A properly loaded brush will not have split bristles, so it’s possible you have loaded the outside of the brush, but not the inside. 

 Let’s review how to fully load your brush.  First, always wet your flat brush in water and blot dry before loading with paint. 

A moist brush will hold paint better than a dry brush.  Next, use a fair amount of pressure as you double load and stroke

between the two puddles of paint, distributing the paint evenly into the bristles.

Continue to push and work paint into the brush until it is 2/3 full. After the brush is fully loaded,

frequently reload so as not to let your brush go dry, by dipping the corners into a small amount of paint

 A left handed person should always start the stroke where a right handed person would normally end the stroke. When stroking leaves, turn your work so you are stroking the tip of the leaf toward your body.  Experiment by turning your surface to see what works best for you.

   There are two methods you can use with the glass & tile medium.  You can use the medium as a base coat or you can mix the medium with the paint.  To use it as a base coat, begin by painting only the area on the glass or tile where you want your design. When dry, the medium will give the glass a frosted look, which could be considered a disadvantage.  Paint your design over the base coat. You can also seal the design with the glass and tile medium or with water based sealer.

      The other method uses about 3 drops of medium mixed with a quarter sized 

       Puddle of paint.  Using too much medium will thin the paint overly.  Paint your  

      design with the medium/paint mixture, then seal with water based sealer.

      I prefer to paint glass & tile with Folk Art enamel paint over the other two methods,

      baking according to manufacturer’s specifications or air curing for 21 days.

    The thick and creamy paint makes it perfect for one stroke technique.  Rather than

      using water, floating medium thins paint for floating and creating transparent paint

      effects and washes.  It never runs as water can.

      Durable Colors are tough and designed to stand up to useNot only do these paints

 hold up to surfaces that receive a lot of wear, such as tables and floors, they can also withstand the weather.

This is a great choice for projects that will be used outdoors. No sealing is needed!

      Lacquer is good for wood and metal, and can be used on surfaces for indoor and out.  

 It can be sprayed on and dries to a very hard, smooth clear and even finish. 

VarnishIs good on wood and other porous surfaces, and can be used for surfaces indoors only. 

Varnish will enhance and protect your painted designs and should be applied with a brush

     Floating medium is a clear gel that allows your acrylic paints to stay wetter, helping your strokes to be smoother

and more continuous and for shading and creating transparent paint effects.

  Painting on a dark fabric, you may need to undercoat by painting with white paint

      first where you will put your design. You could also scruffy a background on the area

      the design would be applied to. Use lots & lots of paint when painting on fabric and

      apply the textile medium to your brush whenevr it gets dry.  The tighter the weave of

      the fabric, the more the paint will ‘sit” on the top of the fabric, looser fabric will have

      more seepage and you will need more textile medium. 

 Lightly sand to remove any grain that has been raised during the base coating. 

You can use fine sandpaper or even a brown paper bag to sand.

 When painting a mailbx, make sure your mailbox is clean and free of rust.

Use a mix of 50/50 alcohol & water to remove any oils on the surface, or vinegar & water. 

If the surface is too smooth, scruff it up a bit with steel wool where the design will be painted. 

Using a metal primer will also prepare your surface for painting. 

The newer outdoor paints adhere much better, as they are thicker and designed for surfaces to go outside.

 Glazing medium will cause your paint to have an extended open time, thereby allowing your strokes to flow and making blending easier.

Crackling:  First undercoat in the color you want to show through the crackle. 

When completely dry, apply your crackle medium with a roller or brush, making sure you have completely covered your surface. 

 Following the instructions on the bottle of crackling medium, when the medium is dry to the touch, add the topcoat. 

Work in one area at a time, not going over your strokes and staggering where you end your stokes each time. 

The heavier the coat of paint, the more crackle you will have the lighter the topcoat, the smaller the crackles.

