Fall art projects for art classes

Art projects for art classes

Art projects for art classes and paintings for a show: they are very different by nature, subject and size. Time is of essence since one can attend only that many art classes usually (I always hope they’d come back for more!) and an art class needs to be of certain length. After holding extremely many of them, I’ve stayed with roughly two academic hours or 1.5 hours. There is a reason for that. The attention span can stretch only that long, and to create something good, we absolutely need to be attentive, focused and alert.

For show art projects, I’d definitely choose a much larger canvas size, as well as maybe more tricky, more complex and more intriguing subject which my students who can be almost or practically beginners would not be able to paint. The painting process itself is not the same also: I work on the entire painting and not with a few colors or on a few areas. My attention goes to any spot which requires it and I obviously do not follow special steps, but rather my idea and its implementation. All attached images are 20 x 116 in or 51 x 41 cm in size.

Over time, one learns how to apply paint automatically, how to clean brush automatically and very frequently, as well as how not to skip the messy stage of acrylic painting which can look quite horrible at times. Brushstroke is one of the most important parts of the painting process. When somebody starts out, they just don’t have it yet. If you still remember how you learned to write manually, you know that the hand cannot follow what the brain tells it to. The other sensitive issue is that if you have experience, you never start acrylic painting with the final color and layer. You build color, build your subject, all shapes and color transitions starting with dark and moving up. Our art projects allow practicing all of that.

To cheat the visual perception easier, as well as to have at least one good base layer on what to build the rest on, I do ask my students using pre-painted canvas only. Yet, still people are so afraid of dark colors that the pre-painted canvas is way too light. Without strong base, there is nothing much of a painting. We can all move paint around, even to the point when it becomes muddy brown-grey, but to get on that canvas some impression and some mood, takes much more than that.

Since everybody paints abstracts and there’s no clear understanding what’s a good abstract and what’s just a colored canvas, I stick to my personalized realism. It definitely allows implementing my own features and apply something which others do not. Therefore, my art projects include some of realistic features. While having texture layer on canvas attracts lots of attention let’s say at a show, it can look not good on photos because the high spots catch more light which doesn’t always correspond to light areas on the painting.

The attached images were initially painted between 10-5 years ago. The subject of these art projects is what we liked back then: barns, roads, fall colors, something not too complex, but bright and vivid. The current acrylic class deals with slightly more sophisticated acrylic art projects. We’ve just had one class by now and the start looks promising. The group is tiny as in COVID era, so no problem treating everyone very individually.  They are still very good paintings, the ones which took the first brushstroke long time ago, and I will hang them in the studio room where I can put art on the wall because I cannot do that everywhere. Well, I rent, and that comes with requirements.

Enjoy! What better time to immerse oneself in color than now?

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Art collections by Inese Poga

Fall season and fall colors – let them in

Fall colors

Who doesn’t love painting during the fall season and applying the vivid and bright fall colors? I haven’t met any nature artist so far who is intentionally avoiding the warmth of golden tones and sparkling red, orange and yellow, as well as rich and saturated earthy colors. I have posted recently many watercolor paintings because I switch from one medium to another, and acrylic art will be posted soon.

Here are Bright autumn leaves, original watercolor 20.5 x 16.5 in

Bright autumn leaves, original watercolor 20.5 x 16.5 in

I have accumulated numerous half-done paintings during the years of giving art classes. While I had my own studio-gallery in downtown Whitby, I sometimes gave art classes and workshops almost every day, including weekends. Especially busy all art classes were during the fall season and that is understandable: subject is so attractive, traveling and garden work are in the past. Most people have free time on their hands and using it smartly is a big deal.

Fall fruit still life, original watercolor painting 11 x 14 in

My problem has always been framing, that’s why I try creating more acrylic paintings because frame isn’t a must for acrylic art on canvas. Yet, I have the need to bring to conclusion any painting which looks promising, especially the ones I have started on very thick and heavy cotton paper which has become quite unaffordable now. I sure have throwaway pieces, too, which I use for color testing and just toss in the garbage.

