Choose your wood carefully- avoid wood that is warped and has knot holes and is marred

Fill in all holes, scratches and gouges with wood filler and let dry completely, sand and refill if necessary

Spot seal any knots with Jo Sonya's Tanning Blocker or product like it- knot can bleed through paint and make terrible brown rings

Sand wood with 150-220 grit sand paper making sure to sand with the grain of the wood. If you sand against the grain you will have scratches. Be sure to sand all edges and wipe with a tack cloth

Seal the wood on all surfaces with a water based sealer- if you don't seal because wood is a porous material the grain will raise when the paint is applied making the surface bumpy . Allow the sealer to dry completely following instructions on the product

Sand one more time with 220-400 grit sand paper to remove any grain that may have arose - this will give the piece a nice smooth surface to paint on.

Always use tracing paper - it is much more transparent then other paper and will allow you to trace details accurately.

You can trace with the fine point of pencil or a mechanical pencil. I prefer fine tip black markers these do not smudge and smear giving me a much sharper line.

I will either tape or paper clip the tracing paper to the pattern. Be sure you trace on a nice flat surface to make your tracing more accurate and easier.

Tape your pattern securely to the piece.

Choose correct piece of transfer paper for background. White transfer paper should be used on dark backgrounds and black or gray graphite on light backgrounds.

New graphite or transfer paper should be wiped with a paper towel to remove the excess otherwise your transfer will be to dark and smudges will appear on your piece. If this does happen carefully remove the smudges with a artist gum eraser ( this type of eraser will do less damage to your painted surface )

Slip your graphite paper between your piece and pattern making sure the graphite side is against the piece - I don't know how many times I have traced a pattern only to find out I have traced to the back of the pattern piece rather than the piece.

How much of the pattern should I trace is often the question ? I only trace the silhouette then basecoat and then go back in a trace the details in. Any details I feel comfortable free handing I do not trace.

Only use light pressure when tracing with your stylus other wise you will dent the surface. Begin at the top of your pattern and go in continuous path jumpy all around the pattern will only make you lose your place. You can always left your pattern and graphite very carefully to see where you are if you lose your place but be very careful and realign when placing it back or your pattern will be off.

Use a good brush. Many people basecoat with sponge brushes which can work well for a large area and are inexpensive and can be disposed of. I prefer a 3/4 wash brush for most project, with this brush I can achieve a more even and smooth coat of paint.

Do not overload your brush with paint. To much paint will leave ridges on either side of the brush. Pick up paint from the edge of your puddle of paint on your palette and work into the bristles of the brush ( do not work the paint down into the shaft portion- this will ruin your brush).

Always use the largest brush possible for the space- I know this is scary but will lead to less brush strokes which will make smoother work.

For background basing use your sponge brush or 3/4 wash brush. Basecoat the design area by first outlining the section you are painting and then filling in the middle- this will lead to few strokes.

Do not put the first coat on too heavy - it will take more than one coat to cover. Sand lightly between coats and wipe with a tack cloth before applying a second coat. Most colors will only require 2 coats but colors such as certain greens, red and yellow will require more. Be patient and put nice smooth coats on. Sometimes it helps to paint the first coat under red an orange color.

Clean your brush if the paint begins to dry in it - this will cause the bristles in the brush to split thus giving you an uneven coat.