In Reply....

Someone asked if it was necessary to buy the Double Loader and I can"t find the post in order to answer.  No, you don't need the double loader the styrofoam pallet will do just fine for now.  As you progress you will get a feel for what you need and what you would like to upgrade to, you can build on your collection of colours, brushes and equipment and even maybe a book or two, but for now there shouldn't be anything that you need to rush out and buy.

Left Handed Painters

If you are a left handed painter:

• Always start where the RTG/Practice sheets say to end your stroke
• Always end where the RTG say to start your stroke
• When you are stroking leaves, turn your practice sheets or worksheets so you stroke the tip of the leaf towards your body
• Experiment by turning your paper at different angles

Co-Op Girls - First Class

I hope that you all enjoyed the first class this semester as much as I did, it was great to see so many signed up for this class (we'll have two more next week).  I thought that you all did wonderfully well with your first One Stroke experience.  Here is some information which we covered in class which I hope you will find helpful:

• Always keep your workstation tidy!
• Wear an old shirt/t-shirt to class, you WILL get paint on your clothes and it does not come off
• Your water caddy goes on your right hand side at the top of the table
• Your pallet goes to your right if you are right handed or to your left if you are left handed
• Your kitchen towel folded twice goes slightly under your pallet 
• Your brushes must be cleaned after each lesson and wrapped in plastic
• As soon as you get home, clean your brushes again using Dawn Blue dish washing soap washing well several times using the same back and forth movement (as when you load your brush) clean your brushes on the back of your hand.
• Wipe the brush over a bar of soap or on to a puddle of hair gel to 'set' the brushes into their chisel position and allow to dry flat 

You will find it useful to:

• Keep old shirts
• Bring a small towel or cloth to wipe your hands on (paint on hands means paint on your projects)
• Bring a plastic container large enough for your pallet and your brushes (there will not be time to properly wash them in class, but they must be rinsed and put into a container before they dry) until you can get home to clean them properly
• Keep styrofoam dishes that you can use as a pallet or buy a plastic pallet from Walmart or the Dollar Store and cover with Glad Press and Seal (which you simply peel off and throw away)
• Always take note of the colour combinations used in class as these are usually 'best case scenario' colours, those that will give you the best shading effect.  Buy only Folk Art paints for your projects, there IS a difference between them and the Dollar Store varieties and it is false economy to think that you will get the same result with a different paint.  Folk Art paints were designed for this technique other acrylic paints were designed for other techniques
• Practice between classes
• Play some soft music and relax while you paint, you will find that you slow down and enjoy your painting more.  Get some nice 'room smellies' and a good lamp to shine on your work
• Don't jump ahead, try to use the colours provided/recommended and don't try to improvise between classes (unless you are using the practice sheets provided for that purpose) since you will likely teach yourself bad habits
• Ask questions - all comments that you leave on this blog will be answered quickly
• Check this blog at least once a week before class on Thursday morning, be sure to bring everything that is on the list of items to bring to class and note any special instructions.  If a class is cancelled it will be posted on this blog

Once again, you were all excellent today and I can't wait for next week.  In the meantime, happy painting!

Lynne

Other Supplies

There are hundreds of different supplies and goodies available to help you with the One Stroke technique.  Some helpful extras would be:

• Brush Caddy/Water container for rinsing brushes and storing them
• Tracing paper for tracing images, lettering etc
• Brush Cleaner to regularly clean your brushes thoroughly and efficiently
• Paper towels......you're going to need lots of these!
• Transfer paper to transfer traced images or patterns on to your work
• Brush roll to safely transport your brushes

How To Get In The Mood To Paint

It is very important to paint in the right environment.  A well lit, comfortable environment will do a lot for your painting and your patience.  A little mood music, maybe even some scented candles can go a long way to make you relaxed and in the right mood to paint for hours.

When I took my OSCI course with Sue Gait (and Elite Instructor) she had beautiful music in the background, scented candles and a beautiful well lit studio, taking courses from her was as relaxing as a day in the spa!  I felt I could have painted for hours!

I realized that my 'studio' a kind of makeshift table in the laundry room (which was still better than taking over the dining room table and having to get everything out and put it all away every time I wanted to paint) was not conducive to painting for hours so I moved my art materials into our spare room.  Now I have an area in which I'm happy to paint and I enjoy it so much more.

Painting Surfaces

 One Stroke you can paint on almost any surface.  Often wood is used but sometimes glass, galvanized tin, candles, ceramic, fondant, walls, papier mache, leather and paper are used.  Remember to prepare your surface well before beginning to paint.
Use fine sandpaper to prepare wood surfaces and smooth raised grain between basecoats.

One Stroke Brushes

Brushes are the foundation for the One Stroke Technique, and learning how each brush is used is important and a fun part of the painting experience! And, to make it even easier, each One Stroke worksheet pack, book and DVD will indicate exactly what type and size of brush to use.

Two of the most used Brush Types are Flat Brushes and Scruffy Brushes. These brushes, when combined with the paint, instructions and worksheets, make painting fun and easy!

• One Stroke Flat Brushes have longer bristles and less thickness than other flat brushes, so they have a much sharper chisel edge. A sharp chisel edge is essential as strokes start and end on the chisel edge. Flat brushes are used for painting roses, flowers, leaves, and ribbons. For the beginning painter, it’s easier to work with larger brushes, for example a ¾” or #12 Flat, than smaller brushes. Dampen the brush in water and pat dry. Technique Tip: Double Loading is an easy way to mix two colors of paint together on a palette to create a variety of color within a single brush stroke.

1. Dip a corner of the brush into each of two colors, allowing the paint to meet in the middle of the bristles.

2. On the palette, stroke the brush back and forth, spreading the paint out and also pulling more paint into the brush.

3. Re-dip each corner with the same color paint, and get ready to paint! To clean Flat Brushes, rake the bristles gently across the bottom of the Brush Caddy, or wash with warm soapy water. Pat dry.

• One Stroke Scruffy Brushes are a lot of fun to use. Remove the brush from the package and gently pull the bristles into an oval shape. Then, twist the bristles gently in the palm of your hand, while maintaining the oval shape.

Technique Tip: This brush is not used with water. To clean after painting is finished, gently pounce the bristles in the Brush Caddy - don’t rake them, as the bristles can break. Allow brush to dry completely before using again.

Loading the Scruffy Brush: follow the same instructions as double loading the flat brush, but, instead of stroking the brush back and forth, pounce the Scruffy Brush up and down to spread out and pull in more paint – and push hard!