Brushwork: Techniques and Styles

 

Instructor: Lia ter Heide
Thursdays 1-4pm
5 weeks: January 29 to March 5 (no class February 19)
Location: In-person Williams Building room 255
$250 (supplies not included)

Brushes are the primary tools that we use to apply and move paint on a surface to create paintings. This course emphasizes the mechanics of brushwork in acrylic painting. Students will explore how brush type, size, stroke angle, pressure, motion and paint consistency interact to create distinct visual effects. Each session will focus on specific brush types; strengthening painting confidence and control as we build a personal library of brush capabilities and practice our brushwork in focused studies.  This course is suitable for both beginners and those looking to refine and expand their technical skills. 

Syllabus

  • Flat and round hog bristle brush techniques
  • Filbert brush techniques
  • Flat synthetic brush techniques
  • Round and dagger synthetic brush techniques
  • Specialty brush techniques: fans, liners

Supplies

  • Brushes
    Note: brushes may be found at Art Placement or other specialty art supply stores. All sizes are approximate as sizes may differ somewhat from brand to brand. These sizes are based on Princeton Snap!, Art Pro, and Princeton Select, which are decent economical brushes:
    • 3" wide flat or hake brush
    • Long-handle round economy grade hog bristle #12 (round or stub tip, not pointed. Demco is a good brand for this)
    • Long-handle hog bristle flat #8
    • Long handle hog bristle filbert #8
    • Long-handle synthetic filbert #6
    • Hog-bristle fan #12
    • Synthetic fan #6
    • Short-handle synthetic round #0, #6 #12
    • Short-handle synthetic flat angle 3/8", 3/4"
    • Short-handle synthetic flat 3/4"
    • Synthetic liner #2
    • Synthetic dagger striper ¼”
  • Acrylic paints: Whatever paints you already own. Golden Acrylic, Liquitex, or Meeden are recommended brands. The following pigments (or equivalent) are suggested: 
    • Titanium White
    • Zinc White
    • Mars Black
    • Alizarin Crimson
    • Cadmium Red Medium
    • Orange
    • Primary Yellow
    • Cadmium Yellow Medium
    • Jenkin's Green
    • Pthalo Green
    • Pthalo Blue
    • Ultramarine Blue
    • Dioxazine Purple
    • Payne's Grey
    • Burnt Umber
    • Raw Sienna
    • Transparent Yellow Oxide
  • Gesso
  • Painting weight (heavy) paper sketchbook/pad
  • Heavy paper, stretched canvas, canvas board or cradleboards for larger practice pieces
  • Palette knives for mixing
  • Palette of your choice. Can be as simple as an old plastic lid, or a wet palette if desired
  • Pencil
  • Painter's tape
  • Apron or work shirt
  • Nitrile gloves (optional)