Still life with onions, original watercolor 15 x 11 in

This time, I’d love to share one big watercolor painting which wasn’t added to my store yet and a few smaller ones which were in the beginning stages. I added a few more layers and brought them to completion. The common feature is subject relating to the fall season or painted during it. If you are blogging for many years, you most likely now how everything becomes invisible over time because attention is on the most recent or most viewed posts.

Bright red Bell peppers, still life painting, original watercolor 15 x 11 in

Fall season has lots to offer, including harvest vegetables and fruit, stunning colors, inviting views and late blooming flowers. The combinations of fall season painting subjects are endless. We can certainly use any style we prefer: from abstract wash to detailed focal points and so forth. Painting nature is an excellent practice for any potential or established artist because it really moves and activates our imagination.

Fall season colors


Golden fall reflection, original abstract watercolor, 14 x 11 in

Teaching drawing and painting is an almost impossible undertaking. We can teach and explain many aspects of art creation, but the fact that one knows these principles and techniques doesn’t mean they are going to apply them. Also, there are aspects we can teach, and many other things we cannot. In my opinion, the most important part of creating art is gearing it towards your personal preference. My group art classes focus on personal palette, preferred color combinations and original style: Art classes, schedule and registration

The other area which is practically not teachable is the emotional aspect of creation. That can only happen when we have already good technical skills, efficient brushing and drawing techniques, as well as knowledge of basic painting principles. Blindly tracing a photo is not the key to a successful painting. Understanding all elements of painting and adding our personal touch to every one of them make all the difference. My private art classes focus on that; Classes specifically for your needs

The adorable fall season is here, and all we have to do is let it in! Canadian Thanksgiving is on October 11, here you can find inspiration, click on image:

Nature art

Have a wonderful time viewing, watching and painting fall colors!

Enjoyable watercolor painting ideas

Watercolor painting ideas for beginners

I decided to share watercolor reference paintings and, perhaps, suggest a few simple watercolor painting ideas since there’s no shortage of passionate self-educating artists. I took many pictures of these paintings in numerous combinations, invested lots of time, and I love how they came out. I’m doing all of this in hopes to get something more happening at my studio.

When I was about to publish the new schedule, I noticed I have no suitable images to illustrate the new art classes and their subjects. The truth is that any pictures taken even 3-5 years ago, are not that bright. They look dark or pale, but never really on spot. Refreshed look is always beneficial, and in this visually-engaging era even more so. I suppose you know me by now, and the fact that I do not prefer minimalism in any area of my life. Therefore, I need my images to look rich, inviting and colorful, attention grabbing.

Taking pictures for images that represent what I do is not that simple as it might seem. I have plenty of material, that’s for sure. However, I need to choose small size artworks and add something that ties it all together. The glue for tying together images this year, is the color swatches on good quality watercolor paper.

For this season’s watercolor painting ideas, I specifically painted a few new 12 x 16 and 11 x 15 in (a quarter of full sheet watercolor paper) paintings. They are created without drawing, just applying watercolor washes, and then adding a few defining elements which seemed to be fitting. In the past, I used to make new reference paintings for acrylic and watercolor classes every year or even twice a year. Well, classes were ongoing, but COVID caused a major two-year-long disruption, and I lost a lot of contacts.

After about 300 pictures for watercolor and acrylic, I selected a few which I thought were the best. Watercolor wash is a fantastic way to get started with watercolor paints. I’d say the most enjoyable watercolor painting ideas are very basic, using wash, blending colors, allowing water and pigment to work.

For interestingness, you might add a few details which can be painted on top of watercolor washes. The next enjoyable watercolor painting ideas involve keeping your subject uncomplicated and choosing to lift paint instead of masking fluid application. Such artwork won’t be realism, but such techniques make your abstracted art stand out more. When you look at abstracted paintings online, you probably notice how they look very similar. Your personal style and details create difference and recognizability.

