Learning to Paint Desiree Gonzalez EDCI 622 5/1/09 Desiree Gonzalez EDCI 622 5/1/09

How many of us have said,” I can only draw (or paint) stick figures? Well, that’s me. Visual arts is the area in which I have the least experience, so I decided to step outside my comfort zone to attempt a painting. Last year I bought some supplies in preparation for a watercolor class but was unable to take it. How many of us have said,” I can only draw (or paint) stick figures? Well, that’s me. Visual arts is the area in which I have the least experience, so I decided to step outside my comfort zone to attempt a painting. Last year I bought some supplies in preparation for a watercolor class but was unable to take it. My daughter is taking an art class in high school, so she volunteered to be my instructor, and suggested I try impressionism.

One of my resources Walford, J. (2002). Great Themes in Art. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Other Materials: 3/8 ” comb brush 995-M mini mop 3/8 ” deerfoot red sable round brush Watercolors in tube: viridian, vermillion, Prussian blue, cerulean blue, Chinese white, lemon yellow, lamp black Spatula for mixing Heavyweight drawing paper Warm water Washcloth Newspaper (to protect table)

Impressionism: A History: Impressionism began in the mid-1800s in Paris Impressionists created works that were true to sight, not just true to life; in other words, the painting represents the impression the subject made on the artist. The term Impressionism actually came from Monet’s work, Impression, Sunrise, which shows and even exaggerates the effects of light on water. “Fresh, brilliant, and lifelike” are words used to describe impressionist art. Impressionist and post-impressionists focus more on expression of feeling and inner life (Walford, 2002). Create your own word cloud at

Characteristics of Impressionist paintings: Visible brush strokes Ordinary subject matter (landscapes, people in crowds) Unusual visual angles Open composition (arrangement of visual elements) Emphasis on light in its changing qualities (often showing passage of time) Inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience Characteristics of Impressionist paintings: Visible brush strokes Ordinary subject matter (landscapes, people in crowds) Unusual visual angles Open composition (arrangement of visual elements) Emphasis on light in its changing qualities (often showing passage of time) Inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience Claude Monet Impression: Soleil Levant

Techniques Short, thick strokes of paint are used to quickly capture the essence of the subject, rather than its details. Colors are applied side-by-side with as little mixing as possible, creating a vibrant surface. Grays and dark tones are produced by mixing complementary colors. In pure Impressionism the use of black paint is avoided. Wet paint is applied to wet paint without waiting for successive applications to dry, producing softer edges and an intermingling of color. Painting in the evening to get the shadowy effects of the light in the evening or twilight. The surface of an Impressionist painting is typically opaque. The play of natural light is emphasized. In plein air (outdoor) paintings, shadows are boldly painted with the blue of the sky as it is reflected onto surfaces, giving a sense of freshness and openness that was not captured in painting Short, thick strokes of paint are used to quickly capture the essence of the subject, rather than its details. Colors are applied side-by-side with as little mixing as possible, creating a vibrant surface. Grays and dark tones are produced by mixing complementary colors. In pure Impressionism the use of black paint is avoided. Wet paint is applied to wet paint without waiting for successive applications to dry, producing softer edges and an intermingling of color. Painting in the evening to get the shadowy effects of the light in the evening or twilight. The surface of an Impressionist painting is typically opaque. The play of natural light is emphasized. In plein air (outdoor) paintings, shadows are boldly painted with the blue of the sky as it is reflected onto surfaces, giving a sense of freshness and openness that was not captured in painting

My Attempt I attempted a “Gonzo” painting lesson, trusting my “art teacher “to instruct me as I went along without much background knowledge. We chose a landscape photo that she had taken of a Lake Almanor sunset. She helped me choose paint colors and brushes. Her main suggestion was that I use short thick strokes, placed wet paint into wet paint (something that concerned me at first), and used mostly opaque colors—I didn’t mix the watercolors with much water. The original photo (above) by Ivy Gonzalez, 2007

She had me outline the bottom of the mountains first, paint my main, dark colors and leave spaces in between brush strokes to be filled with accent colors.

Then I added trees …

… and more clouds Ivy told me to “ stipple ” my clouds so using the deerfoot brush, I dabbed the paint in short, medium- pressure strokes.

We added lemon yellow to fill in clouds and we were finished.

My “impressionist” version side by side with the original.

My thoughts I thought my version looked more “expressionist” than impressionist. My picture wasn’t too bad, but it didn’t have the “serene” look I was going for. The colors were too harsh and it made my painting look disturbing. Still, it was my first attempt, and my daughter liked it. With some more help with technique and color research, I will try again. Next time I will get watercolor paper, as my paper curled a bit. I will also do more mixing to make different colors, and use a bit more water. I may try oils or acrylics, too. But it sure was fun, and I think Ivy would make a great art instructor. From a teaching standpoint, I can learn from her patience, clear instructions, and encouragement. I would definitely encourage my students to research techniques and practice brush strokes before starting a project! I might also show them my first not-so-pretty picture so they don’t think they need to be perfect on the first try. I thought my version looked more “expressionist” than impressionist. My picture wasn’t too bad, but it didn’t have the “serene” look I was going for. The colors were too harsh and it made my painting look disturbing. Still, it was my first attempt, and my daughter liked it. With some more help with technique and color research, I will try again. Next time I will get watercolor paper, as my paper curled a bit. I will also do more mixing to make different colors, and use a bit more water. I may try oils or acrylics, too. But it sure was fun, and I think Ivy would make a great art instructor. From a teaching standpoint, I can learn from her patience, clear instructions, and encouragement. I would definitely encourage my students to research techniques and practice brush strokes before starting a project! I might also show them my first not-so-pretty picture so they don’t think they need to be perfect on the first try. Edvard Munch “The Scream” Edvard Munch “The Scream” http ://

A Modern Impressionist Greg Fetler, Santa Cruz Sunset Greg Fetler, Santa Cruz Sunset Maybe with practice my stuff can look like this!

Time to Clean Up! Until next time…