Beginner Painting 101: Ongoing Club | Gouache/Acrylic (Ages 8-12)

In this class young artists will become expert painters by making a new guided work of art each week, exploring a variety of painting techniques like brushwork, color mixing, layering, lighting and texture! Weekly themes focus on a different technique, giving learners the chance to experiment, find what they love, problem-solve, & develop their intuition in a real artist’s studio setting, working at their own pace.

You can join this class anytime, no experience necessary!

DRAWING
Each week we will be painting a drawing that is already finished. Pair this class with our “Beginner Drawing & Sketching 101: Ongoing Club” class to learn to draw the very drawing we’ll paint in this class each week! Enroll here:

https://outschool.com/classes/d4f60bb7-40ea-43d4-975e-517f71308e7f

If you choose not to take the drawing class, the teacher will provide a line drawing that learners can print ahead of time in order to focus on painting techniques during class. Learners are welcome to draw it themselves ahead of time on their own as well!

Our weekly practice will build your learner’s skill & confidence in the following: brush types and techniques, color temperature, mixing, shading and tinting, opacity and layering, depth and dimension, water control, basic strokes and textures, stippling, dabbing, dry and wet brush, value and light sources, blending and gradients, adding fine details, caring for brushes, sealing up paints and more!

MATERIALS (see recommendations in the materials section)
• Learners are welcome to use acrylic paint, gouache paint, or acrylic gouache paint from squeeze tubes or in pans.
• A couple Round brush sizes, one or two flat or filbert brush sizes, fan brush optional
• Printed or drawn weekly drawing (preferably on paper thicker than printer paper)
• A rag or paper towel, 
• water
• something to mix paint on
• masking tape

CLASS SNAPSHOT
•. Hello, and share art you’ve been making this week!
•. Step-by-step instruction: learners encouraged to ask questions and get feedback
•. Share: No one will ever be pressured to share, no big deal to pass
•. Requests and Goodbyes

WEEKLY SUBJECTS
Week of January 20: flowers
Week of January 27: clouds
Week of February 3: chibi dragon
Week of February 10: mountain landscape
Week of February 17: under the Sea
Week of February 24: galaxies
Week of March 3: chibi cat
Week of March 10: a cactus
Week of March 17: color palettes
Week of March 24: human face
Week of March 31: a tree
Week of April 7: Blue Macaw
Week of April 14: Pokemon
Week of April 21: a meadow
Week of April 28: Bluey’s house


More dates and subjects are added ongoing, and learner requests are incorporated!

✨  GROWTH MINDSET ✨
In our classes, we are building a multi-layered scaffolding of the love of learning that is rooted in the idea that we can find inspiration every day to start again right where we are, finding satisfaction and pride in seeing our progress! Learners who stick with our classes over time come to believe that experimenting, problem solving, setbacks, re-trying and breakthroughs among the support, kindness and inspiration of peers and qualified mentors leads to more flexibility, innovation, courage and self-confidence in not only their art skills, but in all other areas of life! And we have a lot of fun doing it!

We use conversation prompts to create an inspiring atmosphere where artists learn to trust their intuition. We use targeted practice to break down the mechanics of a complex and difficult skill like art into easy, achievable steps, while having fun and building connections and friendships over what we love and struggle with in the art process!

✨  CULTURE ✨ 
Our classes are anchored in kindness, affirmations and fun! We do not use competitions or comparing. Constructive, hamburger-style critiques are offered by the teacher. There is a variety of skill level in each group, and we validate and help kids feel good about wherever their skill is. Kids love to share their art and bond over what they love and struggle with. We teach learners how to find joy and delight in their practice, which motivates them to do it more.