Weilding the Palette Knife

Since high def paint is used much like oil paint, it makes sense to apply it liberally with a pallette

knife.  Learning how to handle the knife can be tricky, but once you gain some control and mastery over it,

 you will want to use it to make textured backgrounds, clouds, sky, mountains water, waves, trees and more!

1. First, double load the knife by patting the pallette knife in one puddle and then another.

2. Spread paint on your surface in a smooth motion.

3. To triple load, drag one edge of the knife into a third paint puddle.

To create clouds, load with white paint and tap lightly while dragging across your surface, leaving heavy texture.

To make cypress trees, or trees in the distance, tap blade lightly up & down making the shape narrow at the top

and wider at the base.  Leave heavy texture.

For mountains, pull edge of knife onto surface with downward motion.

For textured backgrounds, think like "icing a cake". Bring full blade smoothly across surface leaving texture behind.

The latest trends in art for home décor reflect a mix of both classic and contemporary styles—the colors are warm and rich, the brush strokes are well defined, and the techniques are reminiscent of Old Masters such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Subject matter reflects nature through botanicals, florals, landscapes and still life. Mid to high end retail stores, catalogs and websites are showing artwork with high definition and detail, and are offering such pieces upwards of $175 for a 16’x20’ canvas. To recreate such works of art requires a significant time and monetary investment, and many artists are intimidated by the thought of using oil paint.

With new FolkArt® High Definition™ (HD) paint, you can create your own work of art at a fraction of the time and cost. This new acrylic paint line mimics the texture of oils, and dries to a semi-gloss sheen. Unlike oils, any spills can be cleaned up easily with water while still wet! The 38 vibrant, rich colors blend easily on a palette, and can be applied with a brush, a painting knife or the writer tip. Most importantly, FolkArt HD is suitable for painters at any skill level. No advanced skills are required! You are encouraged to use FolkArt HD on a variety of surfaces: canvas, wood, tin, metals and papier mâché are among the favorites. Just pick up your brush and let your imagine take hold—you will quickly find how easy it is to create stunning works of art!

allows the decorative artist to paint many different techniques including the popular One Stroke™ painting

denim fabrics should be washed multiple times in hot water to thoroughly remove the sizing in the fabric. DO NOT use

wrinkled, you may iron the fabric as instructed on the garment label, DO NOT use a spray starch product.

It is best NOT to thin FolkArt Fabric paints with water as this will dilute the acrylic polymer of the paint and lessen the

directly on top of theWET FolkArt Fabric Brush-on paint. To ensure maximum adhesion, you must apply the

dryer for 30 minutes on the highest setting allowed for the type of fabric used, OR you may heat set the painted piece

setting allowed for the fabric used. NOTE: When using the FolkArt Fabric Dimensional paint, you will not be able

for 30 minutes.

If washing by machine, turn your garment which has been painted without dimensional accents inside out and use

cold water with a mild detergent on the gentle cycle of your washer and dryer. DO NOT place the item in the washer

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JULY TECHNIQUE~ HIGHLIGHTING & SHADING

Adding highlights and shadows to an object helps give a feeling 

of three-dimensions to it.

The first thing you need to do is to decide which direction the light is shining from.

This needs to be the same on every item in the painting.

Highlights are added on the side the light is coming from and shadows on the opposite.

Adding a highlight: Highlights occur where bright light hits an object and are usually quite small.

Use a pale color of the object for a highlight, then go back and add a "glint" with pure white. (use this sparingly!)

Painting on Fabric

Painting on fabric is a fun fast way to update an old pair of jeans or worn out Tshirt. 

Always wash your fabric before painting.  Use a trash bag or some other non porous

material to go between layers of fabric.  paint will bleed through, and you don't want your design

breaking through to another layer.  Buy paint especially designed for fabric.  Folk Art Textile Paint is

perfect and comes in lots of trendy colors.  Use a stiff brush to paint with................brushes designed

for paper work well.  Use lots of paint!  Painting on fabric will take lots more paint than usual!