One more watercolor painting idea is as follows: paint the subject which you love and in colors you personally prefer. Tutorials might make you believe there are strict rules about using one or another color. There aren’t. You can choose any colors which speak to you. However, when painting with watercolor, I don’t ever use black or Chinese white. They make the look of dark areas muddy and light areas pale and opaque. For strong dark color, use numerous other options starting with Burnt sienna plus any type of dark blue, Payne’s grey plus any other clean color or Sepia on its own. Options for creating personal dark colors are endless.

I hear students saying that watercolor is more difficult than other media which, in fact, it isn’t. You simply practice using your brush to its full capacity, learn how to lift paint and switch between sharp and washed-out edges, as well spend some time just testing water and pigment proportion for watercolor wash. Paint flows only to these areas which are wet. It never goes into dry paper areas unless there’s a puddle of water. Realistically, we maintain control at all times. The number 1 thing to learn when using any medium is how to use your brush or brushes.

If you reside around or not far from Ajax, Ontario, I hope seeing you in my art classes: Art classes, schedule and registration

If you work on your own, try my watercolor painting ideas and let me know what the result was Get inspired by my art and purchase. Artistic products and art prints

Thanks for reading and have a nice September!

Pure, transparent watercolor – rose geranium

Watercolor painting, pink geranium, floral watercolor

Geranium is a healing plant, my mom told me to have a geranium plant always at my workspace, window ledge or in living room. Its energy is simply uplifting, and it blocks out bad vibrations and cleans air. How can you not love the geranium blooms? I have two kinds of blooming geranium currently: the pink rose geranium and bright orange-red geranium; besides, the red is more present, altogether looking like one of my most favorite colors. Well, pink color is great for painting. It’s also easier to photograph than, for instance yellow or red.

I started this painting not only because I adore the fluffy, colorful blooms and well-shaped leaves of geranium plants, but also because I wanted to create support material for art classes. Most students who’d love to learn painting, cannot really draw. Therefore, they normally trace photos or print-outs. It must be tough, and, thanks to my early devotion to drawing, I can draw anything on the spot. I created outline drawing of a large bloom and added a few leaves. As it appears, the drawing paper (it was actually some kind of newsprint I think, large sheets) was a bit smaller than my watercolor paper.

My painting composition looked fine as outline sketch, but after a few first layers I could see that something is missing, so I got a reference leaf and drew it in the upper right part. I kept adding layers, and the flower which actually consists of numerous small blooms came more and more to life. Around layer 5 I think, I discovered that the bottom part needs something more, so I added half of a leaf and small corner of as if leaf.

While it is step 1, step 2 and so forth, each step took quite a few hours, and the entire painting – about 8 full days. I hadn’t counted on all parts requiring so many layers. The paper isn’t Arches again, it is Strathmore 400 series which comes in this size I like 24 x 18 inches (61 x 46 cm) and which I had available. You cannot create very attractive washes on this paper, therefore, I intentionally left the background white. Certainly, if you want washes in your painting, you have to use cotton paper. There is no comparison how wash looks on Strathmore paper which is still very thick and firm, and on Arches which is at least 140 lb.

I do most parts of painting with my number 14 brush. I’m so happy it has still the fine tip, but it has started to wear down. Well, I have 3 of the same brushes, and two are useable. Not only it is faster, it is a lot easier, too, to cover an area with paint and add some other color to it. I do not like a few things with watercolor – using masking fluid and using very dark colors. I never use black in watercolor. For that case, there’s Payne’s grey, we can use Sepia, purple, indigo and so on. That allows creating gradual transparent color which looks almost black, but shaded black.

I love the transparency of watercolor, and I do aim for flowing lines, as well as colors which do not hurt, but have a soothing quality. I didn’t have Opera pink color which is extra bright and can be used for such flower paintings, I simply couldn’t find it, therefore, I used what I had, many shades of dark red and Carmine, plus some purple and blue, although, it isn’t well visible on photos.

It’s beauty which always touches me, the elegant shape of leaves, the fragile softness of petals. If you paint, add some heart onto your painting. Don’t worry always about the technical aspects and perfection. Having heart in art is already enough and that feature makes it shine and stand out among others.

