Beginner art classes in acrylic painting
Summer is always busy, and I am wrapping up summer art classes next week. After that, I have only private classes for a while, and we restart in September. Since my students are mostly beginners who have been trying other options, like tutorials and video lessons and decided that it’s worth to learn rather directly.
Getting acquainted with new medium
Introduction in new medium, art supplies, like brushes, canvas and other tools should realistically start with exploration thereof. Most people come to an art class with new brushes, new paint tubes and neither I, nor they know what they have. We have numerous paint manufacturers, some pretty bad, some acceptable and a few – decent. The only way to know how our paints work is to try, test and use them.
Important aspects of painting
I am trying also to teach about basics of painting apart from practical things and techniques. It’s important how we create composition, how we lay down the first layers and how we achieve contrast and value distinction. It’s important to approach acrylic painting based on the properties of acrylic paint, meaning, how long till it dries, what happens if you don’t stop working some segment when paint is tacky and so forth.
Brushstroke and brushes for acrylic painting
Brushstroke is very much neglected part of painting, and it takes quite a while until one gets sufficient with the use of their brushes. Fan brush is fantastic and we use it often with landscape painting, except, that one has to practice using it until they can achieve the desired effect. Brushes can do a lot; we just need to be aware of what! Below is an image of updated barn painting from a few years ago.
Specifics of acrylic painting
I teach painting in layers and segments with first blocking in the main shapes. The correct way is to start with what’s underneath and that means also applying dark colors. We basically never paint details first, as well as the final colors. We build them up. The first layers can look not attractive at all, but we keep adding layers and painting starts to come to life.
Patience matters
We are always rushing and impatient nowadays. We want results right away and on the spot. In painting, results come after spending time with our paints and brushes, after learning what painting involves and how to achieve what we would like. That never happens within a few days or weeks. It takes time to make our movements automatic, like cleaning the brush every time we switch color.
Good subjects for acrylic painting
Clearly defined subjects, like this barn and other barns in landscape, are easier for beginners, there’s something to hold on. We need abstract parts and defined parts in a painting, but we should never put small details in the background. All students were extremely satisfied with their paintings while they admitted there’s much more to learn.
Fantastic result – old barn in summer meadow
I personally enjoyed painting this barn in a summer meadow. Colors worked very well, and like always, the actual painting is better than my photos. I don’t think any camera has the ability to perfectly capture the soft and gentle color transitions, as well as vert accurate colors. Well, it’s available. Barn painting is 20 x 16”. The other barn with flowers is 24 x 18″, and I think it looks impressive.
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Acrylic paintings Shop original acrylic paintings
You always have great, practical and easy advice Inese…but also beautiful pieces of art that are a pleasure to experience even in this format, although in person makes a huge difference I know! Hope your Summer’s been wonderful.
Thank you very much Tania Marie!
The summer has been tough regarding our weather. As it appears, I really don’t tolerate heat too much, and we’ve had heat wave after heat wave. I’d say, never ending high humidity heat. Other than that, I certainly keep doing what I can under the circumstances. Well, studio is nice and cool, so nothing disturbs painting except heat exhaustion after working outdoors.
New art coming soon, and I hope the early fall brings some great days to be filled with art!
I believe you have had lots to do in summer, and I will have to check out your blog for that.
All the best to you!
The layering process is fascinating to see as you’ve laid it out. It shows how the painting comes to life. Thanks for sharing.
I couldn’t show all steps which we go through because I have to help students during the class, no time to snap a picture every moment, but acrylic paint is perfect for using it in layers. That also allows seeing how much darker or lighter we have to go. It’s also important to remember that some steps are done swiftly wet on wet and applying feathering brushstroke, and some other layers are applied when the previous layers are completely dry. The number of layers is unlimited, it depends only on time we want to spend on painting and whether we want to add or remove something. Layers and adjustments can be added after a week, month, year and so forth. In that regard also acrylic paint is perfect.
Thanks!
Very peaceful barn lsndscape. Yes, we don’t know the quality of our brushes and paints until we work with them. My favorite mop brushes are no longer available and the others aren’t as dependable.