Don't expect to get the "edge" you noramally would with other surfaces.........go for a effect not perfection!

Use dimentional paint to outline and add those details that are too hard to do with a brush.  Most of all, have fun with it!

Model your new fashions, and your friends will be begging you to paint some for them!

Happy Painting!

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR PAINTING CLASS

You've signed up for your class, now how can you be sure to make

the most of this experience?

1. Look at your supply list carefully, purchase any needed items

 and have everything packed up and ready to go before hand.  Consider

purchasing a tote bag designated to be your "Painting bag", so you always

 know where to find needed art items.

2. Arrive at class early.  The teacher is always there ahead of time;  you can

ask questions, set up your "painting station" and be ready to go when class

 starts so you don't waste a valuable minute of time.

3.  Give your full attention to the demo.  While watching intently, make sure

you are listening to the instruction as well.  Socializing is a valuable part of the

painting experience, but not while the teacher is demonstrating.

4. Ask for clarification on any part of the instruction you don't understand.

It's better to find out right away if you're doing a stroke incorrectly, then picking

 up a bad habit.

5.  Be positive about the experience and your ability.  If you truly desire to

paint, you can! Understand it is a process, and enjoy the journey as well as

the product of one class experience.  The more relaxed and positive you

are, the better you will paint.

6. Ask the teacher if there are any other tools that can help you become more

accomplished.  As your expertise begins to grow, seek out tools and techniques

to help you improve.  Many times a teacher will use only a minimum of tools to

keep expenses down for the class.

7. Practice in between classes.  Classes are designed to teach the elements,

but you will not become

proficient if you do not practice.  An hour a day is ideal, but any time you give

to practice will help.

8. Do it for you!  You are not taking a class to please anyone else -

paint because it makes you feel good!

Smile, and reward yourself for any small progress you make! 

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Floating Medium

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What exactly is floating medium and when do you use it? 

is is a question I get asked a lot in class. 

Floating medium is actually paint without any pigment,

and is therefore colorless.  We use it when we want to

"float" over a surface.  Every surface has friction

between the brush and the surface you are stroking. 

Glass has very little friction, wood or paper much more. 

By adding floating medium to your brush, you allow

the brush to have a cushion, thereby "floating" over

your surface, without adding any color. This medium

simplifies the most difficult painting techniques by allowing

strokes to be repeated.  You have more control with paint

 and floating medium than you would if you added water. 

Also, it keeps the colors from being diluted like with water.

Floating medium also doesn't run like water will. 

You add floating medium to a fully loaded brush

and work it in before going to your surface. 

Depending on your surface, you will only need to continue

to add it every third or fourth time you pick up paint. 

To shade or float a color, first load your brush

completely with floating medium. 

Then side load your paint color and go directly to the area 

you want to shade. 

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Follow these tips to keep your brushes in top working condition.

When loading, using or cleaning, work hairs in their natural direction.

Do not leave a brush soaking in liquid for long periods, especially resting on its bristles.

Never allow paint to dry on your brush or work its way into the ferrule.

Clean your brushes thoroughly and promptly with a cleaning solution suited to the media used. For best results, use a brush cleaner and always read the instructions given on the paint/cleaner containers.

Store brushes so there is no pressure on the hair.

Brush Tub & Brush Tub II are designed to make it easy to clean your brushes quickly and thoroughly. Each tub has three separate chambers. Fill each with about 2 inches of water. During painting keep water in one of the small sides completely clean for dressing your brush. Use the other small section for swish rinsing and the large section with the ribs for thorough cleaning, especially at the end of your painting session.

To clean, pull brush along the ribs, low to high. Pull one direction only and then turn the brush over and do the same on the other side. The brush should make contact with the ribs on or as close to the ferrule as possible, so as not to cause damage to the hair and to help vibrate paint out of the ferrule.

