Unique Beginner Art Techniques

Love to paint?

Watched all the freebie tutorials and experimented with paints, mediums and brushes?

Ready for a new technique? This one is fun and easy!

TUTORIAL SEGMENT FROM FULL CLASS - HEARTBEAT

(Transcribed)

Beginning Art Tutorial Painting with Layered Acrylics Tutorial Segment

Okay, so it’s been a couple of hours and that has pretty much dried. So, I’m going to take just a little bit of gold on a small--this is just stained it’s actually clean--s small flat pallet knife. I’m just going to put it on my pallet knife like that. Now what I’m going to do is on some of these sections that are really raised, I’m going to call out that gold by adding just a few highlights. And I would say less is more on this depending on what you personally like. I always think with doing this sort of thing, just a little goes a long way to add to the interest of the painting versus too much.

I’m just picking up a little bit from my tube. You could use the ink, you can use a soft body acrylic for this, anything that will--you wouldn’t want to use a high flow or anything like that for this level, you want something that will really adhere to the texture that you have and not flow. Okay, so I think that’s about it. That’s about all I’m going to do with this.

Now, I do want this to dry very well, so I’m going to give this several hours or overnight. And as you see in the light, the metallic picks up differently. Metallics are interesting. I’ll just give you a little side note here. Sometimes I’ll photograph a final painting and it just looks like bits of yellow or regular gold. And then when you tilt it a little in the light, then you can actually see the shimmer. So, it’s always good to post photographs of your painting if you’re selling them or just to have the photograph of the painting that you do to add to your portfolio. And take photographs in various lights and at various angles so you do get all of the depth and the texture and the metallic or other various tones of the colors that you’ve used in your artwork. So, we’re going to let this dry and then we’re going to come back and add our final glaze.

—PAINTING HAS DRIED—

All right we’re back and that has fully dried and what we’re going to do is we’re going to finish this canvas and we’re going to put a pretty final glaze on it for a sort of semi-glossy lustrous finish. So, when your canvas if fully dried, at least a day or two, this is a good time to do this. And this is a pre-varnish finish, so if you wanted to go ahead and put an archival varnish on your painting you would let this next coat of glaze dry at least for 24-48 hours and then come back and varnish.

—PRE-VARNISH STEP—

If you are going to put a varnish on your painting, what we’re doing is we’re mixing up a satin and gloss glaze for this layer, so it’s going to have a little bit of a semi-gloss. You would then wan to use a semi-gloss or satin finish of varnish. If you used a matte varnish over that, then you could negate any of the gloss effects obviously. I’m using a small or a medium size flat brush, damp, just a little bit of water I dabbed off on a paper towel. I’m dipping into my glaze mixture here. Again, this is half and half gloss and satin glaze, acrylic glazing medium.

I’m going to get a good amount on my brush and I’m just going to start by going back and forth like this from edge to edge. And I’m working in small sections. Now what I’m doing is I’m going down the entire painting all the way off the edge like this. And I’m going to go back and touch my edges just like this because edges will often get forgotten as you kind of flick off like this. You see, I’m not quite getting the edge and  you’ll find that your edges are dry after you finish your layer like this sometimes. So, you really want to go around it in a multitude of ways to make sure that you’ve got a good final coat on. Otherwise you’ll just end up doing more coats. 

I’m working now from the mid-section up and I’m doing the same thing. Two different directions going around my edges to make sure that everything has been gotten. And you could go all the way down like this just to keep all those brush strokes very, very uniform. Now I’m working the top section up and down, up and down, back and forth, around the edges. Swipe the edges like this because things will go off and they will drip onto the sides and then you’ll have drips and that does not create a very professional looking piece of art when you have drips all down the sides which I sometimes do.

