Hi Artists, I’m always looking for interesting, enjoyable and helpful exercises for my students such as Dreama’s “musical easels” for those of you who have possibly enjoyed this as I have. Or the “brush count” exercise. These “exercises” could be for abstract or representational painting and for any level either from your own teaching or haven taken a workshop. Thanks so much and happy painting! Aimee
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I always like studying Notans the very essence of the underlying light and dark structure of any beautiful painting. Done with using just 2 values, Black and White one has a little bit of choosing what is light enough to make white. Which brings up another great exercise…massing!
Or try Notans using 4 values light,half-light, half dark,dark!
I’m always surprised at what I can paint with 4 values. I especially love other artists attempts it’s always inspiring! Hope that helps?!
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Hello,
It’s wonderful that you’re seeking engaging exercises for your students. Here are a couple of art exercises that can be adapted for both abstract and representational painting, suitable for various skill levels:
- Color Exploration:
- Have your students explore the emotional and visual impact of colors. Assign each color a mood or emotion (e.g., red for passion, blue for calmness).
- Ask them to create a small painting or series of small studies focusing on expressing the assigned emotion using the chosen color palette.
- Collaborative Canvas:
- Divide a large canvas into sections corresponding to the number of students.
- Each student starts a painting in their section, working for a set amount of time.
- Rotate the canvas to the next student, who continues the piece. Repeat until each student has contributed to every section.
- The result is a collaborative artwork with diverse styles and ideas.
- Found Object Painting:
- Encourage students to bring in interesting found objects or items from daily life.
- Incorporate these objects into their paintings, either by using them as stamps, stencils, or by adhering them to the canvas.
- This exercise sparks creativity and encourages thinking beyond traditional painting tools.
- Always use quality canvas board for painting.
- Negative Space Challenge:
- Focus on negative space by having students paint the space around an object rather than the object itself.
- This exercise promotes observational skills and a different approach to composition.
- Storytelling through Art:
- Have students select a short story, poem, or song lyrics as inspiration.
- Ask them to create a visual representation of the narrative or emotions conveyed in the chosen text.
- Monochromatic Masterpiece:
- Limit the color palette to shades and tones of a single color.
- This exercise helps students explore depth, contrast, and mood within a constrained color range.
Feel free to adapt these exercises based on the specific goals of your class and the preferences of your students. The key is to encourage creativity, experimentation, and expression in a supportive learning environment.