Welcome to another Wacky Workshops project – how to paint like a pro.

If you read my post How to Draw the Line to Happiness you’ll understand all the benefits you gain by creating art.

The problem for many is they feel intimated by the prospect and unsure of how to start.

This week I’m sharing three pretty painting ideas – two of them emulate the masters.

HOW TO PAINT LIKE A PRO

If you love the work of Monet and his beautiful waterlily paintings you will love this project.

LET’S GET STARTED

MATERIALS

• Canvas or canvas sheets
• Masking tape
• Paint – blue, green, brown, yellow, purple
• Brushes

METHOD

• Place the masking tape across the canvas to form a bridge shape
• Dab green and brown paint above the bridge to represent trees.
• Dab blue, purple yellow paint below the bridge for the waterlily pond – use lots of water to make the colours bleeds into one another.
• Cover the entire canvas – even the tape.
• When the paint is dry, carefully remove the masking tape.

PAINT LIKE SEURAT

Georges Seurat used a technique known as pointillism where he painted dots of paint directly onto the canvas without mixing the colour first.

When you stand back from the painting the dots seem to blend together.

MATERIALS

• Canvas, paper or cardboard
• Paint – colours depending on your choice of scene
• Paintbrushes
• Pencil

METHOD

• Draw a simple scene on your canvas – I usually go with a water and land landscape which is just a few simple lines.

• Use the end of the brush – the wooden handle – to colour in your painting. Add details such as trees – still using only paint dots – as desired.

• Stand back and enjoy your creation.

The final project is basically just doodling with paints, but using different tools.

If you look closely at the painting above, created by one of my students, you will see it radiates outwards.

Start by making colourful dots in the centre of your page. You can use the end of a paintbrush for this.

Use a plastic fork to make lines outwards from the dots.

Finish with wavy lines going all around the page and add a few more colourful dots to tie in the theme.

I hope you enjoyed these ideas.

Happy painting and have a gleeful week, Tamuria.