All right. So, that is essentially the final glazed painting.  You can always go around the edges with a damp paper towel like this to catch those drips. I like to do that and then set it aside to dry for a good 48 hours. And then if you need another coat of that glaze for just a little more pop of gloss you can mix up another coat of the glaze. Or I like to just keep a jar of my glaze mixture going and mark it on top with what it is, so I always have it. Because I’ve use this quite frequently to finish off my paintings. It gives it a beautiful lustrous finish and a little bit of an extra protective layer and then I go ahead and varnish when it’s dry.

I would finish the sides of this painting off in white, personal. You could frame something like this with a thinner sided canvas if you’re working on a gallery or museum wrap, then you could finish the sides and just hang it on the wall as is.

So, this is it for this tutorial, I hope you enjoyed it. I really enjoy seeing your creations and any questions you have for any snags along the way. Please feel free to reach out and comment on this. Suggestions are always welcome. And let me know what you thought and join me for another tutorial. Thank you so much.

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How to Create an Oil-Like Finish on Acrylic Painting

How to Paint with Acrylics: Creating a Large Neutral Artwork

CLASS SEGMENT:

HOW TO ADD A POP OF COLOR TO YOUR ART

Fixing a Trouble Spot in your Painting

MATERIALS USED

PAINTING: BLISS

MATERIALS LIST:

-See my free techniques tutorials for more info on brushes, mediums-

-Gallery-wrapped canvas (24" x 36")

-Acrylic Glazing Mediums: Satin and Gloss

-Flat brushes

-Utility/blending brushes

-Tissue paper (white)

-Texture paste or gel (the one I use)

-Sponges

-Paper towel

-Acrylic paints: Pthalo Blue/Green Indigo Blue Payne's Grey Turquoise Black or Black Acrylic Ink Titanium White -Water / spray bottle

MY RECOMMENDED PAINTING TABLE

My favorite and recommended painting surface: A utility table like this one:

*Links to my favorite items above - affiliate links in which I may earn a small commission :)

Learn how to paint this full-scale artwork in step-by-step online instruction:
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How to Layer with Acrylic Paint (Create Transparent Layers)

One the the very best things I did for my painting was to discover, and USE, mediums!

If you’ve taken any of my courses/tutorials, you know I use these frequenetly to build textures as well as create transparencies with acrylic paints.

Acrylics are great.

However, they can be pasty, thick, plastic-y and not that appealing when now laid down properly.

One of the reasons people love watercolors is because they are washy and transparent.

One of the reason people oils is because they are soft and blended (usually).

This is one thing that acrylics, left on their own, are not: Washy, soft, blended

That’s where the wonderful world of mediums comes in!

For example, the painting shown below, was created with a series of blues. A bit of white, a drop of cream, but mostly all blues. Yet it looks layered and varied and not just, well, blue.

CREATING TRANSPARENCIES WITH ACYLICS

It’s as easy as using the right mediums and simple application techniques!

I’ll go over a few step I took to create this painting. If you would like to learn to create the entire painting, join my step-by-step tutorial BLISS

SOME OF THE COLOR USED: Partial list

FLUID ACRYLICS WERE USED, EXCEPT FOR THE WHITE



PTHALO BLUE

PRUSSIAN BLUE

TITANIUM WHITE

PTHALO TURQUOISE


SOME OF THE MEDIUMS USED:

I like various brands, but these are links to the exact brands/items I use

Acrylic SATIN Glaze Medium

Acrylic GLOSS Glaze Medium

Always coat your canvas in a coat or two of TITANIUM WHITE. I like the brand linked above. It’s inexpensive and works great, especially when used to coat a canvas!

Then I laid down a texture. I let this dry.

I started layering blues, using the acrylic glaze to mix them in various strengths before application. I let them DRY THOROUGHLY between layers (key!).

HOW TO FIX A TROUBLE SPOT IN ACRYLIC ART PAINTING
This is a section of this course; I ran into a trouble spot and I show you how I worked it out

SEE THE FULL COURSE

General mixtures: SATIN ACRYLIC GLAZE

1/2 glaze : 1/8 pigment = very light transparencies

1/2 glaze: : 1/4 pigment = deeper transparencies (and so on)

For gloss glazes, you can use the ratio above or add just a little gloss to the satin glaze mixture to give it a little glossy luster. If you want a LOT of gloss, just omit the satin and use gloss glaze alone!

