Uncle Sam Outdoor Whirligig

1. Base-coat #10 and #4 flat brushes, using the size that best fits the area.

2. Float shading and highlighting with 1/2-inch and 1/4-inch angular shader brushes. Paint small areas and apply details with a #0 liner brush.

3. Transfer the main pattern lines to Uncle Sam. (Cut a hole in the pattern to go over the dowel rod.) There's no need to copy the details yet -- you'll base coat-over them.

4. Base-coat Uncle Sam's jacket BY. Base-coat his gloves TW, and float BY shading next to his sleeves. Dilute TW with water to ink consistency and, using a #0 liner brush, paint the braid on all sides of the sleeves, along the collar, and around the belt at the back of his jacket. Float DM shading along the outside of his collar, around his belt, and down the center of his coattails in back. Paint TW stars on his belt and Uncle Sam's sleeves; dot the center of each star with SR.

5. Base-coat his hatband BY. Base-coat the rest of his hat, his pants, his shirt, and his vest TW. Paint one BY stripe in the center on each side of his pants. Paint all remaining stripes on his pants and on his hat SR. (Notice that the stripes get wider toward the top of his pants and his hat.) Float BY shading on the top of the hat brim, under his jacket on his pants, and inside his pants pockets. Float BY shading on his shirt and his vest where shown on the pattern.