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How To Paint Three Hearts on a String 

Learn how to create your very own hearts painting!

These are three cute hearts hanging on a string in front of a faux wood background.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to apply colors to a canvas to make it look like wood texture.

I did this on a 16 x 20 canvas with acrylic paints. 

I will admit, however, that this painting is a bit tricky because of the wood texture! Please don’t get frustrated at the wood step!

Actually…I recommend getting a separate piece of paper and practice some dry brushing techniques before you tackle it on your canvas.

If all else fails, you can improvise and make it your own! 

Those three whimsical hearts are super easy and adorable! Enjoy!

See other paintings with faux wood background: 

Materials: 

Continue to Content

Yield: One 16 x 20 Canvas

Heart Painting

Print

Learn how to paint three hearts on a string with a faux wood background.

Active Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours

Difficulty Easy, Medium

Materials

• 16 x 20 Canvas
• Acrylic Paints
• Brushes
• White Chalk (If Needed to Draw the Hearts)

Brushes

• 1” Flat
• #4 Bright 
• Small Round (#4)
• 10/0 Round or 0 Round

Colors

• Cad Red Medium
• Phthalo Blue (Optional)
• Titanium White
• Mars Black 
• Burnt Umber 

Instructions

1. Paint the entire canvas background with the faux wood technique. Create a gray wash faux wood background by loading your 1” flat brush in white. Then dip the corners in black and burnt umber and blend up and down strokes. (See notes or video about using phthalo blue in this step).
2. Add some dry brush wood texture with burnt umber.
3. Paint the string mars black.
4. Paint the hearts white.
5. Let the white dry and then paint them hearts cad red medium.
6. Let the red dry and paint designs on the hearts using titanium white.
7. Optional: make a little heart somewhere on the wood and add initials on the heart.

Notes

Note: my technique for the faux wood background has simplified since I createted this tutorial. I would omit the phthalo blue all together and use use brown, white and a tiny bit of black to create the faux wood look.

Directions At A Glance:

Video Directions: 

Step By Step Pictures 

1. Gray “Wash” Background:

I mentioned this in the intro but I recommend practicing this on a separate sheet of paper to get the color proportions right before you tackle it on the canvas.

First dip your 1″ flat brush in the titanium white. Paint up and down strokes on the canvas but don’t let the white dry yet.

Don’t rinse your brush, leave the white on it.

Next double load the corners of your brush in black and (optional phthalo blue). 

Note: In leu of phthalo blue, use burnt umber. 

Use just a tiny bit of paint on the corners. Then paint up and down and let the colors blend with the white.

When you re-load your brush, add white and the black/blue on the corners. 

2. Adding Wood Texture With “Dry Brush”

Again, practice this on a separate piece of paper before you tackle it on canvas!

Dry brush technique means you add very little paint to your brush and no water.

Hold your brush lightly like a feather. The paint should look like a crayola marker running out of ink (light and inconsistent).

Using Burnt Umber and a small flat brush, paint a “Cat Eye” shape wood knot.

Add a tiny bit of white and let it blend with the Burnt Umber on the canvas!

Paint some more wood knots.

Lightly paint some up and down strokes.

I only did up and down brown strokes in some areas of the canvas. That gray wash background already gives indication of “distressed wood” with up and variations of darks and lights.

3. Paint The String

This is simple! Use a small round brush (#3, #1 or your choice!). Paint a string across the canvas. 

4. Paint The Hearts White:

5. Paint The Hearts Red:

6. Paint Designs On The Heart (after red dries)

7. A Final Touch:

Finished!

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