All packets have been classified by a skill level. Let me explain what I mean by “Beginner”, “Advanced Beginner”, and “Intermediate to Advanced”, three terms you will see listed throughout the pattern packet listings. They may help clarify which projects will be appropriate to your perceived skill level.

Beginner painters are ones that have no real core knowledge of the principles or techniques used in decorative painting. The patterns in this category deal with projects geared to teach the fundamentals of decorative painting, and provide a great deal of written explanation of the basic techniques employed for each pattern.

Advanced Beginner painters are ones that may have only been painting a relatively short time, but who already understand and use the principles of basecoating, sideloading, line work, etc. The patterns in this category deal with projects geared to further the advanced beginner's skill level in the fundamentals of decorative painting, as well as add one-two techniques that may be new to them.

Intermediate to Advanced painters, in my opinion, are ones that have been painting for quite awhile and have a firm grasp and use of all fundamentals of acrylic painting such as basecoating, sideloading, line work, stroke, etc. The patterns geared to such painters will not dwell on these basic principles, but rather expand the painter’s knowledge base with technique driven skills that may be new and different for the painter, as well as challenge them to move past the “basics”.

Why are our pattern packets different?

Because we go the extra mile!

The standard most often used in the decorative painting community for producing pattern packets is to include a few commercially developed photographs with various amounts of written instructions and a pattern line drawing sealed in a 6” x 9” poly hole punched hanging bag. Our goal has always been for anyone purchasing pattern packets from our web site to be successful when painting through a chosen project, as well as hopefully advancing their education and skill set in the fundamentals of a variety of decorative painting techniques. Those goals are being advanced with a new digital packet production process that allows us full control of the packet contents and enables us to incorporate not only more photographs, but detailed close-ups, color step-by-step worksheets and color stage development sheets.

There are always highly detailed supply lists, hold-your-hand written instructions, and full size patterns to ensure you have all the information necessary to complete the project. For storage ease, we have gone to a 8 1/2” x 11” poly sheet protector, hole punched for placement in a binder, to house the contents of each packet.