Painting apparatus

A painting support comprised of a three-dimensional transparent plastic body that is a molded replica of an object. The interior surface of the mold contains a variety of areas with different surface textures that represent different colors. The different textures are designed to accept different colors of paints. A key code directs a person to paint the areas in specified steps and in certain colors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of Invention 
The invention relates generally to the painting of objects and more 
particularly to an easy to use plastic support to which paint can be 
applied by young children. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Painting by numbers on paper and painting transparent plastic or glass 
three-dimensional objects or molds have been around for some time. 
Painting by numbers can include one or many objects and can include a 
small amount or large amount of numbers and colors. Painting by numbers 
may be cumbersome and difficult for very young children. The more objects 
included in the painting and the more numbers involved determine whether 
or not it is appropriate for some young children to undertake. When 
three-dimensional objects increase in complexity, the cost increases, and 
the teaching quality for young children diminishes. In both these cases, 
the objects require that paint be applied to the front exterior surface, 
and the durability of the painted surface is dependent on the type of 
paint applied, and may or may not be resistant to chipping or scratching. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,193 discloses a method of reproducing a textural 
surface painting. This allows an unskilled person to duplicate brush 
strokes, pallet knife marks, paint buildup and three-dimensional thickness 
of an oil painting. Numbers are printed on the material for indicating 
which color of paint to be applied to different areas of texture for 
matching the colors of the original oil painting. A mold or matching die 
halves are formed by conventional means from an original oil painting. The 
painting in this disclosure is painted on the exterior of the molded 
material. These numbers and the abundancy of these numbers would be too 
complex for young children. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,460 discusses a method for forming a mask out of paper, 
foil or processed organic polymer films. The mask is three-dimensional and 
teaches that a decorative pattern may be applied to the inner and/or outer 
surface to contribute to the ornamental appearance of the mask. The mask 
does not include numbers for coloring nor teach different objects besides 
that of a mask. Therefore, a child would have difficulty selecting an 
appropriate color for each part of the mask. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,097 provides for the creation of a clear or opaque 
molded plastic sheet to simulate a wooden frame and having embossed within 
such frame the outline and component of a conventional three-dimensional 
figure. Numbers are silk screened on the interior of the plastic in case 
of opaque molds. In the case of clear molds, a sheet of paper can be put 
behind the picture with numbers for painting. This patent is another form 
of molded plastic where paint is applied to the exterior and numbers are 
used to specify colors. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,447 is another painting by numbers device for 
three-dimensional objects such as plaques, figurines, statuettes and the 
like utilizing transparent shells. The picture or plaques can be a flat 
surface or a three-dimensional embossed surface. Again, paint is applied 
to the exterior and the numbers are imprinted on the interior part of the 
shell. 
There is currently no easy-to-use three-dimensional clear plastic apparatus 
on the with coloring instructions for paint which could easily be followed 
by a child. Further, there is no easy-to-use clear plastic paint apparatus 
that, when completed, looks as though a skilled artist has painted it. In 
addition, there is currently no product that looks as though a skilled 
person painted it and which can be used to create plaques and wall 
hangings at extremely low costs because of relatively low die costs and 
production costs. 
Accordingly, there is a need for a painting apparatus for three-dimensional 
supports that is inexpensive and simple to use. There is also a need for 
children's painting apparatus that can teach children to decorate 
three-dimensional objects. Additionally there is a need for a children's 
painting apparatus that will create a decorative object having a glossy 
finish regardless of the type of paint used. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is an entertainment and teaching apparatus for children 
comprised of a three-dimensional transparent plastic body molded to 
portray some object and could be a replica of almost any object. Such 
objects could be animals, vehicles, cartoons, school subjects, famous 
places and the like. The apparatus comprises a body or support having an 
exterior and an interior surface. The interior surface includes numerous 
areas that contain different surface textures, where each surface texture 
indicates that a different color to be painted on the respective surfaces. 
The various areas accept paint from a paintbrush or the like used by a 
child. The teaching apparatus could include an instruction sheet that 
contains a pictorial view of assigned steps and colors of paint to be 
applied to the areas of differing surface textures. The use of textured 
surfaces as opposed to following the numbers allows for children who 
cannot read numbers to follow the simple instructions. The textured 
surface further helps the surface to retain the paint in place. Using 
replicas of objects teaches the child the different objects and colors 
associated with these objects. Also because the exterior is clear and 
unpainted the finished painting has a clear lucid look that is scratch and 
chip resistant regardless of the type of paint used. 
An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive transparent 
or translucent painting surface for children. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a children's teaching 
apparatus that is simple for children of all ages to use. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teaching 
apparatus for children that is in the form of a replica of an object such 
as animals, vehicles, cartoons, school subjects, famous places and the 
like, to assist the child in learning different objects and different 
colors associated with those objects. 
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a painting apparatus 
that has an exterior surface that is always glossy and resistant to 
scratching and chipping regardless of the paint utilized. 