Brush Care

In three easy steps, your brushes will be clean, shaped and ready to go when you start your next project. Squeeze a small amount of FolkArt® Brush Cleaner & Conditioner onto your brush.   Place the scrubber in the palm of your hand, choose the correct height of scrubber teeth for your brush, then move the brush back and forth under the running water until the water runs clear. TIP: Paint-clogged ferrules are one of your brushes' worst enemies.Use a scrubber height tall enough to remove paint from the ferrule.   After cleaning, apply a small amount of FolkArt Brush Cleaner & Conditioner and reshape using your thumb and forefinger. Store with bristles up in a cup or brush caddy.

Don't forget to check this month's schedule of classes!

Using a Liner Brush

Liner brushes are used to paint details, accents, curlicues, and ribbons.  They are used with paint that is inky (paint thinned with water to the consistency of ink).  You can also use a liner brush to sign your work.  When using a liner brush, make sure that the handle is straight up and down.  Use only the tips of the bristles.  There is one small hair on the tip of the brush and ideally that is what your touching to the surface. I like to think of it as a ballerina on her tippy toes. Paint by allowing your whole arm to move.  If you only use your fingers or wrist to paint, the brush will lean and you will either lift the bristles off the surface you are trying to  paint or bear down too heavy and strokes will not be thin and delicate.  Using a little pressure and sliding while lifting off the surface will give you delicate, pretty strokes.  Remember, practice makes perfect!

Loading a Liner Brush

1. Dip brush in water.

2. Lay bristles next to the paint and move tip in a small circle, allowing the tip to touch the edge of the paint.

3. Pick up more water on the brush.

4. Continue making circles to create an inkly puddle of paint.

5. Pull the brush out of the paint as you rol the brush in your fingers making a nice, sharp point.

6. Paint only with the tips of the bristles touching the surface.  Make sure the handle of the brush to straight up.

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Finishing Your Project

After you have allowed a painted project to cure to make sure completely dry, (at least overnight), it is wise to seal your work to protect its beauty and durability.  I apply a clear acrylic sealer made by Plaid Folk Art.  It comes in a variety of finishes- matte which is flat, satin, which leaves a sheen, glossy for a high luster, and high gloss for a project you want to look real shiny.  Apply coats in short even bursts, to cover project.  It is better to apply a few thin coats, than one heavy coat.  Allow to completely dry before placing anything on or near the surface.  Drying time is affected by things like the humidity, so allow ample time for sealing your project.  Taking the time to finish your work properly gives it a polished, quality look.

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Helpful Hints & Tips For Your Painting

-sand wood surfaces lightly before basecoating and wipe away any dust before starting to coat your project

-wash glass surfaces with soap & water, then clean with alcohol and let dry before painting.

-rub candles with alcohol before painting to remove oil from hands, etc.

-paint larger elements of your design first, then fill in with the smaller elements.

-paint one stroke at a time-if each stroke is pretty, your whole design will be. :-)

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Using the Flat Brush

       One Stroke flat brushes are ready to use from the package.  Simply dampen the bristles in water and dry them with a paper towel before loading.  When cleaning flat brushes, you can use the rake in the bottom of the Brush Caddy.  Flat One Stroke brushes are synthetic and don't have a tendency to break, but be gentle.                                                                                                                          

       It is easier to control the 3/4" Flat and the #12 Flat brushes when you are first learning.  Avoid using the smaller brushes until you are comfortable with the loading process and the strokes.

Double Loading the Flat Brush

1. Dip brush in water.  Blot it on paper towel

2. Dip a corner of the brush in the first color.

3. Dip the opposite corner in the second or darker color.

4. Stroke the brush between the two puddles.  This spreads the paint in the brush and also pulls more paint into the brush.

5. Stroke the brush back and forth on both sides to distribute paint into the bristles of the brush.  Push hard to work in the paint.  Work the paint into the brush until is two-thirds full.  Try not to get paint into the ferrule (the metal part of the brush). 

