As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, we frequently hear from guests that they “Can’t do it” or “don’t know how to paint”. So, in this blog we will show you some very simple techniques that will help you become the artist we all know you can be! Here are some tips to help you paint the masterpiece that you will be proud to show your friends.
1) BLENDING
Blending colors is a very common practice you will need to learn how to do. We use it in almost every background such as sunsets, oceans, and even just abstract gradients. The KEY to blending is to make sure you have wet paint. You also need to have PLENTY of paint. We see lots of guests who want to use the TINYEST bit of paint to cover their canvas. Why? We’ll give you more for free! Blending is really just being able to slide one color into another. So, in order to do that you’ll need to have enough wet paint on your canvas of one color to BLEND it into another wet color. Then you just overlap the two and use your brush to lightly blur out any harsh lines between the two colors. You want the colors to flow into one another so you can’t tell where one stops and the next begins. Remember, lots of wet paint is all you need!
2) TREES
At Painting With a Twist in Colorado Springs, we paint a LOT of trees. If we lived in Hawaii, we’d probably paint a lot of seashells, but we don’t. The key to painting a pretty tree is to remember that trees are bigger at the bottom and skinnier at the top. You want to make the branches farthest away from the ruck be as thin as possible. This will make your tree looks lovely and elegant and not like fat fingers stemming off a trunk. We suggest you practice using a small, flat brush on your table paper until you feel comfortable enough to do it on your canvas. If you aren’t sure where the branches should go (even though it really doesn’t matter because trees allow for very creative interpretation) then you might want to use some chalk to draw the branches on your canvas before painting them!
3) WATER
We know people have a natural inclination to paint little “U” shaped lines to represent waves, we see it every day. However if you want your water to LOOK like water- you should paint very thin lines, perfectly horizontal. This will not only give your water the appearance of being calm and serene but it will also make it look like tine ripples dancing in the moonlight. When you see water in real life (at night) what you’re REALLY seeing in the light of the moon reflecting in the waters surface. And that light hits the water parallel to the horizon, or shoreline. So, you’ll just have to trust us on this one- TINY line- perfectly straight! And you’ll have the most beautiful water you’ve ever seen!
Take a peek at our calendar and find a piece of art you like. We will help you paint it step by step and if you take into consideration these tips, you’ll be calling yourself Picasso in no time! Remember, you can join a public class or host a Private Party! Either way you'll get the same GREAT instruction!
Happy Painting- We're here if you have questions! Or you can always look at our FAQ!