FOR MYSELF AND MY STUDENTS, I have found that getting started is perhaps the hardest part of any painting session. Whether that difficulty is derived from worrying about “ruining” an expensive canvas, or not knowing exactly what to do once you’re ready to begin, any number of reasons might stop one from laying that first brushstroke onto the surface.
In this first demonstration, we are working with an inexpensive surface (matte board). The point is to create fast and small. In fact, set a timer for ten to fifteen minutes so that you are challenged to make quick decisions as you lay down your design. Learning to trust your instinct is a skill that builds over time. You’ll gain confidence from this low pressure practice.
2–3 small to medium flat brushes
3–4 acrylic colors plus black and white soft body paint
Bottle lid
Brayer
Gesso
Jerry’s Jumbo Jet Black pencil
Matte board or artist tiles
Paper towels
Soft foam brayer
Spray bottle with water
Set a timer for ten to fifteen minutes so that you aren’t tempted to overwork your pieces. Take out three matte boards or tiles and apply a thin layer of gesso to the surface.
Add your first color to each tile randomly. Try to do something different on each surface. Mix some white acrylic into the paint to vary the values of your hues.
Add a new paint color. Overlap the colors and add patterns or textures with your brush. You may want to turn your surfaces while doing this to generate new ideas and a fresh perspective.
While the paint is still tacky, spray a bit of water on the surface. Allow it to sit for a minute, then gently remove with a paper towel to reveal the surface underneath. Continue adding colors on each surface.
Using a brayer, add a layer of soft body white to each surface. Leave some open areas.
Using the back of your brush or pen, incise the wet paint to create scratchy lines and texture. Continue building up the layers quickly, adding more paint as desired.
Add a touch of black for contrast. Use a bottle lid (or stamp/stencil) and paint the edges in black. Stamp onto the surfaces of each tile.
Load a moist paintbrush with a bit of paint and tap on it to make paint splatters. Choose a color you want to draw attention to or add as a contrasting color.
Using a Jerry’s Jumbo Jet Pencil, quickly scribble random lines and patterns onto the surface.
Try painting with your fingers to blend and add shapes to your pieces. Repeat these steps until the timer goes off. The key is not to overthink the process and just to work fast and small.
