Hey Spring Sign

Although we’re currently having a cold snap, spring is just around the corner here on the South Carolina coast. As I made my leaning Hey Spring Sign for my fireplace, I was filled with hopes of sunny weather. However, I would like to have a few more winter fires in our fireplace before spring arrives in full bloom. I love sunny weather, but also enjoy the winter season because it gives our family a chance to stay in and rest before the busyness of spring and summer arrive.

Materials Needed for the Hey Spring Sign:

• a piece of scrap plywood (mine is 16” by 31”)
• paintbrushes- 5” roller brush, 1” sponge, 1/4” angle, 0/0 liner brush
• Apple Barrel paint- 2613E Caribbean, 20408E White, 20409E Black, 2605E Crimson, 20359E Pumpkin Orange
• acrylic gloss spray
• the green Apple Barrel paint and embossing paste were photographed, but not used
  

First, prepare your surface. I wanted my finished sign to have a rustic look, complete with knot holes showing through the paint and slightly uneven edges. So, there was very little preparation involved. If you have rough edges or corners, you may want to sand them.

Give the board a good base coat of Caribbean with the 5” roller brush. Use a blow dryer to hurry the drying process, if desired.

Use the 1/4” angle brush and White mixed with a small amount of Crimson to paint the outline of the sheep’s head and body.

Paint several wispy coats of the White/Crimson mixture with the 1” sponge brush. Allow the sign to dry in between coats.

Paint the legs and face with Black and the 1/4” angle brush.

While looking at a picture of a sheep’s face on my phone, I painted the details with White and the liner brush. You can also draw the face with a pencil, or trace a pattern of the sheep’s face onto the head, before you paint.

After the first coat of White details dry on the face, paint in the White ear highlights and give the eyes another coat of White, using the 1/4” angle brush. Paint a Caribbean line down the middle of the front and back legs. Paint the center of the sheep’s eye with Black, using the liner brush. Paint the mouth with Crimson and the liner brush. Allow everything on your spring sign to dry.

Print and trace a hat pattern onto the sheep’s head, or draw your own pattern with a pencil. If you’re feeling bold paint the hat without a pattern using Pumpkin Orange mixed with White, and the 1/4” angle brush. I freehand-painted the hat, then touched up my mistakes with Caribbean and Black (the colors of paint behind the hat). For example, if you paint the hat and the top is too big, you can shape it by painting over some of the Pumpkin Orange with Caribbean and the liner brush.

Shade the hat with the 1/4” angle brush and Pumpkin Orange. Highlight the hat, then swish the feather in with the 1/4” angle brush and White. If you like to paint with less colors, remember this trick: fill in any object with a color and White. Shade with the color, then highlight with White. Instead of using 4 colors, rinsing the brush over and over, etc., you’re only using 2 colors.

Find the center of your sign before drawing the letters. The center of my board was at the 8” mark, so I made a small pencil dot there. I centered the “E” in HEY right under this dot, then centered the “R” and “I” in SPRING under the “E.” For more detailed instructions, read the directions for my Love is Not Perfect Valentine Sign, which happens to be painted on the back of the Hey Spring Sign. You can print the letters and trace the pattern with chalk, like I did in that project. You can also hand letter your sign with pencil first, then paint (see pictures below). I love reversible projects! You get double the use with half the expense.

Once the Hey Spring letter pattern is on your spring sign, paint the letters with Black and your liner brush. Allow the paint to dry completely, then take the sign outside and spray it with acrylic gloss sealer. It will protect your sign and give it the shine that acrylic paint needs to reach its full beauty and potential.

I hope you enjoyed my Hey Spring Sign!

Happy Spring

Kristie

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