Focus on Paint Brushes

I've been painting with Acrylic paints for the past year, it certainly is more challenging than oil. With Oil paints the gliding and blending is easily achieved. Acrylic by comparison is dry, in my experience it needs lots of medium to achieve a flow that’s not scratchy and dry looking, I hold back on water as this obviously thins the paint.

My Brushes

I believe I've overcome the blending more successfully with the use of soft brushes, the best of these being Sable, Badgerlon is also very useful. I’m not a fan of Hogs hair. It really depends on the size of your canvas and style of painting. The other brush I love is a make-up brush for highlighting blushers and bronzes, available everywhere and sometimes as a freebee with make-up kits. These brushes are fat squat and softer than silk, use before the paint dries but is not wet, you need to experiment to find the moment. The gentlest touch and sweep will beautifully blend if this is what you are aiming to achieve.

A blusher is useful for blending

The style of brush is another avenue to explore. My favourite is a Filbert and then a Bright, all have different uses and having a selection of sizes is very useful. Keep a pair of tweezers at hand for that odd hair that escapes the brush and wants to live in your painting. Have you noticed that finishing with a downwards brush stroke gives a much smoother finish?

I love to view a painting and feel its impact, that’s the emotional aspect. Then I study the style and  craft of the artist, if the detail up close is well executed I appreciate it, and am delighted.

My latest painting is of a rose in my neighbour's garden, can anyone name the variety?

My latest painting.

That's it for now, see you in a couple of weeks.

Val x

Back from a ten day trip to the  Barossa and what a lovely time I've had. Beautiful people and informative mentoring, and art lessons from Jacqueline Coates. The Barossa was as gorgeous as ever, the roses were still out and the farmers market was in full swing.  We stayed at Anlaby, www.anlaby.com.au which  is the oldest Merino Sheep Station in Australia.

I managed three paintings, and I am quite happy with two of them
but one . . . hmmmm.

Cream Roses Tulip and Pears.

The roses are still blooming

I was taken with the abundance of roses of Kapunda. They have an Autumn flush  there that Melburnians only see in Summer.

Roses from  'Knights Roses'

It really has been a wonderful break, and guess what? In October our group of artists are presenting an exhibition of our artwork at Anlaby Station! The exhibition is part of their annual open garden and called 'Impressions of Anlaby'. The date is the 25th and 26th of  October.

Before I go, the North Kapunda Hotel serves great food and local wines!

Expect to hear from me again in a couple of weeks, where I intend to share some of my personal painting tips.

That's it for now,

Val x