I used each layers in a small section of the canvas, giving sections a “pop” of the color.

When done, I gave it a layers of my glazing “final” coat:

3/4 Satin glaze + 1/4 Gloss glaze + a little water (just a tablespoon or two)

Mix well and apply over the full dry painting with a flat brush. Let dry.

Varnish.

My favorite way to varnish a large canvas is with a spray varnish - outside! This stuff works great but it needs to be used in a very well ventilated area, or outside!

My favorite varnish is Winsor & Newton Satin Spray Varnish

I apply one coat horizontally across canvas. Cover all spots well. Let dry.

Turn canvas and then apply another coat so the varnish hits vertically and horizontally.

Let dry really well.

LEARN TO PAINT LIKE A PRO!

For more tutorials and step-by-step “paint it yourself” artworks,
https://abstract-art-painting.teachable.com/

BEST HOBBIES FOR BRAIN STIMULATION AFTER 50

Best Hobbies to Stimulate/Keep Brain Healthy Over 50

With Alzheimer’s, dementia, and brain fog on the rise in people over age 50, it is critical to find ways to stimulate the brain and keep it healthy.

The best hobbies to stimulate your brain and keep it healthy over age 50 include:

1. Physical exercise

2. Puzzles

3. Learning a language

4. Playing an instrument

5. Owning a pet

6. Learning a new creative hobby

7. Meditating

8. Reading

Science has proven that there are plenty of hobbies to keep your mind sharp – choose one or two that sound the most appealing to you. It shouldn’t be a chore to stimulate and keep your brain healthy over 50. Let’s talk more about how each of the above hobbies change the brain for the better.

Physical Exercise

Research has shown that consistent physical exercise benefits brain health and mood. Exercise is linked to a lower risk of dementia.

This study examines the effects of physical activity on cognition. It concludes that after a bout of physical exercise, subjects show improved executive functions, better moods, and decreased stress levels.

Regular physical activity seems to improve blood flow to the brain. Other research suggests that exercise facilitates cell functions by generating oxygen and delaying the onset of dementia. Exercise reduces inflammation and stimulates brain cell growth in the brain, promoting the release of essential chemicals and the healthy function of blood vessels. 

Other health associations: Diabetes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure are linked to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and brain fog, so that may be largely why regular movement is so important to brain health. Physical exercise also wards against depression, another condition that is linked to Alzheimer’s. An overall sense of well-being is connected to having a healthier brain.

Tip: You don’t have to make a major lifestyle change to start working out. Don’t rush to the gym and make a commitment; you’re not sure if you can keep. Add 15 minutes of stretching, walking, weightlifting, or yoga to your day. You can get your exercise in at work or at home – a little bit every day will make a difference.

Puzzles

Two publications in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry report that puzzles like Sudoku keep brains young. These studies show that older people who engage in Sudoku and similar puzzle games demonstrate problem-solving skills and short-term memories of someone 8 years younger than their actual age! 

Based on this recent study, the more frequently that over-50s engage in puzzle games, the better their brains function. 

Side note: Research on puzzle games show correlation with, not definite, causation of better brain health. However, what better way to protect your brain than by testing and using it?

Other puzzle possibilities include crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, and riddles.

Tip: Word puzzles keep the brain even younger than number puzzles do! 

On a related note: Brain fog and dementia has weighing heavily on the mind of doctors, researchers, and scientists. They’ve created millions of brain training games to encourage healthy brain function, and they’re right at your fingertips!

What are brain training games? They are challenges that push various mental capacities, specifically designed to strengthen your brain function and ward off brain fog. 

The phrase “use it or lose it” seems to be true in brain health. Brain training games are developed to allow you to “exercise” these parts of the brain that might slow down as you age.

Programs: Look up BrainHQ or Lumosity, who are well-established brain-game experts.

