Brush shapes
Posted: June 3, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized 23 CommentsIf you have a brush with a decent point on it, try painting shapes with no pencil lines. It takes some careful observation and a wet brush. If you start light and keep the shapes wet, you can go back into them and add darks or bits of other colours. Look at how shapes combine and overlap and try to get the values right in the first pass. It’s a good exercise for practicing your brush work.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
Yes! This is brilliant!
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Gil, always great to hear from you. Thanks so much! I actually started a larger painting with th peonies but the composition was not successful so I ended up doing this…
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Perfect timing — I just got my first petit gris and tried it out last night for the first time — what a treat! Reading this today feels quite serendipitous!
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…. oh, and I forgot to add that, of course, I’ll be doing this exercise tonight…. 🙂
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Enjoy that brush. You may find that you can’t make the sharpest shapes with that because it’s a floppy brush, but give it a try.
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What is a petit Gris
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It’s a squirrel brush. I saw Shari use hers on her Craftsy course — then I saw this video on CitizenSketcher (May 17) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv4bfoKemgo and decided to get one.
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Just watched the video. Who is the artist? Don’t remember Shari using a squirrel brush so I will watch the class again.(for the upteenth time.)
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I took a look at my materials list and I had written Raphael Petit Gris Brush Series 803 7 and 3. So–I will look into buying one. Thanks.
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Thanks all of you, for responding to Marion. Yes, I do use a Petit Gris Squirrel mop brush but that wasn’t what I used for this. I use the Petit Gris for big washes because the brush I have doesn’t have a good point on it anymore.
In the video link you’ll see a newer brush (same as mine) that still has a good point.
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This is fabulous, Shari! Going to give this a try. Thanks so much for this exercise! 😃
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Thanks Charlie!
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Yes! I do that sometimes- you’ve inspired me to try again
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This can sometimes be useful in larger paintings which is why I like to practice in a sketchbook sometimes.
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Right now I’m in love with my new rosemary dagger brush and I will try your exercise as soon as the housework is done… housework is completely overratet:-)
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This is perfect for the dagger brush! Forget the housework!
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Is a dagger brush worth buying? I don’t think you used one in your 2 Craftsy classes. I do like this “exercise.” . There is an incredible amount of variation in what looks like a simple painting.
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I think a dagger brush is a nice addition to a range of brushes but I don’t think it is essential. I do love the Rosemary one I have because it’s great for painting foliage.
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What size would you suggest if only getting one?
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Excellent idea, I’ll give this a try soon, health permitting !
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I hope you are well Andy, and hope you’ll get out to sketch soon enough.
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I really like the look of the plants. I like how you introduced the plants to the page immediately with colour, rather than mapping them out first with a pencil. It’ s like you are letting the subject know you have the confidence in it to present itself appropriately on the page without any pre-instruction.
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That is so beautifully said Marion.
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