Lesson 8

We did Chrysanthemum on Friday. Building on daisy and added outline as visual guide.  We also started stroke leaves with outline visual guide.  On lesson 9 we will stroke the flowers and leaves without the outline guide.  

We won't have class this Friday 10/28 due to Conference week.  There are 2 more classes on Nov. 6th and Nov. 11th.  Nov. 18th is a make up class.  If you have missed one or more classes, you may come on the 18th.  I will do a make up class with you.

Those of you wanted to frame your children's painting, please bring the paintings in with post it notes or paper clips on the paintings as clear indicator on Nov 6th.  You may include the check for the frame as well.  $19.99/frame.   I will mount them, frame them and bring them back on Nov. 11th.  If your child's painting is torn, mounting will fix it.  

I have attached class demonstration for your reference.  Be thinking about next year.  We will go on with more flowers and may be some animals.  

Have a blessed day.

lesson 7 pumpkins

We did pumpkins on Friday.  I wanted the students to see volume and how to use brush strokes to show volume. I also introduced them the basic strokes in painting a tree, corn stalk, hey stack and tree trunk for added interest.  This coming Friday we will paint chrysanthemum. 

I have attached the class demo for your reference.    I will be putting out proposals for Spring Semester in the next week or 2.  

lesson 6 cherry blossom and cherries

We did cherry blossom in Joyousbrush Club today.  Some students are so excited about painting with loaded brush strokes, it is easy to be carried away.  But the joy of painting and the delight in creativity is clearly demonstrated in their works, which are displayed on the Hall in school.  You can almost see the personality from their paintings.  

I did a promotional video with Young Audience in Woodruff Art Center.  You may view the clips from the link below.  

http://www.yawac.org/Special-Initiatives/The-Dream-Art-Contest.aspx  

I have attached the class demonstration for your reference.  We will do pumpkin next week.

Lesson 5

We did cherry blossom from bud to fruit today.  We did it in black and white, because I want the students to practice their stroke work and the perspectives of the blooms.  This is like pencil outline before painting, except we rehearse it in our mind almost like the performing artist do.  Next week we will compose all the elements we covered and deliver a colored painting.  

The premeditation before painting is an important step in Chinese Brush Art.  The artist traditionally grind their ink with the ink stick on the ink stone while consolidate the ideas, themes, layout and design in their head.  The paintings are done (in one breath) as a performer would their show.  This way the spirit is captured through the expressive brush strokes on the rice paper which is totally honest in capturing them.  The students are not yet there, but clarifying the subject visually is very important. 

lesson 4

We put all the elements of the roses we learned last week together.  They include Cherokee roses' front view, 3/4 view, side view, rose buds , leaves, stems and thorns.  We talked about composition.  The students art works are now on the hall way.  

Next week we will do cherry blossoms.  Thank you for allowing the the seeds of joy to germinate in Joyousbrush Club as we explore beauty together. 

lesson 3

We did Cherokee roses last Friday.  I introduced the brush strokes for the leaves, flower buds, stem, thorns as well as how to put multiple leaves together to form leave clusters. We reviewed the loading of the brush.   We will do Cherokee roses again this Friday focus on placement and design.  The students will have a sense of familiarity when we compose with the elements they already learned.

I want to start putting some of their works on the walls at school.  If you don't see them bringing a painting home, please check on the walls in school.  

Thank you for sharing your creative children with me.  We are delightfully exploring the magic of brush painting together.  I have attached the demonstration for your reference.

lesson 2

Dear Creative friends

We started with color painting today.  We learn to load our brushes with varied shades of colors.  As we stroke with the loaded brush, the color happens. This exercise also teaches your students how to mix colors and the color theory.     We had little extra time, we were exploring creatures such as butterfly, caterpillar, snails. 

I am so pleased with the attentiveness in the class as we paint.  The students are very busy learning, but it's all delight directed.  Each painting turn out different because they are not copying.  

Enjoy your creative child