Spooky Tree Halloween Vans

Do you love Halloween? I do! Although I’m not interested in scary Halloween elements, I love trick-or-treat, fun jack-o-lanterns, witches, owls, and inky-black scary trees. Halloween is a painter’s dream. I also love Primitive Folk Art painting for Halloween and Christmas. I wanted my Spooky Tree Halloween Vans to showcase the tiny Primitive owl and jack-o-lantern. I gave the trick-or-treater on my Hand Painted Candy Corn Bucket a Primitive Folk Art pumpkin candy bucket as well.

Primitive Folk Art:

Primitive Folk Art is characteristic of a historic or early Americana time period. Primitive crafts usually have a rough and simple look to them that suggests a lack of formal artistic training.

Materials for Spooky Tree Halloween Vans:

• charcoal slip-on Vans
• Apple Barrel Paints- 20404E Black, 20403E White, 20589E Harvest Orange, 20471E Bright Yellow, 20432E Nutmeg, 2608 Country Tan
• Delta Textile Medium
• brushes- 1/4″ flat, liner brush
• small rectangular piece of paper for the tree trunk pattern
• pencil (not pictured)
• Scotchgard Fabric Protector Spray

Painter’s Tip: Textile Medium and Fabric Protector

Delta Textile Medium should be mixed into all acrylic paint colors as you use them. The official ratio is 1 part textile medium to 2 parts paint. Textile medium prevents color bleeding and helps color penetrate into the fabric fibers. I’m not very scientific with my textile medium. I just squirt a little into my paint as I go. When the paint on my Vans is completely dry, I spray them with two coats of Scotchgard Fabric Protector. Fabric protector repels liquids and blocks stains. If you spill something on your shoes, a little blotting of a napkin will pick it up before it soaks into the fabric. It also prevents fading in outdoor garden flags.

Cut a rectanglular piece of paper for the tree trunk. Using the same trunk for each shoe will keep things uniform. Trace around it with a pencil.

Fill in the trunk with Black and the flat brush. Make each tree similarly. It is a hand painted item, so the trees don’t have to look exactly the same, but they should be close. Paint a few branches on the backs of both shoes.

Paint White highlights on the trunk and branches with the flat brush.

Mix Pumkin Orange and Bright Yellow, then use the mixture to make a small circle for the pumpkin head with the flat brush. Paint the eyes, mouth, bucket handle, twigs, and squiggly with Black and the liner brush. Highlight the eyes, twigs, and squggly with White and the liner brush. Paint your initials and the last two digits of the year at the bottom of the tree trunk with White and the liner brush.

Sketch the owl with Country Tan and the liner brush. Make eye circles with Black and the liner brush. Swish in a tiny beak with Pumpkin Orange and the liner brush. Shade with Nutmeg and highlight with White. Use the liner brush for the last two steps.

When everything is nice and dry, take the project outside and spray it with two coats of Scotchgard Fabric Protector.

You’re all done! I hope you enjoyed my Spooky Tree Halloween Vans Tutorial!

Happy Fall,

Kristie

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