Q&A How do I paint Angel Wings?

Question today from Jean from Tucson:  How do I paint Angel wings, (with texture like Doc Holliday Indian Angels)?

Answer: Hi Jean,
There are many answers to this question, here is one of my favorite non fired techniques for wings.  

• Sometimes just a base coat of white followed by a coat of white or pastel pearl is enough for smooth wings. 

​For Textured wings

• You can do something simple, like base coat in an off white shade like DH37 Cream and then Wet brush with white.  This gives very subtle definition and keeps the wings very soft. 
• Add color, see the point below and pictures for more detail.

or, in the case of Indian Angels, where a little more rustic shading would look nice, you can add little more depth to the wings with antiquing. 

• Base coat the wings in White (DH29), allow to dry 
• Antique with a soft color like Doc's Soft Brown AT5.  Wipe back.  Wipe back the raised detail like tips of wing sections with a rag damp with a little mineral spirits.  This will brighten the highlight areas and keep the antique color in the crevices for definition and depth.
• Wet brush lightly over the wings with White (DH29) to brighten while allowing the crevices to remain shaded with antiquing.
• You can repeat this with Pearl It SP12 or another white metallic lightly to give the wings a light shear look. See the pictures of the fairy for an example of this.
• Apply Gloss-it to the edges of each separate wing section and sprinkle on GT1 Diamond Glitter
• You can also add SOFT color accents.  Let's just say you want to match the angel's Rose colored dress, you can add a rose shade in the crevices between the separate sections (just below where the glitter would be applied) using Paintstiks on a small flat dry brush - lightly and sparingly scrub the color into the crevices (be sure that the brown antiquing is completely dry) and then slightly wipe back with a soft towel wrapped around your finger tip.  You can even slightly feather this color from the crevice down a little way into the wing section and then wipe back with towel to fade out.  Or, apply a very soft color color to the very tips of the wings  (This can also be done with other translucent products like Kimple Intense Translucents / Fashenhues, your acrylic paint corner loaded or thinned with water to make a wash, or even chalks.   I like to add brighter color to fairies wings with brighter glitter, and softer color to angel wings with soft or clear glitter. See the pictures below for examples of color

     Possibilities are endless!  Happy Painting!!  Shelley
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