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Rosemaling Resources

Painting Supplies
Rosemaled plate in a telemark design

Rosemaling Painting Supplies

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Here are a few good sources for common rosemaling supplies with partial lists of what they offer.

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Blick Art Supplies - Rembrandt and Grumbacher oil paints and more, Golden Acrylics and more, acrylic and oil mediums, palette paper, transfer paper, palette knives, brush cleaners, all sorts of painting and art supplies

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Jerry's Artorama - Rembrandt and Grumbacher oil paints and more, Golden Acrylics and more, acrylic and oil mediums, palette paper, transfer paper, palette knives, brush cleaners, all sorts of painting and art supplies

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Cheap Joe's - Golden acrylic paints, Rembrandt, Grumbacher oil paints, oil and acrylic mediums, Loew Cornell round and filbert brushes, KingArt liners, palette paper, transfer paper, palette knives, brush cleaners, all sorts of painting and art supplies

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Viking Woodcrafts - The largest supplier of decorative painting and tole books, pattern packets, paint, brushes, unfinished wood, other purfaces, supplies, and accessories for the decorative artist.

Wooden Ware

Woodenware Resources

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Craft Supply House - small wood items, candlesticks, small boxes, wooden ornaments

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Creative Woodworks - chests, jewelry boxes, frames, boxes, lap desks, napkin holders, and more

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DePalmas Custom Woodcraft - boxes, plates

 

Dufeck Wood Products - cheese boxes, tool boxes, trays, bread boards

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Heirlooms of the Heart - variety of wooden items, boxes, clocks, sleds

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Lusk Scandia Woodworks* - wide variety of unique wooden items, high quality

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Montzka Woodwork* - high quality plates, platters and bowls

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Nordic Designs - quality rosemaling woodenware, plates

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Norsk Wood Works - unique ale bowls, carved pieces, kubbestols, plate racks and valances

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Palette and Sawdust - small wooden boxes, a few unique items, cutouts

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Pinecraft - variety of wooden items, ornaments, plates, JoSonja paints

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Tomorrow's Collectibles - tines, trays, catch-alls, forks, spoons, ale bowls, covered bowls and other unique items

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Turn of the Century Wood Products - plates, signs, mangle boards, ornaments, cutting boards, and patterns

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Ultimate Woodworking - Classic Norwegian items, tines, ambars, tankards, bentwood boxes

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Vesterheim Norwegian-American Gift Shop* - variety of wooden ware, specialty pieces, ornaments, also have paints and brushes, but may be limited in options

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Viking Wood Crafts - variety of wooden items

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Wood Things - located in Canada, cutout/laser items, ornaments, variety of shapes

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*RosemalingClasses recommended

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Rosemaling patterns
Online Resources

Online Rosemaling Resources

There are a number of online resources for rosemalers to share information.  Here's a list of some of the more popular online locations.

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Norwegian Digital Museum

Rosemalers look to the old for inspiration. 

Hallingdal

Telemark

Rogaland/Ryfylke

Møre og Romsdal

Sør-Trøndelag

Gudbrandsdal

Vest Agder

Valdres

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Facebook groups (look these groups up on Facebook and request access to the group)

Rosemaling Group

Rosemaling Buy, Sell and Trade Group

Brushes to the Wall Rosemaling Group

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YouTube Rosemaling Channels

Rosemaling by Art of Lise

Rosemaling Classes 

Rosemaling Channel

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YouTube Video Suggestions

Rune Rosemaler

Sigmund Aarseth

Telemark Bowl by Gayle Oram, VGM

Os Flower by Gayle Oram, VGA

JoSonja Round and Short Liner Brushes

JoSonja - Varnishes Part 1 (water-based)

JoSonja - Varnishes Part 2 (water-based)

JoSonja - Varnishes Part 3 (water-based)

JoSonja - Retarder (acrylic) (water-based)

JoSonja - Setting up your (acrylic) palette

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Instagram Suggestions

Rosemaling_Classes

ArtofLise

Turidfatland

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Background Paints

Background Paints in Common Rosemaling colors - These lists are incomplete and always changing as companies add and discontinue colors.

These are commonly used background colors. Most can be used directly from the bottle/tube, but some rosemalers may mix colors to achieve the desired shade. For more conversations about colors and paints, check out to the Rosemaling Forum.

Ceramcoat

Georgia Clay

Midnight Dream

Midnight Blue

Dark Victorian Teal

Sandstone

Pine Green

Black

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DecoArt Americana

Black Green

Soft Black

Lamp (Ebony) Black

Georgia Clay

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DecoArt Traditions

Medium White

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JoSonya Paints

Galaxy Blue

Norwegian Orange

Red Earth

Storm Blue

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Paint Brushes 

Originally, rosemalers would have made their own paint brushes from sticks and hair/fur/bristles.  These would have been in a round shape.  Luckily, rosemalers no longer need to make their own brushes.  Instead, you can take advantage of consistently produced brushes in a variety of styles. 

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There are four basic brush styles - flat, filbert, round, and liner.  Often the brush a rosemaler selects is based on personal preference, and can vary from style-to-style.  

rosemaling brush types
Paint Brushes
  • Flat - Commonly used when the artist is wanting broad strokes or wanting to achieve shaded stokes by sideloading the brush.

  • Filbert - Similar to the Flat brush, but with rounded end for a softer-looking stroke.

  • Round - The most all-round paint brush, capable of doing most all strokes.

  • Liner - Producing the fine detail found in rosemaling.  Used in combination with any of the above brushes.

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Most rosemaling instructors will provide students with the brush to be used in class. Don't be surprised if you are asked to have a couple different brush styles and sizes. A commonly called-out brush brand is KingArt, with Golden Taklon bristles.  Golden Taklon provides the proper "give" (not too hard, and not too soft) in order to produce beautiful rosemaling. There are other brands that make brushes with Golden Taklon, such as JoSonja brand, among others.  

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Liners, aka scrip liners, are important brushes that do the fine linework.  Liners come in long, medium, or short length bristles.  Short liners may be easier for beginners, but in order to do long strokes a longer bristled liner will be preferred. Practice with both to achieve the desired result. Common liner brands are made by JoSonja and KingArt.

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