Lesson 15 Carnation

Lesson 14 azalea

Lesson 13 Ducks

lesson 12

Angel fish

Lesson 11

Dear Creative friend


letting the painting tell you what it needs. While it's all about surrendering to the work itself,
it's also the quality of the dialogue in front of it. Well-chosen placement of the confident strokes gives us great satisfaction.  Then they all speakt and tell us what we really are inside.   As it is said, "How do I know what I
think until I hear what I say." In our case, "How do I know what I know until I paint"

We did grapes last week. Your students are now very comfortable in loading their brush.  They are very deliberate in executing each strokes.  You should see their focus and concentration when they paint.  Their paintings in the hall way may speak for themselves.  Enjoy it.

We don't have class this week, nor next week(Spring break).  We have 5 more classes after spring break.
I enjoy each and every class with your students.  Thank you for this opportunity.

Have a great Spring Break.

Lesson 10

Robert Genn, a renown Canadian artist in his Twice-Weekly Letter says:

"It's safe to say that too much drawing can destroy form and pattern. Fact is, paintings are best made
of patches, not lines....But lines themselves are a way to understand those patches and the
underlying forms....

Joyousbrush painting incorporate the patches approach to explore and understand.  It forces the students to rely on their mental imagery to paint.  We don't pencil in before we paint.  We paint directly on rice paper.  The learning takes place in both ways.  In realize what's in our mind, and to interpret what appeared on paper.  The understanding comes from the form, and the image in our mind produce the form.  This process connect the command center of your students with their environment. This exercise motivate students to integrate mind and hand in a more engaged way.

We painted plum blossom on Friday.  The paintings are displayed in Shallowford Falls Hall way, including mine.  So I will post another painting for your reference.

lesson 9

Painting mastery" is understanding our world and understanding
relationships. Contrary to popular belief, painting doesn't mean
splashing colors--it means seeing and reporting the forms and shapes and their relationships. Painting is a non-literary way of
looking--and the skill to put down what you see in a two-dimensional way. Painting mastery takes time and patience.

Joyousbrush painting incorporate the stroke work to explore and understand.  It forces the students to manage what they see in attainable strokes and combinations.

We painted the sun flower this week.  Each flower is composed of many pedals.  Each pedal is composed of 3 brush strokes.  The color release of the loaded brush define the padals.

Lesson 8 Frogs

The students requested to do creatures instead of the sun flower originally planned.  I decided to venture with them according to their desire.  We tried frogs.

This is the process that shows your student that what they desire and imaging bring about realization eventually. This teaches the students to form a habit of taking command of their mind.  The outcome of their picture motivate the students to conceive better, then the value comes into play.  What is better.  Painting does a lot in forming the character of a person subconsciously.  We are having fun doing it.

Some students regretted their own request because it is too hard.  Unless they are convinced of such, they will not be content following my planned curriculum.  So we did a rabbit trail for this purpose.

lesson 7 Chrysanthemum

This lesson works on the progressive strokes in releasing the color in the loaded brush.  The artist can control the shades by the stroke orders they chose.  This excise also build confidence on the students that there is not stroke that are wrong, but the preference of the artist surface defines personal artistry.  The sum of these strokes define the form.  So the students need to have the form in mind while execute their strokes.

lesson 6 Strawberries

We did strawberries last week. We worked with varied diluted paint to create the strawberries.  The leaves are a bit challenging.  The flowers are stroked in from the back side of the painting.  Your students paintings are displayed in the Hall way.  I am so proud of each one of them.  I look forward to our session tomorrow.

lesson 5 hydrangea flowers

Dear Creative friends

We did hydrangea this week.  We learn how to load the brushes deep for the leaves and shallow for the flowers. You may view the demonstration for painting hydrangea flowers in the youtube video below. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I24fmT0kE4s 

The class was so serene and each students are so polite and sweet.  We miss Ansley this week.  She always gives encouraging remarks and positive feedbacks with her kindness.  You can see the concentrated efforts in their paintings hanging on the hall way.  We will continue to work on hydragea, especially on the leaves next week.

