Myhandyourheart

Thursday is my teaching day and I really enjoy it. I have a small studio so I only have one or two students which really makes it a intense experience.

My goal is to impart everything I have learned and when I feel they have absorbed that much I encourage them to move on to another teacher to learn different ideas and techniques. Some I have had to give a gentle push as we always become friends.

My first must is using the best paper you can afford. You can’t make a good painting on poor paper. Beginners don’t want to “waste” good paper but I find they get discouraged if they don’t.

My experience has been most people don’t know how to draw…they don’t seem to be able to look at something and put that down on paper. Perspective of course is always a challenge. I know there are lots of artists who feel drawing isn’t important… to me it is the bones of your painting.

I usually stick with the primary colors so they can’t make mud as easily and also to learn that you don’t need alot of paints to work with.

I have found alot of people “dab” with their brush and teaching them to use the brush to its fullest potential is always an eye opener :) Load it up and use the whole brush.

Alot like to copy from another artist’s work out of a book..I try to discourage that..use it as color reference perhaps but put it away and you will eventually develop your own style.

I find mixing greens and not using the green out of the tube to be one of the best lessons…trees and leaves are not all green.

Well it is Thursday morning and my student is about to arrive… another fun morning.