These and other objects will become apparent from the following description 
of a preferred embodiment taken together with the accompanying drawings 
and the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of 
illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention only, and not for 
purpose of limiting same, FIGS. 1-3 show the invention in one of its 
preferred forms. Referring now to FIG. 1, the embodiment is a 
three-dimensional replica of a butterfly 10 consisting of four wing 
sections 12, 14, 16, 18, a body 20 including a torso 30, a head 52 and two 
antennae 54, 56. The upper left wing section 12 is divided into 4 areas 
22, 24, 26, 28 of differing interior surface textures. Heavy lines 60, 62 
are also engraved onto the wing section. Upper right wing section 18 is 
also divided into 4 sections 32, 34, 36, 38 also having differing interior 
surface textures with a heavy line 76 embossed onto the wing. The lower 
left wing section 14 and the lower right wing section 16 are both divided 
into 3 areas of differing interior surface textures respectively, 40, 42, 
44 and 46, 48, 50, the areas including heavy lines 64, 66, 68 and 70, 72 
and 74, respectively. The body 20 of the butterfly consists of a torso 30, 
a head 52 and two antennae 54, 56. The antennae 54, 56 consist of two 
heavy lines 59, 61 and two circular portions 55, 57. Each of the heavy 
lines 59, 61 extend from the head 52 to one of the two circular portions 
55, 57. The example also includes a flat portion 58 that would allow one 
to hang it on a wall or another area such as the outside wall of a 
refrigerator after painting has been completed. 
FIG. 2 shows a section drawn along line 2--2 of FIG. 1. As can be seen from 
the figure the upper wing sections 12, 18 are raised above the flat 
surface 58. The wing areas 28, 32 are at the same height and raised above 
the other wing areas 22, 38. 
FIG. 3 shows a section drawn along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1. As can be seen 
from this figure, the lower wing sections 14, 16 are raised above the flat 
surface 58 of the embodiment while torso 30 of the body 30 lies along the 
same plane as the flat surface 58. Wing areas 44, 46 are raised to the 
same height as one another and above wing areas 42, 48 which are also at 
the same height as each other. Wing areas 42, 48 are raised above wing 
areas 40, 50, which are at the same height as one another. 
Referring now to the use of the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a color key that 
associates each texture with a color. The textures can be lines, dots, 
geometrical shapes or any other distinguishing texture. In this example, 
the textures are horizontal lines, vertical lines and a combination of 
horizontal and vertical lines. A child should follow the color key and 
match each color with its corresponding texture when painting the interior 
surface of the support. For example, the first thing to be painted will be 
all the heavy lines 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, found in the wings 
and including the antennae 54, 56. The child should look to the key in 
FIG. 4 and see that these lines should be black. Once the lines have been 
painted, the child should again look to the color key and determine that 
the next step will be to paint all areas with vertical textured lines 
black. These areas will include the torso 20, the head 52, and the 
circular portion of the antennae 55, 57. This should also include area 22 
and 26 of upper left wing portion 12, areas 34, 38 of upper right wing 
portion 18, area 40 of lower left wing portion 14 and area 50 of lower 
right wing portion 16. 
The child should then allow the paint to dry, clean the brush then begin on 
the next color. Looking to the key again, the child can determine that all 
horizontal textured lines are to be painted orange. The child should then 
proceed to paint wing areas 24 and 28 of wing portion 12, wing areas 32, 
36 or wing portion 18, wing areas 44, 46 of wing portions 14, 16, 
respectively. 
Once the paint has dried and the brush has been cleaned, the child can 
begin on the last color of the key. The child can determine now that wing 
area 42 and wing area 48, respectively, of lower wing sections 14, 16 
should be painted white. 
The butterfly painting has now been completed and once it dries the back 
can be painted any color, such as blue or green, to give the flat part 58 
a background color. The completed painting can be put on a wall or other 
support. The child has learned about colors, butterflies, textures, 
painting, patience and diligence. 
Although this example was very simple, the support can also be complex. 
This allows people of all ages to find a support whose complexity fits 
their needs. The mold may contain an object that is very detailed in 
nature. Landmarks such as the Statute of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, Niagara 
Falls, the Grand Canyon, detailed churches or synagogues, city landscapes, 
mountains, rivers, circus and zoo animals and many other detailed molds 
can be created. Regardless of the complexity, as long as one follows the 
easy to use key code, a finished product can be produced that would appear 
to have been painted by a skilled painter. The product would always have a 
glossy smooth professional exterior. 
The support itself is preferably made by a thermoform process in which the 
plastic sheet is healed over a mold form, and the sheet is softened and 
allowed to conform to the shape of the mold form. The textured surfaces 
could be engraved in the mold form or could be added after the plastic has 
hardened by conventional methods such as machining, sand blasting or by 
use of chemical reactions. 
The foregoing description is a specific embodiment of the present 
invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for 
the purposes of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and 
modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that 
all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come 
within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.