 6. Keep your blending area short, no longer than 1-1/2" when loading the 3/4" flat, shorter for smaller brushes and slightly longer for larger brushes.

7. After paint is worked in and the brush is loaded, dip a tiny bit of the corner--the same corner as before--into the same color.

8. Dip a bit of the other corner in the other paint.  You are now ready to paint.

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Basecoating

Basecoating a surface, whether it is wood, terra cotta, metal or paper can be hard on a good brush.  I use a sponge applicator  1-1/2" thick to apply a coat of sealer or paint.  For sealing wood or terra cotta before you paint, sand lightly and apply a thin coat of modge podge (used to decoupage) or your favorite sealer with a sponge applicator.  Less is better than more.  It is better to apply 2 coats than one thick one.  Let dry completely before applying design.  Careful basecoating will go a long way in beautifying your project. 

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New Products to Try !!

The Eraser Tool- Plaid # 1368

This set includes 4 tools of various sizes and shapes.  There are three with flat chiseled edges and one tool with a tapered point.  As you might suspect, these tools are used to wipe away excess paint, create nice clean crisp edges on a design, and achieve precise, fine details.  They are also helpful for cleaning up those little mistakes-oops!  Use this tool while the paint is still wet.  Pull the rubber end along the edge you wish to clean up. Voila! Perfect projects! :-)

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Don't forget to check out this month's class schedule & projects!

This months newsletter focuses on how to use the Fan Brush.

There are two sizes available for the One Stroke fan brush.

Plaid Large Fan #1196  & #2 small fan #1277

Using the Fan Brush

A fan brush is named because of the shape of the bristles.  This brush can be used to paint waves, tree foliage, grasses, hair, fur, and wild flowers.  Different affects can be achieved by pulling the flat part of the brush or pushing it.  you can stay on the chisel and pull fine hairs by flicking in the direction of the flat side or pulling in the directions of the chisel edge.  You can also dab or pounce on the chisel edge and also scrub it sided to side.

Loading the Fan Brush with Undiluted Paint

1. Pull paint from the edge of the paint puddle into the bristles.  load only about one-third of the length of the bristles.

2. Pull the second color into the brush on one side of brush.

3. Use a pulling motion to paint items such as the foliage of an evergreen tree.

Loading the Fan Brush with Thinned Paint

1. Dip brush in water.

2. Pull paint from a puddle into the brush bristles.

3. Paint grass by pulling on the flat side of the brush.

Why not try out a new brush and have some fun!  Happy Painting!

Don't forget to check out this month's class schedule and great projects!

This month  we focus on how to use the scruffy brush.  

We use a scruffy to make sunflowers which is the ACM class on Aug 5th!

Preparing the Scruffy brush

1. When you take the scruffy brush from the package, it needs to be prepared for painting.  First, pounce into the palm of your hand to help remove sizing and fluff the bristles.

2. Next, use your thumb to spread the bristles.

Loading the Brush

1. When we paint with the scruffy brush, it is very important that we do not dip it in water; we paint with the scruffy brush completely dry.

2. Load 1/2 of brush into first color.  Push hard on brush and pounce into color.

3. Next, load the other half of brush into second color in the same way.

Painting Wisteria or Lilacs

1. Load brush with a light color and a darker color.  Pounce loaded brush into a half circle shape, with the darker color on the outside.

2. Now, paint a secondy layer by making a smaller half circle to overlap the first one.

3. Finally, pounce down to a point, leaning the brush as you taper to finish the flower.

1.  It's a fun and stress free way to spend your time.

2.  You've always wanted to try painting.

3.  You can make things to give to others.

4.  You can share your talent and teach others who wish they could paint.

5.  You have old, beat up items around the house that could be given a new life if you painted them.

6.  You will never have to buy another greeting card or gift bag again.

7.  You can meet lots of nice friendly people that also paint.

8.  It's an inexpensive hobby.

9.  It can be done anywhere, anytime, with others or alone.

10. It will inspire your creative abilities in other areas.