It's S-ART-urday!!! (Basic requirements in painting - Brushes)

Hello young artists, art enthusiasts, fellow artists and art aspirants.  I hope you are looking forward to another creative Saturday Art activity.

I have to work on two (2) paintings, one commissioned and the other is already purchased.  I just wanted to improve the latest before delivery to its new home.   I started cleaning my corner studio (because it is just a mini space in our garage) and got inspired by a hashtag I've thought of at the spur of the moment ---  it is #sARTurday.

WELCOME TO MY MICRO-STUDIO! 😝

As many of my friends know, I have a regular work from Monday to Friday and it's only during weekends and holidays that I get to do my painting.  Since the pandemic, I was not able to devout time building on the first initiative that we started when we had our CartWheel exhibit.  Now that the pandemic has been lifted, I see hope to continue this endeavor so that we can share our talents.

So now, every Saturday, we will have art moments.  Maybe I can start sharing lessons learned every Saturday, and how I pursue my art interest.  If you wish to join me, you can subscribe to my blog and you'll receive updates below.  We can also have 30 minutes #sARTurday sessions or art classes via zoom.  I'll prepare my studio, the lessons and the time so that it'll be at the most convenient time.  We invite Filipino children, as the medium of our classes would be in "Filipino" or "Tagalog".  Are you joining?  If yes, please send me a message using the "contact form for inquiries" found at the bottom of this page.

I am continuously learning as an artist.  I watch videos that would help me improve.  For today, let me  share this video by Kevin Hill, which I think would be helpful in starting up as an acrylic painter.  Then later, I will share as well what I did so that you can apply it at a smaller scale.  You've already seen my studio above as I shared with you my space which serves as my studio, my collection of brushes, and acrylic paints.  You don't need a large area to become an artist.  We need our hearts to be bigger that our excuses.  

If you don't have adequate time to complete this video, you may click on the timestamp below to watch where you left at.  

1:17 oils vs acrylics - 3:40 Difference in bristles - 5:20 Easels - 6:30 Palettes - 7:34 Colors explained - 8:55 Spending time learning - 9:35 How to setup - 11:40 plein air painting - 12:00 Cleaning - 14:45 Mediums - 17:28 Varnish - 18:02 Palette knife - 18:19 Underpainting techniques - 19:05 Sketching - 19:50 acrylic over oil paint - 20:30 Canvases - 23:43 Not making mud - 25:20 Complementary colors & warm & cool colors colors - 26:58 Color mixing practice - 28:00 mistakes - 29:10 painting ideas - 30:27 perspective - 31:35 selling paintings - 32:50 the biggest challenge

ACRYLIC BRUSHES

At 3:40 of the video above, we have seen the different bristles. Let me share the brushes I use in doing acrylic painting.

Flat Blender Brush

I uses this flat blender brush for layering and blending soft acrylic paints.  Sometimes, keeping it dry, I uses it for softening top paint and for glossing mists and fogs in landscape painting. 

Flat Brushes

There are two (2) kinds of flat brushes I use.  One is with soft bristle and the one on top is with stiff bristle.  I uses this to create natural textured paint on landscapes or still life.  You can use these in spreading, and tapping paint on canvas.  Sometimes I uses the one above as dry brush for blending acrylic colors.

Pointed Rounded Brush

These brushes are ideal for creating petals, leaves, and even fine edges for trees or houses.  It stores a lot of paint on its bristles, thus ideal for tapping and pulling paint over the canvas.

Fan Brush

I have two (2) different sizes of fan brushes.  When working on large paintings, I uses the larger one.  But most of the time, I uses the smaller one.  Usually, I uses these for creating textured grasses.  It is originally designed to create texture.  However, when it is too wet, it clumps together.  Just ready a rag to wipe out excessive liquid when clumping happens.

Angled Filbert Brush

These brushes are suited to create close-up tree leaves, flowers, tall grasses, tree limbs, etc. Its angled bristles can be used to create many different angles, for almost endless brush stroke possibilities. 

Mop brush (black fibre) and stiff flat brush (green)

The Mop brush has larger bristles with a rounded edge for broad soft paint application as well as for getting thinner glazes over existing drying layers of paint.  By using this, it will not damage the lower layers of paint.  The flat stiff brush is ideal for creating thinner lines when run using the thinner side, or larger flat spread of paint.

Micro fiber filbert brushes

These are the smallest fibre brushes which I use for detailing.  These are perfect for final touches, example detailing close up tree leaves to flowers, seascapes and just about anything else. 

Custom Liner

The custom liner creates fine lines.  I usually use these when creating barks or branches of tree or pulling lines to create benches, walls, or just anything.  It carries a lot of paint and doesn't splatter when used.

Watch this to see how brushes are used.

Did you learn something today?  I hope you did!  Please do share your thoughts and keep our passion burning! 

    Rose Gob