Summer 2017 Acrylic class

Acrylic Class Project: Summer Fun Week 4

Last time I mentioned that I didn't like my sand and was going to change it, which is where I started this week. To be clear, if you like your sand or anything else you do not need to change it just because I did, all this is showing you is that you can paint right over something you don't like, you aren't stuck with it. While I like this better color-wise, I still need to make it so the truck tracks don't look like mountain ranges but this is better.


The other thing I did was to add some dark color to the bottom of the canvas before I did the darker sand under painting. The dark color was ultramarine blue, a touch of purple and sienna, I was using my #4 flat bristle brush. Many pointed out that the darker sand color (sienna, blue and white) looks like it is spilling over into an abyss, good catch! A lesson I try to explain often but this accidental "lesson" points out perfectly what I mean when I tell you that your brush strokes matter and they should follow the form of the thing you are painting. The sand looks flat because my brush strokes are flatish slightly curved up on the ends flat strokes, the edges I put in look like they are going over a cliff because the strokes curve abruptly, I did this on purpose because of the way I want to finish the bottom. Remember that I am just playing and experimenting, I want to bring some of the sky colors down to the bottom and this is part of my plan - at least for now, it could change.

I started working on the lifeguard tower to get some of the the railings and posts in. I switched to my #4 flat SABLE brush to do this detail. the sable brush gives you more control and finer brush strokes. 

I am using a turquoise color and lighten it with white, you can also use pthalo blue or ultramarine or whatever blue you have, to lighten it use white/gesso to darken add a touch of purple.

I will be doing more on my highlights, this is just the beginning.

One thing I do want to point out for my beginning students - because I saw several of you doing this - in acrylics we work from our mid-tones to our lightest lights and to our darkest darks, we don't start at the finished color because all the layers are important, they become the texture and form of the thing you are painting and the mid-tones are more dominant than the darks or the lights. I heard one instructor pass on some words of wisdom he had learned  from his teacher when it comes to value range: If you were going to a paint store you would buy a gallon of mid-tone, a quart of dark and a pint of highlights. Start with the mid-tones and you will have more success in the long run.

Overall, I think my painting is coming together, I should finish this maybe next week but more likely the following week. 

Keep painting and I will see you in class.