Arts and Crafts
Church of Norway
Norwegian rosemaling was developed around 1700. This type of rose painting was used to decorate walls and ceilings, as well as wooden household items. It is characterized by soft colors and flowing scrolls.
Rosemaling
Materials needed:
Acrylic paints
Paintbrushes
Wooden object to paint or Plain Chinet plates
Spray shellac
If you wish to provide wooden boxes or plaques for your group to paint, they can be purchased at a large craft store. An inexpensive alternative is to simply paint Chinet plates.
Begin by painting the plate or object a solid color. Slate blue, dark brick, blue-green, or ivory are some color ideas. Rosemaling is rarely done with colors straight from the jar, but the paints are blended for a more muted color.
While the background color dries, have crafters look at some rosemaling to get some ideas. Your local library may have books that show rosemaling patterns and designs. They may wish to sketch their designs on paper before beginning.
Paint the design freehand. Begin with a large, full rose, and add scrolling leaves and smaller flowers and buds. Work at muted colors and flowing lines.
When paintings are dry, they may be sprayed with shellac.