Colour Confidence Workshop

Day 1

Watch the Day 1 Live Call Recording below:

 

It's time to be more COLOUR-CONFIDENT!

 

Make sure you've watched the LIVE CALL Recording (pink button 👆)

 

Then scroll down for today's Demo Video and the Guidelines. You'll also find the materials list below too. 👇

Watch today's DEMO video

 

Guidelines

  • Dab some Gloss Medium on your paper and spread it around.  You DON’T want to cover the entire surface with it.  Scratch and scrape into the wet medium to create different textural effects.  Leave it to dry.

  • Mix up a dark colour and using a Colour Shaper or a Squeegee.  Cover the surface of the paper.  The paint will glide over the Gloss Medium and adhere more thickly to the paper.  

  • While the paint is still wet, sprinkle a little water onto the surface and once again using your Colour Shaper scrape the paint and water around to get an interesting surface.  Leave this to dry.
  • MIx a light colour with predominantly White paint and a little colour just to either warm it up or cool it down.  Spread this around over the top of the dark paint.  While it’s wet sprinkle a little water on and then scrape the water away to reveal the dark paint underneath. 
  • Use your comb or any ‘texture tool’ and scrape into any wet paint to create interesting texture in places.
  • Mix up a colour you like - make sure you add a little of at least two other colours to make this a more beautiful colour than the colour straight from the tube.
  • Apply this colour to the paper.  You have six squares, so mix up a different colour for each square and apply it in different ways.  

  • Here are some suggestions:
    • Use a stencil shape and repeat it in at least 3 places each time changing the size slightly
    • Use line - you could vary the brush to create different line widths
    • Create one large shape that travels from one side of the composition to the other
    • Create a geometric pattern
    • Shut your eyes and apply the paint - then tidy up some of the edges for more definition
    • Use your fingers to apply the paint. 

  • Leave your pages to dry and pat yourself on the back for completing Day 1.
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Materials List

PAPER SUBSTRATE:

You need six 36cm x 36cm (or 14" x 14") squares of good quality watercolour or mixed-media paper 300gsm weight.

We will be doing a series of 6 square format paintings. The size is a guide and allows for a taped edge – please do not go smaller than the suggested size above, however you may work larger. It is recommended, due to the time constraints of the workshop that you work no larger than 40cm square.

Heavy weight paper is important.

There is no need for you to gesso your paper squares, although some people like to do this to add texture and give more 'tooth' to the surface. It's your choice.

 

PAINT:

Acrylic paints: I'm sure you have a range of colours so there's no need to go out and buy new paint.  Just make sure you have black, white, a couple of reds, a couple of blues, and a couple of yellows.  I'm sure you'll have some other favourite colours you like to use.

 

ACRYLIC INK:

At least 4 different colours - you choose 

 

DRY MEDIA:

Pastels, oil sticks, pencils, anything you have to make lines.

Judy uses Staedtler Lumicolor Permanent colored pencils, which are very similar to China Markers.

 

PAINT BRUSHES:

A range of acrylic paint brushes in a variety of widths

 

ACRYLIC MEDIUM:

Gloss medium, Judy uses this to seal pencil, collage and other media, as it is thinner and dries with no brushmarks.  You'll also be using it to create texture.

 

COLLAGE PAPER:

This is where you can upcycle old paintings or experiments on paper (that didn't make the grade).  You'll probably have some of this lurking around - if it's got some of your favourite colours in it, even better.

 

TAPE:

Masking tape, low tack or suitable for delicate surfaces, available from household decorating shops. Something like these: Frog Tape Masking Tape: "Frogtape," No Bleed Tesa Precision Sensitive or Multi Surface Frog Tape.

 

OTHER:

Colour Shapers (optional) anything that will spread the paint

A tool for scratching paint (eg; knitting needle, cocktail stick, screw driver, comb)

Rags for blotting paint

Ruler or painters straight edge (available from hardware stores) - optional