Learning a New Creative Hobby

Activities like learning how to paint or sculpt appear to have positive effects on the brain. Creative activities, like learning to paint with acrylics, are often associated with relaxation and working with the areas of your brain that stimulate your senses in new ways and help reduce cognitive decline.

Bolster your new hobbies with including friends and family to join you. You could plan for a brain or body-challenging activity (like taking a painting class or learning a new skill like cake decorating). That way, you double your brain-boosting benefits!

Research shows that emotional support that comes from socialization helps produce BDNF, which is a molecule that repairs the brain and helps the brain forge new connections. Add this to a creative fun project and increase both socialization (a brain-booster as we age) and work you brain in new and different ways!

Tip: If you’d like to expand your social circle online, try joining a group on social media to share photos of your creative efforts and get fun feedback from others who are in the same mind-set!

Meditating

A study published in Neurolmage showed that for one year of meditation in subjects over 50, the subjects got one month and 22 days off the age of the brain. Now those are some precise results!

The practice of meditation increases cell production and synapse formation, keeping your brain buzzing. The overall results of the study showed that regular meditators had brains that were about 7 and ½ years younger than their non-meditating counterparts. 

How to start: Repeat, refocus, and recenter. Pick a mantra or phrase that centers you or betters you. Take just a few minutes each day to repeat the mantra to yourself, continually refocusing on the same thought. Center yourself and enjoy the present moment.

Tip: Just 25 minutes of mindfulness meditation each day can boost cognitive abilities, emotional responses, and recurrent thinking patterns. Meditation isn’t all hype – it can be life (and brain) changing.

Playing an Instrument

Triangle or trombone, it doesn’t matter which instrument you choose! Learning or practicing an instrument strengthens the nerve fibers in the brain. Playing an instrument specifically impacts the corpus callosum, which serves as the bridge that connects the left and right brains.

This study published in 2012 showed that the corpus callosum in musicians was far larger than those in non-musicians. 

Playing an instrument relieves stress helps you feel accomplished, and improves your memory and creativity. 

Tip: You’re never too old to start playing a new instrument. Think of the instrument you’ve always wanted to learn and go for it. You could hire an in-person teacher, get online lessons, or teach yourself with some help from YouTube.

Learning a Language

Italian researchers proved in an Alzheimer’s study that learning a language helps us build cognitive reserve. Those extra connections help keep brain fog and dementia at bay. 

Dr. Thomas Bak found that young adults who proficiently speak two languages perform better on attention tests and have better concentration than those who speak only their native language. Bilingual young adults also showed the ability to ignore irrelevant stimuli and focus on the most important information. 

This attention mechanism is exactly what many Alzheimer’s drugs targets. If improving attention and concentration slows the progression of Alzheimer’s, learning a language is an ideal way to keep your brain young!

Tip: There are so many ways to learn a language nowadays. Google Duolingo, Busuu, Memrise, and BBC Languages. Find out which tools are right for you.

Owning a Pet

Establishing emotional bonds with a pet will activate your brain and boost your mental health. There is a reason why therapy animals are life-altering for so many people. 

Marwan Sabbagh, MD, explains that petting an animal decreases cortisol and boosts serotonin, which elevates mood and reduces blood pressure and heart rate. The calm and joy that pets can bring seems to go a long way in keeping the brain healthy. It activates many of the same parts of the brain that socializing does, fortifying you emotionally and mentally.

A lonely brain is an unhealthy one.

Tip: Choose the pet that makes sense for you. Dogs are excellent companions but are higher-maintenance than cats or guinea pigs. If you are interested in getting a dog, some of the best breeds for better mental health include golden retrievers, labs, poodles, and Pomeranians. 

Learn how to paint upscale abstracts

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Beginners welcome!

