Mastering Brushstrokes - Part 2

This video introduces students to the brushstrokes course: how it is designed and what to expect as you proceed.

Dilution has an important role in painting, and can influence application, color, and value. In this lecture, we discuss the various aspects of dilution's influence.

Brush load refers to how much paint your brush is holding. Some brushstrokes can work with any brush load while others require specific amounts of paint. This lecture discusses the variables, giving visual examples.

Viscosity is basically a liquid's level of fluidity - it's resistance to flow. The more diluted a paint, the less viscose the paint. In this lecture, we discuss how viscosity effects paint application.

Whether your painting surface is wet or dry will have a huge impact on paint application, especially for artists working in water media. This lecture discusses the two surface options and how they can impact results.

How absorbent your surface is will also impact paint application. If a surface is absorbent, it will soak up more paint. If it's not, the paint will sit on the surface. In this lecture, we briefly discuss how this effects brushwork.

There are a few more brief topics we need to discuss before beginning the actual lessons. In this video, we go over a few things students need to know before practicing strokes at home or painting the object painting. Be sure you watch this first before trying the painting exercises. Note the attached resources after watching.

If you work with watercolors and you find that as you practice the various brushstrokes you're unable to achieve the right results, you may want to watch Bonus Section 10 where I show you first-hand how painting materials can impact watercolor results.

Now that you've learned about dashes and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting dashes at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise, unless otherwise indicated. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object using only dashed strokes.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create an dashed version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about dabbing and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting dabs at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise, unless otherwise indicated. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object using only dabbing strokes.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create an dabbed version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about directional strokes and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting directional strokes at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise, unless otherwise indicated. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object using only directional brushstrokes.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create an directional stroke version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about pointillistic strokes and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting pointillistic strokes at home. I recommend using one color initially for this exercise, and then a second color as indicated. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object using only pointillistic brushstrokes.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create a pointillistic version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about stippling and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting stipple strokes at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise, but try adding a second color towards the end of your painting session. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object using only stippling brushstrokes.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create a stippled version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about splattering and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting splatter at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise, but try adding a second color towards the end of your painting session. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object that incorporates splatter strokes.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create a splattered version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about dripping and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting drips of paint at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise, but then add a second color once you feel comfortable. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object that incorporates drips of paint.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create a dripped version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about dabbing without a brush and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice painting dabs of paint with miscellaneous objects at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise, but try adding a second color towards the end of your painting session. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object using only non-brush dabbing.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create a dabbed version of your chosen image without a brush.

Now that you've learned about smearing and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice smearing at home. I recommend using two colors for this exercise. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object using only smearing strokes.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create a smeared version of your chosen image.

Now that you've learned about scraping and watched example demonstrations, it's time for you to try it on your own. This lecture walks you through how to practice scraping paint with at home. I recommend using one color for this exercise. Includes a helpful handout.

Applying the brushstroke is a critical part of the learning process. In this lecture, I demonstrate painting an object that incorporates scraping paint wet or dry.

When you're ready to try it on your own, select up to four colors, prepare your paint mixes, and create a scraped version of your chosen image.

Now that we learned about the 22 different strokes, we're going to examine a few masterpieces, observing how the artist combined various strokes while creating the work of art. 

This brief video touches on a few final but important thoughts to close out the course.

How do brushstrokes influence a work of art? What are the different brushstrokes and which Masters made them famous? This three-part groundbreaking series traces the history of artistic brushwork beginning with the pre-Renaissance era up to the 1800s.

Part two of this groundbreaking series on brushstrokes delves into the significant changes that occurred in the world of art throughout the19th Century. Many of the innovative brushstrokes developed by the masters during this time period set the foundation for the work and ideas seen throughout the 20th century and into today.

In part three of this groundbreaking series, students take a look at the explosion of new ideas in brushwork and paint application. Focusing on select brushstrokes, the video walks through the gradual progression and shows how ideas of abstraction became part of the artist’s repertoire.

In this video, artists working in watercolor, gouache, and other water media paints watch as I demonstrate my method for flattening a warped painting on watercolor paper.

If you're struggling to succeed with certain brushstrokes in watercolor, the problem could be your paints. In this lecture, we examine professional, student, and academic grade watercolor paints and how paint grade can impact results when painting.

The quality and brand of watercolor paper can have an enormous influence on painting results. It could mean the difference between success and failure. In this lecture, we examine professional, student, and academic grade watercolor papers and how they impact results when painting.