Brush strokes are used in every medium of painting there is. As discussed in other articles, every brush made is made for a specific purpose. To create the myriad of brush strokes, you will want to select the brushes that will create the effect you want with the paint medium you are using.

To create the brushstrokes, you need to learn how to load your brushes. This means thinning the paints to the proper consistency to flow from the brush bristles much like ink from a fountain pen and learning to load more than one color at a time so as to create shading and blending.

The first step is to work with wet brushes, sometimes adding water or solvents which help to move the paints. The next step is to determine if you need to fully load a brush, side-load a brush or corner-load a brush. Also to double-load and triple-load the paints into your brush bristles. You always fully load your brush with the lightest color. Often that is the base color you lay down in your pattern area.

To fully load a round brush, you will want to twist it slightly as you draw it through the paint to create a point. If you are loading a square brush, you will want to gently press the side of the tip against the palette or paper to create a fine edge to the bristles.

To double-load your brush, you fully load it with the lightest color then draw the brush bristles through the second color. When applied to an item, the colors are blended together and the darker color usually acts as a shadow or outline.

To triple-load a brush, it is done the same way as a double-load beginning with lightest color, then a darker color and finally the darkest color. The same effect is created but with three tones rather than two.

To Corner-load a brush, you load a square shader with the lighter color and draw just the corner bristles through a darker color. Lay the brush flat against a palette or tile and gently squiggle the full flat side of the brush across the palette, pre-blending your paint before application to the item.

To side-load a brush, you load it with your basic lighter color then laying is almost down, you draw the side across the second, darker color. This is similar to corner loading, but incorporates the entire side of the brush and you do not squiggle it on the tile prior to application. You do however, give the tip a gentle blot on a paper towel to remove any starting globs.

Your primary strokes are ‘C’ strokes, press, drag, pull strokes and “Comma” strokes. All these are basically laying the brush tip on the item, increasing or decreasing pressure as you pull the stroke toward you and finally lifting the brush from your item. “C” strokes and “Comma” strokes can be reversed.

Depending upon your painting medium, newspaper is an almost perfect painting surface to practice your brush strokes. If the paint is too thin, it will spread and create uneven lines. If it is too thick, it will begin to skip. If it is of proper consistency, you will find it workable like writing with a fountain pen. The paint will flow as smoothly as ink. Practice is essential to learn consistency, action and control.

How you hold your brush is also important. Keep a light grip on the brush and hold it perpendicular rather than like a writing instrument. Also utilize your thumb and forefinger more prominently to allow more motion to the brush.

Project of the Month - Flower Fantasy (Photo by J Weaver)
Technique - Basic Brush Strokes

Supplies Needed:

- Greenware Vase
- Cleaning tools
- Sponge
- Glazed tile or palette
- Palette knife
- Pencil
- Clay carbon paper or similar
- Brushes - liner, #8 or #10 soft round, glaze mop
- Green opaque underglaze
Translucent under glazes (such as Gare’s Holiday blue, Spanish Moss, Bittersweet, Rosewood Tan, Figi, Onyx, Wineberry, French Lilac, Salome Pink, Lipstick Red, Persimmon, Harbor Gray and Chartreuse)
- Clear Glaze

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step One: Make sure your item is clean and free of seams and blemishes. Wipe it down with a damp sponge to remove all traces of dust.

Step Two: Using a round soft bristled brush (#8 or #10) apply three coats of your green opaque under glaze to the top portion of the vase, as well as inside as far as you can reach. Make sure you allow each coat to dry thoroughly. You may substitute another color if you desire, just make sure it is an opaque under glaze.

Step Three: Click here to print and then trace your pattern or sketch your own design with a dull pencil directly onto the greenware. DO NOT impress the design by using too much pressure. Use graphite or carbon paper.

Step Four: Place a small puddle of Blue, Gray, bittersweet, Rosewood, Lilac, Berry, Pink and Red color on your tile or palette. Add a few drops of water or glaze conditioner to thin them. Mix well. Each color should have a milky consistency. Do not over thin them.

You will apply your paints with a press, drag, pull technique and you will apply them in pairs. The first two colors are one pair, the second two colors another pair and so forth. You will apply the paints on the background flowers first (the partial flowers in the design).

Using a #6 liner, fully load your brush with the first color. Re-load your brush after every stroke. To apply the paint, you will tip your brush to the outside edge of each petal, press and drag in the same motion, pulling the brush to the inside edge of the petals lifting your brush off the piece as you get to the end of the petal. Apply color #1 to two petals of the flower, skip two petals and then apply the same color to the next two petals. Repeat until every other pair of petals are painted with the first color. Next load your brush with color #2 and apply it to the missed petals. You will have two petals of color #1 then two petals of color #2 and then two petals of color #1 all the way around your flower.

Repeat the above painting process with each pair of paints on each of the flowers. See photo for suggested reference.

Step Five: Using a sponge, make a small ball between your fingers. Dip it in thinned Persimmon (orange). Press it against the tile palette to work it into the sponge. Press the paint onto the centers of each of the flowers..

Step Six: Pour a small puddle of Figi and Onyx on your palette and thin them. Load your #8 liner with Figi (brown). Draw the tip edge of the brush through your thinned Onyx (black). Press dots along one side of each of the centers creating seed-like pods and shadows. Re-load brush as needed.

Step Seven: Pour a small puddle of Chartreuse (light yellow green) and Spanish Moss (dark green) and thin them. Load a #8 liner with the Chartreuse. Side load the brush with the Moss. Using the same press, drag pull stroke, paint the leaves. Re-load your brush after every two or three strokes.

Step Eight: Fire your vase to cone 04-03.

Step Nine: Roll a thinned glaze (about one part water to four parts glaze) to the inside of your vase and drain completely, wipe any spills off outside of vase. Using a soft fan or glaze brush, apply two or three coats of clear glaze to the outside and bottom of your vase.

Step Ten: Stilt and fire your vase to cone 06-05

Hot Tip:

Remember that the bottom of your item is a part of the piece too. You should extend the same care to cleaning it and painting it as you do to the rest of your piece.

Upcoming Ceramic Shows

Nashville TN ceramic Show - 5/1 - 5/2
Exhibitor’s Association ceramic & Doll show
http://www.ceramicdollshows.com/

Chicago IL Ceramic Show - 5/8 - 5/9
Exhibitor’s Association Ceramic & Doll Show
http://www.ceramicdollshows.com/

Denver CO Ceramic Show - 5/29 - 5/30
Intermountain Ceramic Organization