Art Lessons
Lesson 1 - Watercolors
Hello, welcome to painting with Stasia.
I know all of you are not artists, but painting can be relaxing and fun. The coolest part about art is that there are no wrong answers. So enjoy yourself. Just have fun! Feel free to do your own thing or follow my steps to create an abstract flower. Watercolors are easier if you let go of the control and let things happen.
Okay, the first step is to wet the paper really well. We want the colors to bleed. That means that colors will run and look foggy. So choose any color and make petal shapes in a circle. It is okay if they are not perfect. Often, an artist will take something and simplify its shape to create an abstract work. Just have fun!
Oh, another thing about watercolors is that it often looks more interesting if we leave some white paper showing. Once you are done with the petals, you can choose a color for the middle. You can do as many flowers as you want. Feel free to add a couple of leaves.
Well, I hope you will have fun!
Lesson 2 - Cartoons
Who liked cartoons when they were a kid? Who still secretly likes them sometimes? Today, would you like to draw a cartoon?
I want your image to fill up the page. The best way to paint anything is to break it down to its basic shapes.
For Sponge Bob Square Pants, I would draw a huge square first. His pants are just a line across the bottom. Then two big circles for his eyes. Then a watermelon-shaped mouth. You can draw a circle.
For Bugs Bunny, draw a pear-shaped head. Draw two long ears. Bugs Bunny has a long body with long legs and arms. He has big eyes. To get the gray color, I mixed white, blue, and black.
I hope you like drawing cartoons today.
Lesson 3 - Seasons
Okay, today, please think of your favorite season and paint it.
Why don't we go around the table and share our favorite seasons? Now, my favorite is the fall with all the colors.
Okay, I'll start with the bright blue sky. To do that, get the top of the paper wet with your paintbrush. Then can you paint blue where you got your paper wet?
Now you can do trees. I would make the trees and the branches long and thin. If you are doing some, you can put green leaves on the trees.
If you are painting in winter, you can put snow on your trees. With a little white paint on the top of the branches.
For autumn, you can paint the fall leaves in red, orange, or yellow.
Lesson 4 - Abstract Self Portrait
I am going to push you a little today. Please try an abstract portrait of yourself.
Now don't stress. It doesn't need to be perfect. The coolest part about abstract art is that it isn't realistic-looking. The well-known artist Picasso created many abstract portraits. You could look through this book. He painted the body parts in different places and at different angles. Like a nose is where the chin is. Or you could enlarge the eyes. You can use wacky colors. Just have fun.
Keep the paper dry this time. I think drawing with watercolors would be the best. Choose any color to start with. First, let's make a big oval that fills up the page.
You can pick two unusual places to draw the eyes, like the chin and the forehead. To draw eyes, draw lemon shapes. I would like you to make the eyes big. Can you draw circles in the lemon shapes?
To make a nose, draw a triangle. Let's place the nose somewhere other than between the eyes, like on a cheek. Place the mouth anywhere you want.
You can paint the hair around the head using a big paintbrush. You could paint the skin crazy colors if you want.