Lesson 4

We painted tulips today.  Your students have done so well following the instruction closely and trying their best rendering each stroke.  You can see their work hanging in the hall way.  

I have capture the demonstration on my video camera for your reference:

Tulip leaves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhU2z4Pe4KI&feature=g-upl&context=G2a04e66AUAAAAAAABAA 
Tulip flowers:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJSf140owl0&feature=g-upl&context=G281229fAUAAAAAAAAAA 

Next week we will do crocus.  They may do combination of tulips and crocus flowers if they feel up to it. Whatever we paint, my objective is to built the student's confidence in their stroke work. This will be their documentation tool for all kinds of flowers.  Just as writing clarifies our ideas.  Painting clarifies our visualization.  Visualization is powerful. For if you can visualize it, you can realize.  

Lesson 3

Dear Creative friends 

We painted Daffodils this week.  I video taped the demonstration at shallowford Falls, but it did not come out.  So I am attaching my daffodil demonstration video at Kincaid Elementary school for your reference.  v=3QWzZImnuJE&feature=plcp&context=C3dea511UDOEgsToPDskJvpjw5oNiHPHT-vKFI0knl Your students' paintings are displayed in the hall way for public viewing.  Attached is the demo painting.

We continue to work on loading of the brush,  the pallet management and the control of the amount of water in the brush for the desired stroke.  We work on straight steady strokes of the daffodil leaves.  the landing and the lifting of the brush and the proper amount of pressure to make the leaves, flower bud and the flower peddles.  We continue to work with the outline option to help with our strokes.  It is an acquired skill and your students are following nicely.

Tomorrow we will paint tulips.  We will start with the new sprout and explore the folded leaves, flower buds as well as the full bloom.  If you want to paint with us, parents, staff or new students are all welcome.  I will prorate the class.

See you tomorrow.

lesson 2

Today we learn how to properly load your brush with varied shaded strokes. We painted daisies with tear drop strokes in front view, three quarter view and sideview.  We also explore the buds and venture into pumpkin since they are similar in form but differ in size.  You may view our paintings on the wall by Joyousbrush Club post board on the Hall way.  Since the painting is hung on the wall. I will attached one of my previous demo painting for your reference.  We did not cover the creatures on that painting today.  We missed Elizabeth.   

There is Chinese New Year celebration at Chinese Culture Center at  5377 New Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30341 tomorrow and Sunday.  It may be interesting for your family to experience how Chinese celebrate their New Year.  You may find out the detail on  http://entertainment.accessatlanta.com/chamblee-ga/events/show/236383484-chinese-new-year-festival-year-of-dragon 

I will see you next Friday.  We will paint on.  Your students are doing great.  

Happy Chinese New Year.  

2012-1 Proper way to hold the brush

Dear Creative friends

We had a great start in 2012 learning to paint with new tools, new mind set and new techniques.  Before classes started.  I was sharing with 2 early arrivals some Chinese language in a song. They got more interested when Leo arrived and was able to speak them.   I am attaching the song per student's request with our Chinese caligraphy and brush painting for your reference.  The translation of the song is "How are you, I am fine; Thank you, Don't mention it; I am sorry  Not a problem; See you tomorrow, See you tomorrow. "  

We started with Chinese characters to teach the students how to properly hold the brush and emphasized the begging and ending of each strokes.  I want them to paint with deliberation as if they are writing.  

We then explore the dots, tear drop, line and leave strokes in a daisy.  These strokes will take time to develop, just as learning musical instruments do.  We also turn the flower from front view to side view to 3/4 view.  So your students will paint with perspectives.  

We will paint with color next week.  I am hoping to keep them stroke focused.  The foundation and the advancement of this art form is in the execution and application of their brush strokes.  After we developed some basic brush strokes, we will explore new subjects so the returning students will move on with the sense of freshness.