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Lesson Plan: Acrylic Painting Techniques Grades: 6th-HS Art Supplies:

• Palette-Plastic plate or small tray

• 2 regular length paper towels

• 1 sheet of wax paper as long as the plate, scissors

• 1 spray bottle with water

• Acrylic paintings

• paint brushes

• water cups

• aluminum foil or Glad “Press n’ Seal”,

• Acrylic Painting Techniques Worksheet

Preparation: Copy “Acrylic Painting Techniques Worksheet” onto cardstock one /student Objectives:

• Students will learn about the medium of acrylic paints, care of supplies, & how to paint with them.

• They will learn various techniques & procedures for getting started, painting with acrylic paints, and cleaning up procedures.

• Observe and apply basic acrylic painting techniques.

Delivery: (55 Minutes)

1. Getting Set Up a. Put newspaper/newsprint under your canvas to protect the table b. Get a cup of water to keep your brushes in AT ALL TIMES! Acrylic Paint is permanent-it will

dry & harden on any surface & ruin paintbrushes/clothes c. Prepare Paint Palette: (Handout: “Make Your Own Palette”)

i.Plastic plate or small tray, 2 regular length paper towels, 1 sheet of wax paper as long as the plate, 1 spray bottle with water

ii.Cut paper towel & was paper to fit inside paper plate so that it comes up the edges forming a bowl inside the plate

iii.Place paper towels in bottom of the plastic plate, spray generously with water iv.Place wax paper on top of wet paper towel, press down on it so it is touching the wet

paper towel v.Get the paint you will need for one section of your painting (get about a quarter size drop

of paint)-start with the background, then move forward in space

2. Surfaces & Brushes a. Types of surfaces- canvas panels, framed/stretched canvas, & paper coated with gesso or

canvas b. Types of brushes -sable & synthetic, flat, round, bright, filbert c. How to hold brushes-classic (like holding a pencil), overhand (like

how you would hold a screwdriver) 3. Review color palette. Color mixing, Ex: Difference between pthalo blue &

ultramarine blue, etc. a. Optional: Color Mixing Chart

ACTIVITY: “Acrylic Painting Techniques Worksheet” Teacher demonstrate, student follow example.

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1. Flat stroke: create even bands of color. Using a wide flat brush, load brush with paint, use the side of the brush to cover the square with a smooth layer of paint. Blend the edges by overlapping your strokes to create a seamless block of color.

2. Edge of Brush: a. For Flat brushes: Use wide side of flat brush to create a wide line, then use the thin side of

the brush to create a thin line. b. Thick N’ Thin: strokes varies from thick to thin by the amount of pressure applied to the

brush- use round brush or use a flat brush and twist it from side to side. This is also called calligraphic line.

3. Flip-flop: load paint on brush with a light color on one side and the other side with a darker color. Using a flip-flop motion, paint a short and diagonal strokes making an “X” pattern. The strokes will sometimes blend together. If you don’t want them to blend too much, then make sure to reload the brush often with the two colors.

4. Stipple: (good for adding texture) Fan out the bristles of the brush so they are separated. Gently dab brush in a thin amount of paint. Softly plunge the brush head down onto the paper and make a “pouncing” motion. Reload paint as necessary. Try layering different color values on top of your first strokes –this will give more dimension.

5. Dry Brush: apply a small amount of paint on the tip of the brush, swipe brush on a paper towel so there is very little paint on it. Try with a dark background with light colored paint dry brushed on top and try with light background with dark colored paint dry brushed on top.

6. Wrist Flick- Pivoting from your wrist push the brush tip up and away in a "flicking" motion in a fast movement.

7. Scumbling: Apply a layer of paint, let it dry. Lightly drag a brush or palette knife with just a little paint on its side across the top of the first layer of paint. **Rock it side to side to create an uneven texture. This creates a broken covering of the new color over the top.

8. Impasto: this is a thick application of paint. Vincent van Gogh used the impasto technique. Put a lot of paint on a smaller round bristle brush, paint in thick, short strokes. The paint should stand up in ridges.

