How To Instructions For A Dala Horse Painting

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

1, 8x10 inch canvas panel

paint brushes

water to rinse off paintbrushes

rags 

cotton swabs (to clean up mistakes)

pencil

ruler

Acrylic Paints:

red

white

yellow 

blue 

green

1, 8x10 inch frame

STEP 1. Base coat canvas panel in a very light yellow. Mix in white if your yellow is too dark or bright.

STEP 2. draw or trace the horse shapes that you want to use. I've used 4 here but the number and type of horses you want is up to you.

STEP 3. Paint the horses red.

STEP 4. Draw very light vertical pencil lines. I used one inch, two inches and then one all of the way across.

STEP 5. Paint a blue stripe over the lines.

STEP 6. Use a round brush to add red dots about 1/4 inch over the blue lines.

 STEP 7. Add yellow to horses as shown. It may take up to 3 coats to cover the red.

STEP 7. Add blue dots as shown to belly and chest straps.

ADD OTHER DETAILS AS SHOWN:

STEP 8. yellow dots in the center of the red ones on background.

STEP 9: green comma strokes to frame red dots on background.

STEP 10. yellow dots inside the blue ones on the horses.

STEP 11. Long comma strokes in red and blue on the yellow mane

STEP 12. white comma stokes on each side of blue dots

STEP 13. Paint saddle area as shown. Kurbits in Blue and Green accented by comma strokes in red, yellow, blue and white.

STEP 14. Bridal and reins in white.

I was really pleased with the way this one worked out and best of all the stripes line up perfectly when used as a repeat pattern while designing fabric and other products with it.

Many of my results are for sale at zazzle on hundreds of different products that you may enjoy.

Dala Horses for Christmas

I really enjoy my Dala Horses at Christmas. I give some for gifts, put any of the ornaments that didn't sell on my Christmas tree and use the few horses that I still own as part of my Holiday Decor.

What's your favorite thing to do with your horses this time of year?

I think they really add to the mood and the charm of the season, don't you?

 We decided to use an old fiber optic tree this year because there just isn't room for a real tree in a tiny house.

I try never to do any 2 horses the same. Mixing designs and pattern keeps things more interesting, don't you think so?

Most of my other decorations are just bits of paper and old photos. Not only is it inexpensive. They don't take any storage place as I just toss anything that didn't last well and put other ones up as I sort through my photos each year.

It gives me a chance to scan a lot of the older ones and use up any that I don't plan to keep.