Rustic Strawberry Cherry Painted Watering Can

Even though I can’t go berry picking this year because of the corona virus, I can still remember those glorious days when I took my kindergarten and first grade classes to the berry patch. After I stopped working to come home, I started taking my own beautiful children to gather strawberries. If you can’t go to the picking field, you can still make a Rustic Strawberry Cherry Painted Watering Can.

Materials Needed for Rustic Strawberry Cherry Painted Watering Can

• 2 gallon galvanized watering can
• medium grade sand paper
• vinegar
• Apple Barrel- 21481E Key West, 2605E Crimson, 20408E White, 21968E True Green, 20409E Black, 44845E Light Yellow, DecoArt Santa Red
• brushes- 1″ sponge, 1/4″ angle, 1/8″ flat, 0/0 liner brush
• strawberry print pattern
• colored chalk
• Aleene’s Acrylic Gloss Spray

Painting Instructions:

Prepare the front half of your watering can by sanding it with medium grade sand paper. This will give the galvanized metal “teeth” to accept the paint. Clean the watering can with vinegar afterwards.

Using Key West and the 1″ sponge brush, paint the front half of the watering can with several coats. You can use a blow dryer to hurry things along. I use the seam under the handle as my painting guide on one side and the spout as my center point for the other side. For my pattern, I photo copied a piece of fabric several times, then cut and spliced the papers to make a pattern that fit my watering can.

Rub colored chalk on the back of the pattern, then lay the pattern on the watering can. You can see where I cut the pattern around the handles and spout. Trace around the main elements with a pencil or a mechanical pencil without the lead. When you remove the paper you will have a perfect, easily removeable chalk pattern of your design (see the picture of the watering can above). It’s good to have a master pattern, especially if you sell your items. Painting more will be much faster the next time if you already have the template.

Use Crimson and the 1/4″ angle brush to paint the strawberries and cherries.

Next, I highlighted one side of each berry with a mixture of White and Crimson and the 1/4″ angle brush.

Mix a small amount of True Green and White together, then paint the leaves and stems with the 1/4″ flat brush, You can turn the brush sideways and use the edge to paint the stems. The less colors and brushes you use, the easier your painted watering can will be to complete.

Using your liner brush, paint the Black and White dots on the strawberries and cherries. Also, give each cherry a swoop of White highlight just above the highlighted part of the berry with the liner brush.

Paint the daisy centers with the 1/4″ flat brush and Light Yellow. Starting at the center of the flower, paint two upward White strokes with the 1/4″ flat brush. Highlight the petals and center with the liner brush and Santa Red.

Finish things up with the liner brush and Crimson swirlies. I usually sign my pieces with my initials and the last two digits of the year.

Achieving A Rustic Paint Backround

After everything is dry, take your watering can outside and spray it with a few coats of acrylic gloss spray, allowing the spray to dry in between. Normally I would remove the pink chalk marks with a baby wipe or soft cloth. However, I wanted this watering can to have a time-worn look. So, I left faint chalk pattern marks on the painted background when I sealed the project. You can see this effect in the close-up photos. With a darker backgound, this method would not be possible. It works best on a light background with contrasting colored chalk.

You’re all done! I hope you enjoyed my Rustic Strawberry Cherry Painted Watering Can tutorial.

Hang in There!

Kristie

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