Painting with a big brush is an excellent way to loosen up your painting style because it's hard to put down detail. The challenge of this painting project is to paint with a brush significantly wider than your normal or favorite brush.
Use a flat brush that's considerably bigger than what you'd normally use (I'd say at least 5cm/2" wide), and not a round one because you're wanting to increase the width of the painting strokes you make. If you're buying a brush specifically to give this project a go, the best cheap option is to buy a cheap varnishing brush. Otherwise, buy a decorating brush and cut half the hairs off with a pair of scissors (half the depth, not width) if it's too thick (see photo).
You need to mix up a lot more paint than you'd usually use because the brush will pick up a lot more. You want paint using the entire width of the brush or it defeats the object of using a large brush. Work on a large sheet of paper (I recommend A1 size; sticking smaller sheets together with masking tape on the back works too) or a large canvas. Paint with your whole arm, not your wrist.
Big brush painting works with any subject. In figure painting, it makes you concentrate on pose and shape rather than details such as wrinkles because the brush you're using doesn't allow you to paint such small lines. In a still life of a vase of flowers, you can't get caught up painting tiny, neat, individual petals but the tip or edge of the brush will still give convincing gestures that'll capture the essence of the petals.
It also helps to set a time limit, say 20 minutes, to force you to concentrate on get the whole of the picture down quickly and then stop. Your painting may feel 'unfinished' but it'll help you think about what makes you decide when a painting is finished (and stop you reworking what you've done). It's often hard to know when to stop, and endlessly reworking a painting usually destroys its liveliness.
The painting shown here was done with a brush about 5cm/2" wide. There are problems with the proportions, but to me it's got a relaxed atmosphere rather than the stiff, upright feel a life painting can easily get when you get caught up on details.
Please note that new submissions for this project gallery are currently not being accepted. Check the list of monthly painting projects to see what this month's project is.
Use a flat brush that's considerably bigger than what you'd normally use (I'd say at least 5cm/2" wide), and not a round one because you're wanting to increase the width of the painting strokes you make. If you're buying a brush specifically to give this project a go, the best cheap option is to buy a cheap varnishing brush. Otherwise, buy a decorating brush and cut half the hairs off with a pair of scissors (half the depth, not width) if it's too thick (see photo).
You need to mix up a lot more paint than you'd usually use because the brush will pick up a lot more. You want paint using the entire width of the brush or it defeats the object of using a large brush. Work on a large sheet of paper (I recommend A1 size; sticking smaller sheets together with masking tape on the back works too) or a large canvas. Paint with your whole arm, not your wrist.
Big brush painting works with any subject. In figure painting, it makes you concentrate on pose and shape rather than details such as wrinkles because the brush you're using doesn't allow you to paint such small lines. In a still life of a vase of flowers, you can't get caught up painting tiny, neat, individual petals but the tip or edge of the brush will still give convincing gestures that'll capture the essence of the petals.
It also helps to set a time limit, say 20 minutes, to force you to concentrate on get the whole of the picture down quickly and then stop. Your painting may feel 'unfinished' but it'll help you think about what makes you decide when a painting is finished (and stop you reworking what you've done). It's often hard to know when to stop, and endlessly reworking a painting usually destroys its liveliness.
The painting shown here was done with a brush about 5cm/2" wide. There are problems with the proportions, but to me it's got a relaxed atmosphere rather than the stiff, upright feel a life painting can easily get when you get caught up on details.
Please note that new submissions for this project gallery are currently not being accepted. Check the list of monthly painting projects to see what this month's project is.