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https://betterhealthwhileaging.net/brain-health-checklist-8-proven-things-healthy-aging/#:~:text=Stay%20physically%20active%20and%20exercise,a%20dementia%20such%20as%20Alzheimer's.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/senior-health/staying-sharp.aspx

https://interestingengineering.com/9-hobbies-and-activities-certain-to-boost-brain-power

https://www.livescience.com/46048-learning-new-language-brain.html#:~:text=Learning%20a%20new%20language%20may,and%20memory%20abilities%2C%20research%20suggests.&text=Learning%20a%20second%20language%20may,according%20to%20a%20new%20study.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-having-a-pet-of-any-kind-may-boost-your-mood-and-keep-your-brain-healthy/

Watercolor Effect with Acrylics - HOW TO

​For those of you looking for a quick art technique:

WATERCOLOR ACRYLICS

Acrylics that act like watercolors

This muted autumn abstract landscape looks like watercolor.

But...it's actually acrylics on canvas! How did I get the effect?

A layer of ABSORBENT GROUND. Let dry.

Then a layer of FIBER PASTE. Let dry.

This will give the canvas "tooth" and some nubby texture that a wash of acrylics will flow over like watercolors! I mixed the acrylics with some water (a small amount) plus acrylic glazing medium (SATIN).

You can build up layers of color (let dry in between).

Finish with a layer of glaze (use the same SATIN glaze). Let dry.

Varnish to protect.

It's one way to get a surface that will accept the acrylics like a watercolor, with a lot of flow and wash.

LEARN HOW TO PAINT WITH ACRYLICS - LIKE A PRO!

https://www.101artists.com

SUPPLIES

What I used to create this exact painting:

ABSORBENT GROUND
https://amzn.to/3mSp3Ve

FIBER PASTE
https://amzn.to/364WcXZ

SATIN ACRYLIC GLAZING MEDIUM
https://amzn.to/3crZPbL

SMALL CANVAS
https://amzn.to/305T4ai

FLAT BRUSH
https://amzn.to/2G8O8uc
I used a different brush, but this one looks great!

*The affiliate links I include are of the exact products I used.

Beginner Art Techniques - Tips for Painting with Fluid Acrylics

CREATOR QUICK TIPS:

Fluid Acrylics - Tips for Painting with Fluid Acrylics

In my new tutorial I use a few different types of paint, one being fluid acrylics. Here are a few tips for working with these fun, washy acrylics:

DO:

Understand their depth. Fluid acrylics will lay down intense color, but it will be a washed-effect vs. any impasto or heavier paint. It's like a heavy watercolor!

Prep your canvas. As I said, these will lay a washy color on your canvas so be sure you have it prepped and know they will not "build" a lot of surface, so have that in place before you lay them down.

Stay in a color zone. Too many colors = muddy. Choose a palette and then work in that zone for a modern look. (I know I'm a broken record, but it's for good reason!)

DON'T

Be afraid to make your own. No fluids or high-flows on hand? Make your own. Just get some airbrush or high-flow medium and mix up your own colors!

Have fun, be well, be safe!

Abstract Art School 

Rolling Canvas Art - Do's and Don'ts

CREATOR QUICK TIPS:

Rolling a Canvas
Do's & Don'ts

DO:

Be sure you use flexible materials - See the above video!

Roll around a tube -  You can use a cardboard tube or create a roll of bubble wrap to roll your canvas around.

Roll loosely - Don't roll super-tight; keep a bit of looseness/air in your roll.

DON'T

Use textures mediums you have not tested for a roll - Yes, been there, done that! I strongly you to do a "test" painting with the texture you plan to use. Let it dry thoroughly and then do a roll to see how it stands up.
Roll glitter or fleck textures -  Generally, these are going to loosen and fall off your canvas. If you need bling on your artwork, use pigments (sealed), paint/inks or experiment with metallic leaf (again, test it to see how it reacts).

Be afraid of a roll - Painting on raw canvas can be perfect for very large pieces or pieces that will eventually end up framed or mounted. Working on rolled canvas can be a bit of a learning curve, but once  you understand how it performs differently than stretched, you can confidently save time and money using it!