This is the beginning of a collection: examples of painted grass.
When I paint grass I usually start with large shapes first, light swathes of masses break the canvas into smaller segments. I use a rag sometimes to form the first shapes, then a bristle brush so the bristles scrape away the paint as much as they apply it, leaving hair-like light lines in the color. Upward strokes starting from the top (the farthest away) and working down the canvas helps the lower grasses cover the blunt feet of the brushstrokes higher up, and the overlap gives the illusion that the lower forms are closer. Masses, or swatches, vary slightly in color so I don’t end up with a wallpaper effect, and grass in the background is heavily mixed with the sky color so atmospheric perspective can help me get some air in there. The second layer has a bit more definition, here and there an upward stroke in dark (shadows), then color (bold), then light (highlights) on top. Foreground has the most contrast. Don’t do every blade. Let the viewer’s eye do the work. When it comes to detail like this, less is more.
[image_with_animation image_url=”9505″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] This is the fifth part of a multi day series, sharing work by my beginning figure drawing classes. Many of these students have never taken a drawing class before, nearly all of them are new to figure drawing. Rather than learning one style, we study a different approach every …
Below is a video by Proko showing a brief overview of basic drawing supplies, and a demo for how to hand sharpen a soft charcoal pencil. He explains what the weird sandpaper thingy is for.
Steamroller Printmaking Party Saturday Aug 24, 10:00-4:00 We have a great banjo player, a food truck serving falafel, and a 2.6 ton steamroller. We’re closing down 103rd Street for a printmaking block party! Come cheer as League printmakers make giant prints with a steamroller. Possibly the most funnest thing ever! Kids will get to make …
Every week in figure drawing I teach a different drawing approach. Today was straight line measures; which always feels to beginners like they’re getting tangled up in bicycle spokes, but it’s invaluable and even relaxing for returning students. The basic idea of straight line measures is that you use straight lines to measure out the …
Painting Grass
This is the beginning of a collection: examples of painted grass.
When I paint grass I usually start with large shapes first, light swathes of masses break the canvas into smaller segments. I use a rag sometimes to form the first shapes, then a bristle brush so the bristles scrape away the paint as much as they apply it, leaving hair-like light lines in the color. Upward strokes starting from the top (the farthest away) and working down the canvas helps the lower grasses cover the blunt feet of the brushstrokes higher up, and the overlap gives the illusion that the lower forms are closer. Masses, or swatches, vary slightly in color so I don’t end up with a wallpaper effect, and grass in the background is heavily mixed with the sky color so atmospheric perspective can help me get some air in there. The second layer has a bit more definition, here and there an upward stroke in dark (shadows), then color (bold), then light (highlights) on top. Foreground has the most contrast. Don’t do every blade. Let the viewer’s eye do the work. When it comes to detail like this, less is more.
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Below is a video by Proko showing a brief overview of basic drawing supplies, and a demo for how to hand sharpen a soft charcoal pencil. He explains what the weird sandpaper thingy is for.
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Steamroller Printmaking Party Saturday Aug 24, 10:00-4:00 We have a great banjo player, a food truck serving falafel, and a 2.6 ton steamroller. We’re closing down 103rd Street for a printmaking block party! Come cheer as League printmakers make giant prints with a steamroller. Possibly the most funnest thing ever! Kids will get to make …
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