Beautiful and bright beachy colors reminds me of a Jimmy Buffet song! So I call this technique Buffett Style. Be it Jimmy B and Margaritaville or his Crazy Sista, Lucy and Lulu’s, I love me some Buffet! Since I can’t sing (at least not well, even after margaritas) I will paint instead! So…. Let’s move on!
Supplies:
Varathane Coral Stain (Or any coral stain)
Beachy Color Paints (I used Valspar Paints, but you can use any that you have on hand)
Minwax Natural Wax
Wood Board of Your Choice
220 Grit Sand Paper
Paint Brushes
Tutorial:
Step 1: Choose your wood, and sand the wood until it is nice and smooth. Notice the knot in the wood? You can make that work for you. Think about how it would be a good place for your sun. I used Varathane Coral Stain that I got at Home Depot. You could also use watered down paint but this is what I had to play with. Cover the board with the stain and then wipe away the excess. I recommend wearing gloves because stain is messy. Coconut oil will remove stain quickly from your hands, and on the plus side it smells good.
Step 2: Think about where you would want the sun to be or an impression of the sun. Loosely add yellow gold paint of your choice. I use Valspar samples and sometimes Behr. I used an old scruffy brush. While still wet, scrape the paint away with an old credit card. Scrape across the grain. If you don’t like the way it looks don’t worry. More colors will be added and sanded away. It will be OK!
Step 3: Wipe your brush with a rag. Don’t clean with water! Next choose a turquoise color and add in random areas, go across the yellow in places and then scrape away using your credit card. Wipe the credit card with a rag between scraping so you don’t get weird colors and paint blobs. You can continue layering colors. I used a soft yellow and more turquoise colors.
Step 4: Now you can start to add in the details. I used the edge of the brush to add the yellow reflection in the water. Add a dark blue to darken the water at the skyline. While the blue is still wet I used my finger tips to run across the blue line and soften it. At this point I also added a pale coral paint around the sun and around the reflection in the water. At this point you can add any other colors you think you need for a littler more pop. Maybe some pale yellow or darker blue around the clouds.
Step 5: Now for the magic. This is what really makes the sign pop! I use a Valspar paint color called Hint of Cherry. Using the scruffy brush start randomly adding the cherry over the colors in the sky, scraping as you go with the credit card. You don’t have to do a lot of scraping. This pink changes everything! It softens and it brightens the coral in places. Don’t put much if any over the sun. Maybe just a dab. (You know what a dab is) This is where you see the changing and the colors coming together.
Step 6: Now it is time for the scary part. I use a mouse sander with a 220 grit paper. Start sanding away there color. This will soften and blend the colors together. Go slow and take your time. If you take off to much you can simply add color back in.
Guess what? Now you are ready to add your words of choice, maybe a palm tree or anything else tropical or beachy! Think Buffett Style! But hey that’s just me, always up for a Margaritaville/Crazy Sista adventure! Once the word and details are added you are ready to wax your sign. I use Minwax Natural. This really makes the color shine and pop. Now you have done it Buffett Style! Makes me want to go to the beach! How about you?
If you love this tutorial, check out one of my other cool texture tutorials and be sure to pin it for later!
Crafting While Adulting 