Beginner Painting 101: Full Semester Curriculum | 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 late, no experience necessary! Subjects change every 8-week session, so your learner can join again and again with no repeats!

Pair this class with our “Beginner Drawing & Sketching 101: Full Semester Curriculum” class to learn to draw the very drawing we’ll paint in this class each week! Enroll here:

https://outschool.com/classes/6aff270f-0a88-4f5d-9845-1bbe6857e887

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 specific 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 provided by teacher (preferably on paper thicker than printer paper)
• A rag or paper towel, 
• water
• something to mix paint on
• masking tape

DRAWING
Each week we will be painting a drawing that is already finished.  You can take the sister class to this one to make that drawing along with the teacher! Here is the link:

https://outschool.com/classes/beginner-drawing-sketching-101-full-semester-curriculum-ages-8-12-CWx2imuc

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!

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

✨  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.