9. Sgraffito: roughly means “scratched in.” Refers to the process of scratching through one layer of paint to expose the layer underneath. Paint a thin layer of paint to make a square, let dry completely. Then either paint on or use a palette knife to apply a thick layer of paint over the first layer of paint. **While the paint is still wet, use either the opposite side of the brush or a palette knife to scratch into the paint exposing the first layer. Try with a dark background with light colored painted on top and try with light background with dark colored painted on top.

10. Mixing 2 Colors: a. Mix a Primary color with another primary color to create a secondary color. b. Mix a Primary color with a secondary color to create a intermediate color.

11. Tint: a tint is a lighter value of a color. The most common way to lighten is with white, but you can use a lighter color to lighten the first color (keep in mind that this changes the color).

12. Shade: a shade is a darker value of a color. The common method is to use black to darken, but that is not best for all colors. Warm colors, especially yellow and orange, will turn a olive greenish-brown color. I usually darken yellow and orange with a darker color close to them on the color wheel or with a burnt sienna. You can also darken a color with its complementary color (keep in mind that this will dull the color).

13. Value Scale: Mix 2 tints and 2 shades of one color. 14. Gradated Value Scale: Create a blended value scale showing a smooth transition of values. 15. Blending color: show a gradation of blending 2 colors together. Make sure to create

smooth transitions between colors. 16. Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a color. Change the intensity of a color by slowly

mixing it with it complementary color. 17. Practice painting forms to look 3D (sphere, cylinder, & cube) using tints and

complementary colors.

© Michelle C. East - Create Art with ME 2017

Keep your paints wet & workable for longer!

Supplies: Plastic plate or small tray, 2 regular length paper towels, 1 sheet of wax paper as long as the plate, scissors, 1 spray bottle with water, aluminum foil or Glad “Press n’ Seal”

Turn plastic plate upside down onto the paper towels under the Plastic plate & sheet of wax paper. Trace around the plate with a Sharpie.

Cut wax paper and paper towel along the Sharpie line. Lay the wax paper & paper towel inside the plate to test if the paper sticks up higher than the edge of the plate. If so, trim the excess papers off so that they come up the edge forming a bowl inside the plate.

Once trimmed, place paper towels only in bottom of the plastic plate, spray generously with water.

Place wax paper on top of wet paper towel, press down on it so it is touching the wet paper towel.

Get the paint you will need for one section of your painting (get about a quarter size drop of paint). Use foil or Glad “Press n’ Seal” to cover your paints.

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Make Your Own EASY Palette

© Michelle C. East - Create Art with ME 2017

Acrylic Painting Techniques Worksheet Types of Brush Strokes Name____________________________________ Class _____________________

Flat Stroke Tip/Edge of Brush Flip Flop Stipple

Dry Brush Scumbling Impasto Sgraffito

Mixing 2 colors to create a new color

Primary Secondary Primary Primary Intermediate Secondary

Mix a Tint Mix a Shade Value Scale change the value in each box to progressively get darker

Lightest Value Pure Color Darkest

Gradated Value Scale Create a blended value scale showing a smooth transition of values. Practice 2 times

Blending 2 Colors-Gradation blending so there is a smooth transition of values/color. Practice 2 times

© Michelle C. East - Create Art with ME 2017

Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a color. Change the intensity of a color by slowly mixing it with it complementary color.

Create 3D Form Paint each form so that it looks 3D- use the 5 elements of shading. On the Right side, use only tints and shades of one color. On the Left side use the color & its complement to darken.

Tints & Shades Complementary Colors

© Michelle C. East - Create Art with ME 2017

Tints & Shades Complementary Colors

Draw your own shapes to paint.

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Painting Textures Name_____________________________________ Class _____________________

Light Colored Fur Dark Colored Fur Elephant Skin

Light Colored Feathers Dark Colored Feathers Scales ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________

© Michelle C. East - Create Art with ME 2017

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