For a fun spring project, try using DANIEL SMITH Watercolor Ground on a decorative basket to create a foundation for painting with watercolor.

By using watercolors, you’re able to get beautiful effects that you just can’t get from other types of paints. Because watercolor is so transparent, it allows the white of the Watercolor Ground to glow through, making the colors brilliant! Also, you are able to use many watercolor painting effects like wet into wet, lifting, glazing and more. Watercolor Ground can be applied to cardboard, wood, metal, plastic, plaster, glass, fabric and canvas – transforming the surfaces into something similar to cold press watercolor paper.

1. Apply the Ground with a soft brush at least 24 hours before painting so it can cure.
2. Draw or transfer the image on to the basket – download the image below.
3. Apply Masking Fluid to any areas you want to keep white as you paint in your background. The fine-point applicator makes it easy to draw outlines. For the border, use an inexpensive brush to dab masking fluid along the border of your image for a deckled effect. Allow it to thoroughly dry before painting.
4. Paint in your background with a wash by brushing the area with clean water. Then drop in your Cobalt Blue for the sky, and paint in those areas, then do the same with the Sap Green. Allow to dry.
5. Remove all the Masking Fluid (except for the deckled border) with rubber cement pickup.
6. Paint the chick with a wash of Hansa Yellow Light. Paint the cracked egg with Quinacridone Rose. Paint in the middle egg with Cobalt Blue. Allow to dry.
7. Paint in the feet and beak of the chick with Quinacridone Burnt Orange. .
8. When dry, add details to the feet and beak by dry brushing more Quinacridone Burnt Orange.
9. Add details to the wing and feathers with a New Gamboge Watercolor Stick. Blend in the marks with a damp brush.
10. Decorate the Cobalt Blue egg with a Quinacridone Violet Watercolor Stick by dipping the edge into water to draw bold stripes. Smooth out the lines with a damp brush.
11. Dot the chick’s eye with Cobalt Blue,
12. Add grass blades by dipping just the tip of your brush into Sap Green and making small strokes.
13. Paint the basket pink with Quinacridone Rose and the handle of the basket with Sap Green. Remove the Masking Fluid around the border.
14. Spray your finished work with an archival aerosol MSA varnish with UVLS to protect it.