Brush Strokes & Style

Recently, a couple of my students asked me about the importance of brush strokes. This got me thinking about the importance of brush strokes to style. 

Stylistically, I lean towards more impressionism. An impressionistic style is more suggestive than detail driven. This can also be called a loose style. (Interestingly, I’ve found that people visiting my studio are drawn more to my looser paintings.)

What is a loose style of painting?

A loose painting is NOT:

• Not a painting without thought
• Not just slapping paint haphazardly on a canvas
• Not painting every little thing in the reference
• Not thinking too much about the details until the end

A loose painting IS:

• communicating to your viewer with suggested brushstrokes instead of rendering every detail

How do brush strokes create a loose, impressionistic painting?

Here are some ideas:

• Use a large flat brush
• Make large brush strokes
• Lay down your stroke and pick up your brush. No back and forth like you’re painting the wall
• Be mindful of your strokes -  Make them varied: up, down, diagonal, skinny, fat, curvy, square, with light pressure, with heavier pressure, etc.

Do this while being mindful of your shapes, color & values.

Oh my! It all comes back to those elements of art?!

Yup!

Bottom line: 

• Know your elements of art
• Trust the process they bring to your painting
• This will open opportunities to develop your style. 

It can feel overwhelming when you are beginning your painting journey. I've developed a painting process that incorporates all the skills you need. Learn my process in my online course, "Essential Elements" now.