Pansies, click on image for article

Yellow pansies, watercolor

Garden rose, click on image for article

Painting rose in watercolor

Group art classes

Thanks for reading! I hope your September has started off on the right foot!

Watercolor nature, as seen in imagination

Watercolor painting, watercolor nature

Before the horrible heat became an issue, we were creating watercolor nature art outdoors. I do always go for the simplest solution whenever there is one, therefore we did not use any masking fluid or any other extra watercolor enhancing supplies. The simplest technique with watercolor is painting around the parts which you want to leave light. It was very tricky in some parts regardless of the large paper size. Let’s just say, I added an element every time when somebody asked how to paint one or another part.

Nowadays, classes are not like art classes we used to have even 10 years ago when I would start with color properties and selection, features of brushes, techniques of using that particular brush, techniques of adding washes, glazes and details. I mean, I would make sure that my student knows at least a little bit about the medium, its application and the important aspects of painting. The shift has been towards very quick paintings, – the quicker, the better. Although, I’m not trying to squeeze in impossible steps, everything still takes time.

Students jump now from knowing nothing to trying to paint something great. It is what I told a girl who was attending a few nature art classes: to learn using brush and paint properly and automatically takes years, not hours. Our brain is wired in such a way that it will not allow doing automatically things which haven’t been rehearsed for numerous times. You have to add to this the novelty of particular technique, and mental attitude towards learning fast. Altogether, learning art has become an activity when one learns and applies the new skill immediately. I mean, they didn’t know it existed before the class. Most often, it won’t result in something great taking into account what I said before.

Since we all have started with something, for beginner, any scene is probably good enough. It’s just so that the potential participant judges the worthiness of a class by an image which I have painted. That is an absurd way of accessing the task ahead because I know what I’m doing and I can paint anything no problem, especially when the sketch is drawn by me. I know how to make parts of painting work or how to improve them if they don’t. Students take every brush application as final which by any means it isn’t. We certainly worked a lot, and due to the outdoor settings, I don’t have all steps on photos. I have finally started creating the downloadable materials, and steps will be available.

Before we start painting, we must explore our tools: watercolor paper, set of paints, brushes, everything. We cannot create a good painting when we don’t know what colors we have and how they act on paper. The same about color combinations, like burnt sienna plus any dark blue, but French Ultramarine and Prussian blue in particular, like in these paintings. We need to know what our paper does when it’s wet. One paper I used for demo, absolutely didn’t accept paint. I later found out; it was Fabriano. I avoid using any Fabriano papers, since my experience has been horrible with them. It’s not Arches either, but Strathmore 400 series.

Rocky creek, 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm watercolor

I hope we can have more confidence and trust ourselves to a higher extent. That is absolutely necessary with drawing and painting. Nobody really cares if you get it right or not for as long as you’re happy with the outcome.  It sure would look better and cleaner if I had masked out all tiny areas, but I am ok without having too much detail. If that were Arches paper, the washes on bigger parts certainly would have looked nicer. However, art class is not my own painting session. There are many interruptions and many times when I have to go over and over some part.

Trees on the hill, 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm watercolor

As you might know, watercolor requires perfect timing. That can be an issue outdoors with higher temperatures when paper dries too swiftly. I’m not that meticulous that I wouldn’t paint just because something around isn’t right. I also use only 1 number 14 brush for practically entire painting. It has an extremely great tip, but due to frequent use it starts wearing down. Well, time to start looking for replacement brushes.

Second version on different paper, 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm watercolor

I use St. Petersburg watercolor paints because they’ve been my favorite ever since I remember. When I was about 10 or so, that’s a bit more than half a century ago, I stopped by at my neighbor’s place. They rented a room to an artist. She was great with watercolors. I noticed the large paint box on the table and colors in it looked so fantastic, nothing like my small student grade paints which I had. So, I asked: what paints are these? Her painting was extremely vibrant, literally alive. She said: Leningrad watercolors. Those times, it was still Leningrad, it only later reversed to St. Petersburg. I got my first St Petersburg watercolor paints about 20 years ago and have used them since.

I hope you enjoyed the new large paintings which resulted from my demos.