List of required items to complete:
1. Well cleaned 04 bisque, scrubby frog (various mold manufacturers are suitable)
2. Water well to clean brushes
3. Paper towels or clean rag
4. Wet wipes to clean “oops”
5. *Apple Barrel paints: Grape Jam, Black, Pumpkin, bright yellow, white, turquoise, Kiwi, spring green, cameo pink, aqua
6. Anita’s paints: Metallic white
7. Spray fixative
8. Brushes: various sizes for appropriate task, - flat white bristle for base coating, round soft bristle for flower background, fine liner for outlining and detail.
9. Print out instructions and picture of Sugar Frog to have as an example. See photos top right of page
Instructions: Read all instructions first before beginning.
Prep your bisque item by dusting off all debris and wiping it down with a damp sponge. Allow to dry.
1. Base coat frog including inside mouth with 2 coats “Grape Jam” allow to dry between coats.
2. Paint eyes solid black “black”, allow to dry thoroughly
3. Paint flowers around eyes. Petals around outside of eyes were done in “pumpkin” using a round brush. Allow to dry. Create petal outline with “black” using a fine liner brush. Centers of the eye were created using “bright yellow” paint with a round brush in a circular motion on the highest point. You can make these as big and you desire just remember to leave room for the petals. Allow to dry. Flower petals in middle of the eye were painted with “metallic white” using a fine liner brush in a zig zag motion starting just inside the yellow edge. and
4. The mouth was painted “white” around the edge about a ¼” upper and lower. Leave a small space of purple at the corners of the mouth. After allowing to dry, use the “black” paint and a small fine liner brush to trim out the outside of the mouth making the look of teeth.
5. Paint nose in “turquoise”. Outline in “black”. The nose is a heart. A freehand heart can be created by dotting paint in a triangle fashion and connecting the dots to form a heart. You might want to practice this technique first before painting your frog nose.
6. Paint dots on top of the head “turquoise”, “spring green” and “kiwi”
7. Paint center of toes “bright yellow”. Allow to dry. Paint petals on the frog’s toes in “turquoise” using a round brush. Load paint in brush, lay brush down approx. ¼” from center of toe, pull brush and paint in toward center. Move to left and right as appropriate to make flower petals as appropriate around the bright yellow center. Outline petals in “white” using a fine liner brush. Put a dot of white in the center of the yellow on the toe. Apply oval leaf petals in the foot area with “spring green”. Outline with “white”.
8. The skeleton type arms were made with heart going different directions and a bone in the middle to separate. The bone is a sideways capital letter I. Hearts and bones were painted with “cameo pink” with “aqua” over the pink to allow the edges of pink to show. Repeat on the other side. Outline in “black” using a fine liner brush careful not to paint over the “cameo pink”. All bones were done the same way.
9. Bigger bones on the back legs were outlined in “spring green” and further outlined in “black”.
10. Eyebrows (not shown) were “bright yellow” and outlined in “white”.
11. Dots and swirly “S” motifs were added randomly as desired.
12. Allow to dry overnight before applying a clear sealer/fixative.
13. ENJOY YOUR CREATION!!
The best thing about the Sugar Frog is making it unique and one-of-a-kind. Be creative and paint whatever makes YOU happy!!
*EDITOR’S NOTE: CME does not recommend using Apple Barrel paints on ceramics, however to maintain integrity of the artist’s vision, the paints used are included. Suggest substituting colors with other brands more suitable to the clay/ceramic body.
CME would like to thank Bonnie Ruhl for providing her technique for this unique Sugar Frog and allowing us to share with other ceramists.
You may contact Bonnie with comments or questions and can order bisque at TopNotchceramics@gmail.com
Article provided by: Ceramics Made Easy © 2024
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