the Gelly Roll from smudging in the future.

 

 

And there you have it! 

Again, you can always experiment and make it your own.  The steps I used only took me about an hour.  Having a blow dryer or heat gun on hand would help in speeding up the process.  (Waiting for paint to dry can be a real drag.)  If you want to have a more detailed pineapple, go for it!  Want to use a different quote?  Fantastic!  If you're having a painting party, everyone can put their own spin on their painting.  Seeing everyone's unique style is always the best part!  Plus, what better party favor to go home with than a piece of summery décor and some renewed artistic confidence?

 

Cheers!

Erika