Love that first one! I am gong to paint a large rooster on my big chicken house in the spring. Have the rooster pic and most of the paint already.

runningtrails let us know how it turns out

I would give anything to have the horse and the Siamese cat painted on my barn!!! I am simply not artistic but I LOVE that one. Makes my heart sing!

Good luck. Have you decided what you are going to do yet?

Very interesting ... I am painting my barn purple this spring, and had considered doing something on the end that faces the road..... Hmmm, will have to think more about this.

Thanks for sharing.

I posted some photos on another thread called looky@what I found. Well I thought about that stuff last night and decided I am going to Michaels and buy some of those wooden letters. I am going to spell out the name of my homestead which is country dreams and place it on the barn abouve ny chicken coop then I am going to paint the whole side of the barn including the letters one color. I think that will be neat. I might even put a barn star on it.

On the door I am going to paint something, not quite sure yet what it is going to be although sunflowers are sticking in my head. My coop is purple and the barn is not painted at all yet. I still have some wood to replace on it and then it has to be sealed so I am going to seal it with paint.

If you do anything with your barn please post the photos. I would love to see what others are doing. I will be getting my letters very soon and as soon as the weather breaks I will be getting BUSY!!

I want to see pictures! Please post pictures of your work as soon as you get it done, or post a WIP.

I know an Old Minister who once was asked if women should wear make-up. He responded, "If the barn needs painting--paint it!"

LOL seramas.

I went to Joann's tonight and brought a pack of wooden chick cutouts. there were 12 in the pack for $3.00. I also brought some bottles to make some bottle bugs to hang on the eaves, a wooden plaque to make a sign and assorted paints. I am not sure what I am going to paint on the door yet but I think since I brought a big bottle of yellow paint I am definitely going to have some sunflowers.

I wish I could paint well enough to do the side of the barn something like photo number one. I am not going to paint the sides of the barn just yet because the side is all rotted out. I am going to have to order some siding from a sawmill and let that dry out for a couple of months before I can repair it. I have a guy that will come in and put the wood up for $8 an hour. The wood from the saw mill is only $3 a board (12') but the problem is that it has to dry for quite a few months. Even with that though I can not paint that good! Last year I brought 24 boards and I thought that was going to be enough. Not hardly!! It was only enough to repair the side of the barn where the coop is

If the yard is dry enough this weekend I will be working on the coop door. Hey anyone here have any experience in drainage? I used to have rocks in the driveway. I noticed this morning they have all disappeared. sunken in the ground and I have SEVERAL spots of pure soggy mud when it rained today. I keep going to work with muddy shoes! There are not many spots but enough to aggravate me!!

Here is the progress up to this point:

this is how it looked when I got here. the whole yard was full of bushes!!

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when I had the bishes all cut down I found the barn in this shape

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then I had my handyman come over to fix it

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then I started working on the coop

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I did the whole coop by myself except nailing in the roof because I just could not get the nails through the tin. when I decorate it I will send an update

btw you might wonder how I got the new wood brown. I soaked steel wool in vinegar and let it sit over night then painted the new wood with the concoction...

also added note this barn was built in 1920!!

Anyone can paint a picture on a barn by using a grid system.

First, find a picture you want to use. Then, you have to select a grid transparency ( clear plastic sheet with grid pattern on it) available at most craft shops. Be sure to get the grid size that will let you translate it to the wall (side of building) so you can copy the photo (or Drawing) easily. Make sure to fasten the grid over your drawing so it will not move around.

If your picture is 8 inches tall and you want it to be 8 foot tall use a 1/2 inch grid that will make the grid squares you chalk onto the building will be 6 inches each.

Using charcoal (or contractors pencils--the wide flat like pencil) transfer you drawing one square at a time. Don't worry about being exact but just close enough so each square copied gives you a blown-up copy of your drawing. Then fill in the picture with the desired colors.

The chalk can be washed off with pure vinegar but only after your paint has dried and set the required time that the manufacturer says you must waite to wash it. Some just use a broom and brush the chalk away.

Someone Else's drawing becomes your barn art. Each one you do will become easier and easier.

Great barn and coop! The chicken pen looks great! You could make a great workshop in that barn...

I just made a workshop in the end of our big garage and installed a work bench and bought a great used radial arm saw! I do most things around here myself too. If I need help with a job, I do ask hubby to help me, but I usually do things myself. I'm REALLY stubborn and independant.

Maybe this will help with the door painting: Find a picture that you like. Study it well in great detail and make a plan. Start with the background and work forward in layers, partially painting over what you have just done, when it's dry, with what is closer in the picture. (Outdoor paint is usually opaque, yes?) The centers of the flowers are important and are usually the focal point. Do them in the greatest detail when you get to them. Also, don't be afraid to paint the light and shadow. The contrast will give it depth, as will the layering. Use lots of very light highlighting in the objects so they will stand out against the dark door.

I want to see it! I want to see it! Maybe you can do a photo WIP for us (Work In Progress) with pictures each step of the way. If you get stumped, let me know and I'll be glad to help you! Sometimes an artist is too close to the work to really see it "Can't see the forest for the trees" and needs an outside view.

Seramas, you must have posted your entry while I was typing mine. The grid system works very well for drawing the flowers on the door. You can paint some of the background leaves, etc. first, then draw the actual flower heads on that for the top layer. An overhead projector works well too, if you can get your hands on one.

thanks for the great suggestions. Actually I have a machine that blows up photos. they sell it in Michaels. I have used it before but not for anything the whole world would see. LOL But I can not do the side of the barn until I replace the wood as I said above. You see the way the side of the barn looked? Well that is how the other side of the barn still looks. I called the sawmill and asked them about the price of wood, still the same price so maybe I will order it this week coming up and if I do it will be ready to go on the barn no sooner than May. That is really kind of soon BUT most of the shrinkage would have occurred by then and it should be dried out enough that it will not mess up.

I have to clean out a place in the barn so it can lay flat for a couplla months.

Oh you know how picture happy I am, I will be putting that up on the site for sure!!

Can you paint the door of the chicken coop now?

Yes I am going to do the door on the coop pretty soon. I was planning on doing it today. For some reason my pump stopped working, absolutely no water coming out of the faucets. I am hoping the water level got low and I just have to wait. Anyway it is cold out so it might be during the week before I can paint it. I was planning on doing some painting on it this weekend. I went out and got all the paint for it and brushes and with some of the ideas I got on here and the garden junk forum I was all pumped up

Well the weather broke today and even though I do not have any water I decided to go ahead and paint my chicken coop door. Hope you like it!!

It is not finished yet but you said to let you see the progress!

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I would not change a thing-it is so 'Homey' boarder line Grandma Moses. My Grandpa use to buy potato chips from her. He work on the railroad system and it was all the rage for RR workers to stop in and buy her home made potato chips when near Eagle Bridge, NY. He bought 3 of her paintings for $2 each. I still have one of them. Your style is very pleasing to the eye!

I was trying for an old fashioned whimsy look. I am now doing research to see how I am going to do the side of the barn. Looking for something of a similar style

I did not use outside paint so I hope it does not rain tomorrow before I get to seal it all up!!

Oh and you can't see I pained her toenails red. LOL

this would be dreamy!!

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That chicken door is adorable! You've done a great job. It's just too cute!