How to Paint DIY the Grinch Who Stole Christmas Candy Dish featuring Cindy Lou Who and his Dog Max

 

After making the Grinch cookie tin/bath bomb containers that I showed you last week I really had an itch to make another one that featured Cindy Lou Who.  This was a really fun and fairly easy decoration to paint.  I started out taking several pictures as a step by step tutorial, but I got really excited and then I forgot to keep taking snap shots.  Below I will include each step that I used to make each character and I will teach you some of my tricks to making it look professionally hand painted.  These would make excellent containers for candy to give to friends and family for Christmas this year!

It’s a really good thing that I purchased each and every candy dish they had in this shape at my local dollar tree when I saw them since it’s not one that is commonly stocked (I often look for it each time I am there).

 

 

 

Materials Needed:

• Dollar store candy dish
• Lime green acrylic paint
• Grass green acrylic paint
• Yellow acrylic paint
• Light yellow acrylic paint
• Golden brown acrylic paint
• Brown acrylic paint
• Bright blue acrylic paint
• Red acrylic paint
• White acrylic paint
• Orange acrylic paint
• Light pink acrylic paint
• Purple acrylic paint
• Artist paint brushes with fine tips
• Clear acrylic spray (if you are not using the acrylic paint for glass)
• Cue Tips
• Paper towels
• Blow dryer

1. Paint the base silhouette for Cindy Lou Who’s face.  I hand mixed her colors using the golden brown and light pink acrylic paints to make her skin tone.  Use the blow dryer to make the paint dry more rapidly.  You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any cracks of light through the paint.
2. Paint on her hair using the light yellow paint.  Don’t be too concerned with it being perfect at this stage you can do several things to correct mistakes that will make you feel like a pro in no time!  Use the blow dryer to make the paint dry more rapidly.  You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any cracks of light through the paint.
3. Add two bows to her head using the red paint. Use the blow dryer to make the paint dry more rapidly.  You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any cracks of light through the paint.
4. Add two eyes starting with the base using white paint making them in oval egg shapes.  Use the blow dryer to make the paint dry more rapidly.  You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any of the undercoat of paint through top coat of  paint.
5. Use the bright blue paint to cut in the color part of her eye in a circle shape making her look like she has her pouty eyes.   You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any of the undercoat of paint through top coat of  paint.
6. Use the black paint to add her antennas, eyelashes, nose, mouth, and trace her face and head.  If your black lines aren’t straight don’t freak out.  You can always use a wet Cue Tip to straighten the edges erasing the making them straight and on the inside lines and you can always go back over it with the color to make that line straight again.
7. Using the light pink paint, make circles under her head on her neck for the collar of her pink night gown.   You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any light through the undercoat of the paint.
8. Outline the neck and collar in black paint.
9. To make the Grinch use the lime green paint to paint a pear/apple shaped silhouette.
10. Use the white paint to make the white fluffy cotton part of his hat using swirly circular shapes for the collar of his hat.  Make the white cotton ball for the end of his Santa hat.  Add the white cotton lining for his neck using the same technique for the hat.
11. Use the yellow paint to make two almond shaped eyes.   You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any of the undercoat of paint through top coat of  paint.
12. Use the black paint to add the pupils, eyelashes, eyebrows, frown lines, nose, mouth and outline of the cotton color on the hat and his neck.   You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any of the undercoat of paint through top coat of  paint.  Remember that if your lines aren’t perfect you can use the colors to thin the black lining until it looks more even.
13. Use the red paint to paint the hat.  You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see light through the paint.
14. Use the black paint to outline the hat.   Remember that if your lines aren’t perfect you can use the colors to thin the black lining until it looks more even. To straighten the outside edge of the line, don’t forget to use the wet Cue Tip.
15. To make the silhouette for Max’s head use the golden brown paint, draw the shape as pictured above.
16. Use the golden brown paint to make the silhouette of the lower half of Max’s body as pictured above.
17. Using the white paint, paint two difference sized almond shaped eyes.
18. Using the golden brown paint, use brush strokes in the shape of a tilted smile across the top of his eyes.  Repeat this step each time until you can’t see any of the blue undercoat.
19. Use the black paint to outline his eyes, make the iris, mouth nose, forehead feature (make tilted seagulls), lip and mouth.
20. Use the yellow paint to paint the antlers as shown in the picture above.
21. Mix the yellow paint with a little of the golden brown paint to make the color for the accent color on the antlers.  Add the accent color as show in the picture.
22. Use the black paint to outline, add the 2 dimensional illusion on the antlers and make the bow for where the antlers were tied to the Grinch’s head.
23. Use the brown paint to make ears as pictured above on his head.
24. Use the black paint to outline the ears and add the  features to the lower half of his body as pictured above.
25. Use the green grass paint to make the tree.  Use the blow dryer to make the paint dry more rapidly.  You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any cracks of light through the paint.
26. Add different colored balls using the red, orange, and purple paint in alternating pattern.  You will need to repeat this step until you can’t see any of the undercoat of paint through top coat of  paint.
27. Use the yellow paint to make the star tree topper and make dotted lines for a golden garland on the tree in polka dot pattern.
28. Use the white paint to make stars in an asterisk ( *) like shape between each character.

Don’t feel intimidated to try this, you can always paint over it and restart if you don’t like something along the way.  You would be surprised at how simple these characters actually are to draw and remember that with each attempt you will learn a trick or two making it easier to achieve the look you want!

As always everyone remember that this is all for the love of craft!  Don’t stress out about your project not turning out “Cake Boss” and looking more home cook, if you keep at it and try again you’ll be turning out “Cake Boss” in no time!

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