Planning Ahead:

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Several beginner paintings, designed by Cinnamon Cooney (AKA "The Art Sherpa"), Angela Anderson, and Theresa Kiernan are available in the classroom.  I will not be publishing photos of their designs here, and I will not formally "teach" any of these designs. (Because of copyright issues!)

However... I will provide links to the tutorials if you want to follow them! Scroll down for more....

Art Sherpa wildflowers

This is my absolute favorite "beginner painting." I've "taught" this one many times, using many different sizes of canvas. If you want to paint this painting, choose from the canvas sizes mentioned in #2 and tell your host LuAnn: "I want to do the Sherpa wildflowers on this size of canvas: (fill in the blank!)"

If you have a phone or table and earphones, and want to try the original URL, it is here: Sherpa Wildflowers

It's also possible to "tone down" the colors. This was one of the earliest paintings I tried. There is a definite flaw in this painting: If you don't let one layer dry before adding the next, the "tacky" paint gets picked up by the fresh paint and causes the messy area you see in the clouds. Learn from my mistakes!!!

Morning Snow in Field

 Art Sherpa Van Gogh Sunflowers

 Art Sherpa sunflowers.

 "Easy Cup of Coffee" 

 "Pumps and Flowers." 

 "Easy Pumpkins."

Art Sherpa version 

Angela Anderson tulips.

Tracie Kiernan American Flag/skyline mash-up

Here's a similar design, based on flags available all over the internet!

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If you want to get a quick idea of all that ACRYLIC PAINTS can do for you, try a simple mountain scene like this one. The sample shown here is "Artist Trading Card size," which is only 2.5" x 3.5", but there is an 8" x 10" sample canvas in the classroom. This one is SO much fun to do! (It is my adaptation of a tutorial by Cinnamon Cooney. If you want to try hers (which is orange) look here: Easy Sunset

If you want to try painting this type of painting, first pick a canvas size ...8" x 10" stretched canvas. 8" x 10" canvas board. 4" x 4" stretched canvas (with a mini easel included) 4" x 4" canvas board (which also includes a mini easel)... then tell your host LuAnn "I want to do a monochrome scene in (name the color) on this size canvas (be ready to tell this, too!)

I don't meet too many people who want to "do" abstracts.... but these highly-textured little paintings are SO much fun to do! Choose colors or simple shapes (hearts are nice) and try it!

If you want to try painting this type of painting, first pick a canvas size ...8" x 10" stretched canvas. 8" x 10" canvas board. 4" x 4" stretched canvas (with a mini easel included) 4" x 4" canvas board (which also includes a mini easel)... then tell your host LuAnn "I want to do a meditative shape in (name the color) on this size canvas (be ready to tell this, too!)

Just about ANYTHING looks cute on a tiny canvas. For this little painting, we begin with a stencil made out of adhesive vinyl. Rainbow colors are added and blended. Once the paint is completely dry, remove the stencil and carefully paint the background!

The same basic concept is also fun to do with your INITIALS....

Yes, I'm all about TEXTURE when it comes to acrylic paint. The background for this simple painting was done with a brush, but all the rest was done with a palette knife! LOTS of fun! 

If you want to try painting this type of painting, first pick a canvas size ...8" x 10" stretched canvas. 8" x 10" canvas board. 4" x 4" stretched canvas (with a mini easel included) 4" x 4" canvas board (which also includes a mini easel)... then tell your host LuAnn "I want to do a palettte knife painting! Then tell her what size canvas you want!

Here's a design that includes several fun techniques: the heart is done using a Cricut shape that is fastened on while you paint the sky. The sky is brushed on. The tree and grass are made with a palette knife.

If you want to try painting this type of painting, first pick a canvas size ...8" x 10" stretched canvas. 8" x 10" canvas board. 4" x 4" stretched canvas (with a mini easel included) 4" x 4" canvas board (which also includes a mini easel)... then tell your host LuAnn "I want to do a palettte knife painting! Then tell her what size canvas you want!

This little painting is actually based on a Bob Ross tutorial. I would not follow Bob's wonderful instructions for this, because acrylic dries much too fast to use the "wet-on-wet" technique. But that doesn't mean we can't be inspired by his simple-to-paint compositions!

If you want to try painting this type of painting, first pick a canvas size ...8" x 10" stretched canvas. 8" x 10" canvas board. 4" x 4" stretched canvas (with a mini easel included) 4" x 4" canvas board (which also includes a mini easel)... then tell your host LuAnn "I want to do the Bob Ross painting! "
Then tell her what size canvas you want!

This sample is painted on a very thick canvas, which I am not offering for the class. It is equally cute on a less-deep canvas, if you would like to try it!

If you want to try painting this painting, tell your host LuAnn "I want to do the LEGO bike painting! "

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Part of the "guild experience" is, when you are ready, to ask for a critique of your work.

You can start with a basic pattern and explore different color combinations.

Acrylics are very forgiving. Make a mistake? Let the layer dry completely. Paint right over the mistake.

(There are a few exceptions. That's what we're here to learn. Yellow paints are typically very transparent. If you try to put yellow over black... it wont work. But white over black is fine! So go white, then yellow....

ANYTHING you paint on a  3" x 3" or 4" x 4" canvas ends up being cute!

It's not too soon to think of winter or Christmas paintings. 

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My favorite holiday is Halloween, so of course I have lots of little Halloweenie paintings. Ghosts are simple and fun and a bit of glow-in-the-dark paint makes them even MORE fun!

Another SIMPLE topic is a jack-o-lantern! This one can be painted using the "mask" method. 

There is a step-by-step instruction sheet that goes with this project:

An oldie but goodie: The skeleton is copied from clipart. The spider is plastic confetti. The painting is just plain FUN!

SUPER simple: I cut out a stencil for the witch and just filled it in with black paint. There are a LOT of free silhouette-style images available online. Now that crafty cutting machines are available, this kind of thing is even easier to make.

Is it art? Maybe not.

Is it fun? Yes.

Can you make this kind of thing in the TAG classroom? If that is what you want, of course you can!

Beginners often use bright colors, right out of the tube. (And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. No rules! Just Joy!)

However.... my high school teacher told us we should never use paint right out of the jar. Any color can be "toned down" by adding a bit of its complementary color. (red/green  yellow/purple blue/orange)

Sometimes, paintings can work with only muted colors. (But there is one "mistake" in this painting. Most artists do not use black and white to make a rather flat gray like I have in this painting. Ask about grays if you want to paint with more subtle colors....)  

Acrylics are great for mixed media pieces. The painting above has added text from old books and a bit of loosely-woven fabric. 

For the painting below, I printed images in black and white, fastened them to the canvas using acrylic matte medium. I also tore words from the pages of old books. Finally, I "over-painted" the images. This type of painting isn't meant to be "sell-able." It is more of an exercise in ART THERAPY!

There are good things about this little painting.... and bad things. It was a fun learning piece!