Thanks very much Cheyenne!
It’s so that most students don’t even think about quality of paints and brushes, and everybody believes you use your brush like painting a wall while they have many surfaces and many ways of application.
I do regret also that some good quality art supplies are not any longer available. My watercolor brushes, number 14 which I used for every watercolor painting, are no worn down, couldn’t get replacement.
The actual barn scene is kind of hazy in reality, like on an extra hot summer day which we have in abundance right now. I never get good pictures because all I use is the iphone and so abnormally hate it. Don’t have a real, good camera.
Have a good rest of summer!
Loved this tutorial of your artwork Inese…
And I enjoyed your barn painting very much xx <3
Have a lovely peaceful weekend xx
Thanks very much Sue!
It’s not really a tutorial, more like observations and recommendations. I think people don’t get much from video tutorials as I can see during every single lesson I give.
I love how the barn on a hazy day came out, too. It was a pleasure to teach and paint it.
All my weekends are peaceful, thanks for wishes, hence I am always here, don’t go anywhere.
Maybe your weather is better, but we have never ending extremely high temperatures, also all next week, so tired of that abnormal heat. I know I will complain about winter cold, but this is even more difficult to tolerate, hard to breathe, and we also had smoke travelling from wildfires.
Garden doesn’t like it either.
Have a good rest of the summer!
Your weather sounds similar to ours. It’s been very hot here some days up to 30c, which is tropical to us, lol. When our summers usually struggle to reach 22c, lol
It is oppressive heat, and wears you down.
So I fully understand.
Our allotment one of our worst years despite the constant watering we’ve done.
Here too next week the heat to rise again,
We’ll never get a happy medium lol 😆
Sending love ❤️ xx
We are all the time in 40 degree range, and with humidity, that feels like 45. That is Celsius, some people who are from the States and read comments won’t understand.
We are watering the plants, but since there has been no rain as far I can remember, probably close to 2 months, you can imagine how the soil is.All front yards are totally hay. I’ve been in Canada for 21 years now, and this is by far the absolutely hottest and worst summer.
I try not to go outside as much as possible.
Well, plants are resilient, they try to survive. Which we should do also.
All the best!
Hi Inese 😁 Thanks for sharing your process. You bring your art to life so beautifully. I love the photos you included at each stage…it is a great visual of what you explain. I did not realize that acrylic paints were so versatile! Whenever I see your art it makes me want to try!!
I read that you are having record heat…make sure to stay hydrated…it’s so easy to lose it in the heat. Trust me, I know…some days I walk out my front door and immediately feel as though I have walked into an oven!! Stay well my friend…it was nice to see your post!
Thanks very much!
Painting in the studio is the only thing we can do this summer. We are finishing the next project tomorrow.
I hope I can make people understand that learning anything takes time, knowledge and effort. We are seeing so much of really bad art nowadays online, like nobody ever told them what painting actually is. I feel sorry that people post these absurdly bad beginner images and then try to make a sale???
Other than that, yes, it’s still again some abnormal heat, and I never feel too good when it’s happening. Garden feels upset, too, not only I do. Maybe, by the end of the next week there is some relief coming in. It’s been extremely terrible summer weather-wise. We cannot travel, unfortunately.
I know, I dislike extreme colds, but this weather makes me thing, maybe that was better.
When people have decent AC and heating, that’s easier. I don’t.
Well, let’s talk next time when it’s a bit better.
All the best to you!
Thank you for the descriptions of how you paint, Inese. Layering and working slowly makes a lot of sense, and the results are beautiful.
The chronic heat, drought and fires down here have left there mark on wildlife, countryside, orchards and gardens. Fortunately we are into September now, and with the shorter days comes cooling. No real rain yet.
Thank you Lavinia!
I’ve been extremely busy, I didn’t have any time to do anything about the blog.
Our garden didn’t survive the extreme heat of this summer, too. Well, it’s nice now, but it was horrible.
It is still quite dry here, though not quite as hot.
Our weather is just splendid right now, I wish that was the case a month ago.
Everything is fine, just now getting not much done while I give many classes, I didn’t have time to post anything.
Beautiful!
Thanks!