Drybrushed Christmas Tree

I painted often when I was a child.  However, when I went to school, I didn't have the money.  Then, when I had a child, I didn't have the time.  Last year, I felt inspired to paint again and have been working on projects ever since.  This simple Christmas tree was the craft that started my recent flurry of painting projects.  I remember eyeing it at Michael's thinking, "This will be really cute!"

The project was really easy.  All I did was paint the tree with a barn red acrylic paint.  Then, I drybrushed a metallic silver paint onto the tree.  To drybrush, all you need to do load the brush with paint.  Then, on a piece of scrap paper, paper towel, newspaper, etc., apply the paint until there is almost no more on the brush.  Then,  apply to the project.  The result adds some texture to your piece, almost giving it a little "scratchiness."  I have used this technique often when painting animals.  Take a look: