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Learn MoreEmbracing Imperfection: Create Your Own Expressive Artwork
Rating: 4.3 out of 54.3(52 ratings)
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Embracing Imperfection: Create Your Own Expressive Artwork
Develop the right approach, attitude and techniques for painting expressive artwork.
Created byRobert Joyner
Last updated 5/2020
English
What you'll learn
- Learn to break away from unnecessary details that only clutter your artwork.
- Develop the mindset and skills that will allow you to paint more expressively.
- Learn why so many artists can paint loosely with ease and what's stopping you from achieving expressive art.
Explore related topics
Course content
5 sections • 21 lectures • 3h 14m total length
- Brushes12:53
Brushes should be chosen carefully if you want to paint loose. The goal with this lesson is for you to select the right brush for the job. By doing so you will eliminate some of the errors many artists make which is basically adding too many strokes to a painting.
Since I’m using watercolor as my medium for this class I will go over some of the common brushes used with this medium.
Hake brush - this is suited for painting loose because they are designed to put down a large area of paint with one stroke. The downside would be that they don’t hold a lot of pigment and lack ‘snap-back’.
Mop brush - this is an ideal brush for painting expressively with watercolor for obvious reasons. They hold a lot of pigment and have the ability to cover a lot of surface with one stroke. They come in various sizes and it’s advantageous to have a small, medium and large if you paint on a variety of size papers.
Pointed rounds - a quality watercolor pointed round can hold a decent load but they’re really suited for details and refining shapes. This brush would be used sparingly in middle and late stages of a painting. It’s wise to have a few a medium and large on hand if you paint in a variety of sizes.
Kolinsky pointed round - this brush features very soft bristles which make softer edges compared to the previous pointed round. Great for softening edges and putting down small areas of paint but probably not wise to use until later stages.
Flats/Squares - Smaller flats with short bristles are not conducive for putting down a lot of paint at once. They are great for short choppy strokes and probably best used for details.
Medium flats are similar to smaller but obviously hold more pigment. But the bristles are still rather short so it’s not ideal for painting loosely. Perhaps you could opt for one if you are working on a small scale painting, or add some shorter strokes and details towards the end of a painting.
Larger flats are good for painting loose because it holds a lot of paint. The size of your canvas would determine how much you could use it but for medium and small works it does a good job.
Needle/Liners - These are best used for linear interest, lines, and adding certain details and highlights. Use it sparingly in most cases.
Fan - one of my favorite brushes for loose painting especially with acrylics. Fans hols a lot of pigment and are very versatile. Using a medium and large size fans are great for loose painting.
Tips On Holding The Brush
Be sure you hold your brush according to your desired intent. Back away from the ferrule to make loose strokes. Hold it near the bristles only when you are adding detail(s).
Conclusion
Choosing the right brushes in the beginning will eliminate many issues and you won’t have to spend time making decisions about which brush to choose. Keep the selection minimal! Choose only the right brushes for the desired size canvas. As you scale down you can go smaller. As the canvas size increases you need to go larger.
Larger brushes in general are better suited for painting loose. Smaller brushes typically trick the artist into painting small, detailed strokes even when they don’t want them.
- Paper/Canvas5:56
Believe it or not, choosing the right size paper/canvas can help you paint loose. Everyone has their own sweet spot for the perfect size canvas so it’s important to know this information before you begin the journey.
When choosing larger paper, or canvas, be sure to select brushes accordingly. And should you desire to go larger be sure to look at your available brushes and ask yourself if you have the right sizes.
Working on canvas that’s too small will restrict your ability to paint loose. This is usually caused by the tight parameters and the idea that you will start to hold your brushes toward the bristles.
If you have painted for a while you have some experience to draw from in terms of knowing your sweet spot. If you are new to painting I recommend starting around 11” x 14” or larger. However I wouldn't recommend going any larger than 16" x 20" until you are comfortable. Of course a lot of this depends on your brush selection as well. So choose the size wisely.
- Palette2:34
You palette needs to be large enough for your largest brushes to mix. If the palette is too small it will be difficult to mix a large volume of paint.
If you don’t have a large enough palette you can always use paper plates, cardboard and other substitutes. - It's All About The Attitude9:20
How you approach your art has a great deal with painting loose. Much of this was instilled in us as kids. If you remember coloring in a coloring book as a child we were told to stay in the lines. It was a mistake to color outside the lines.
Painting loose requires a casual state of mind. If you are too stiff, or rigid, then painting expressively becomes a challenge.
Demo Recap
In the video demonstration I illustrate two examples for painting a simple rectangle.
One version is tight! The artist has to correct, and re-correct every single stroke in order to achieve perfection. The artist used a lot of strokes to paint something as simple as a rectangle.The second example is completely different. It was completed with one stroke and a much larger brush. It’s imperfect but the artist doesn’t care. The imperfections are part of the attitude. It doesn’t need to be flawless.
Note how the grip changes for each version. The tight artists knuckles down and holds the brush near the bristles. The loose artist is holding it with a relaxed, casual grip and backed away from the ferrule.
Give it a try! (No assignment/critique)It's important to get involved and this is a great opportunity to do exactly that. Use whatever paint medium you wish and replicate this exercise on your own.
Keep your study around for a while as a reminder of what you learned. Even-though these simple exercises appear too easy it's amazing what you can learn from them. But you don't learn by only watching. So go for it!See Attached Demo Image
- Three Types Of Art9:41
Non-objective art is completely abstract. It lacks an object, or something literal. It’s a style of its own.
Abstract-representational is a style where you are simplifying your subjects in various ways. Basically you are omitting a lot of the details in order to paint more quickly.
Photorealism is created with greater attention to details. Thus it takes a lot more time to create.
There are many grades of painting loose and tight art. But you can determine where they are on the scale by simply looking at the attention to detail. And again, the details typically determine the amount of time that was invested in the final painting.
All good art, no matter the style, requires excellent design skills.
This is where you can find similarities with the two extreme styles. To create an awesome painting requires time in the developmental stages. The artist has to put thought into how their symbols/subject will fit within their frame, or canvas. Expressive, or abstract style artists, typically spend just as much time in this stage of a painting as more realistic artists.It’s the execution of the design that matters.
How one represents their subjects by including, or eliminating certain details it what separates loose and tight art. Both styles require the artist to have a keen understanding of their materials and how the medium works. In other words one needs to be very knowledgable and proficient with their desired medium and tools they use to execute a painting.If you are a beginner then chances are you lack the knowledge that comes from experience.
You may have the right tools but how well you execute the different application techniques will come in to play as you paint. All mediums have their own unique characteristics so it’s impossible for me to cover every single one. Just know that the time you can achieve better results as you invest time in understanding your desired medium(s).We are all naturally inclined to lean one way or the other.
Much of this depends on your personality and background. For example, I’ve always been a little rough around the edges with my art style. Imperfection existed even when I tried to perfect certain aspects of my work. But truthfully focusing on details and getting them picture perfect bores me. I don’t like investing time here and have little interest in all the details.Others may have an engineering or architectural background where attention to detail is more important. Your habits are naturally much different than someone like me. To paint, and/or draw, loose will not come as easy because the approach to learn and creating you have are very different.
Is it possible? Absolutely! Just trust the process and work on understanding the elimination of detail(s) until you strike a balance that appeals to you.
The range of painting loose is infinite.
It’s also relative to what you work is now and background. There’s no right or wrong so long as you understand the overall idea of painting expressively. To pull it off well you need to eliminate many details, include only what is necessary, have an excellent composition and design, and spend less time painting the finished art.See Attached Demo Image
- Abstract Versus Realism6:03
In this lesson we will take a close look at abstract versus realism. The subject is simple but it does have a lot of details.
It would be easy to get absorbed with all the features and many artists do. That's because our eyes automatically see and register them in our brain. There's no way to avoid this! It's how the body works.
The trick is to manually eliminate the details. It's much easier to do this with pencil and paper which is what I did in the example(s).
When you look at the three taxi cab examples it's easy to see the difference between each version.
The abstract example it's obviously very loose and has a gestural quality. But it's not just slapped down with no care to certain qualities that the taxi has such as scale, proportions and a few details.
The middle version has more details that were extracted from the inspiration image. The lines are drawn more carefully but still somewhat loose.
The realism version is more detailed and precise. Obviously more time was invested in creating the sketch as well.
Conclusion
Often times it's acceptable to eliminate many details from a subject. The goal is to do this as much as you can while still maintaining a likeness to the subject.
See Attached Demo Image
- The Art Of Simplifying - Pencil & Paper9:21
In this lesson we will begin our journey to creating the first loose painting.
Keep this in mind!The goal is to start simple by using only pencil and paper.
Approach your subject with the idea in mind of breaking the ice by only doing an outline/contour drawing.
No shading or values needed at this stage.
We will ultimately transform the Tabasco bottle into an approachable painting/subject.
Since this is the first attempt much of the background is eliminated. This will make the job much easier.
There’s no need to use a complex subject at this stage.
Materials used in demo;
Practice drawing paper, print paper works fine
Compressed charcoal, graphite, or #2 works fine as well.
For the exercise I will use a bottle of Tabasco hot sauce.
The first goal is to become familiar with your subject, to develop an understanding of the overall shape and certain details that we may need to make the object recognizable.
Since most of us have seen a bottle of Tabasco hot sauce than we already have an advantage. Now the goal is to quickly draw the subject in a way that we only include the necessary details and omit everything else.
And if you think about it all subjects fit within this idea of being familiar. Most people have seen the majority, if not all, subjects out there. Thinking along these lines will help you with drawing/painting more expressively.
This is an important aspect of painting loose where you are basically a conductor for the viewer. Teasing them with just enough but allowing the imagination plenty of room to work.To create the quick sketch I will start with the larger shapes and work my way down to smaller ones. Eventually stopping well before I get to rigid, or tight.
Once the first sketch is complete it’s easier to do it again! You are now familiar with shapes, proportions and details so repeat the process but working more loosely and gesturally as you go.
See Attached Demo Image
- Hot Sauce - Watercolor Version Part One11:42
The goal with this painting is to put to use some of what we have learned to this point. TA great way to do this is creating a quick, loose painting using a simple subject; Tabasco sauce. In the demo I will use watercolor. If you want to see the acrylic version just click the right link in the table of contents.
The first item to consider is materials. The paper/canvas size will determine which brushes to use.
Once I have the brushes selected I can start to layout the design on paper. Remember to stay relaxed while adding the drawing. No need to use a tight grip or add unnecessary details. Keep it loose!Materials
Brushes
Medium mop/squirrel brush
Medium pointed round
Palette
Phthalo blue
Rose madder
Burnt Sienna
Cadmium yellow
Scarlet red
Thought into execution
Before paint hits the paper always put thought into execution! How can you use larger brushstrokes to paint the subject? Envision how that would work so that you have a good plan before you begin.
As the painting progresses I continue to put thought into simplifying brushstrokes. Also note that I put down strokes and leave them alone! Too much correcting or fussing with muddy the freshness which is part of good watercolor painting. Looseness is what we are after so no need to be perfect.
Even the lettering is simplified to a point where just enough is added to make it recognizable. Much of the text on the label is omitted because I simply do not need it.
See Attached Demo Image - Hot Sauce - Watercolor Version Part Two10:26
In this version I will create a similar painting but this time without a drawing. In addition to that I will employ two layers.
The approach is still the same. Thought is put into how I will execute the layers, and which details I will include before paint hits the paper.Not having a drawing
This can be useful if you understand the subject. Since I've taken time to draw the main shapes several times and painted one study it's becoming very familiar. Plus it's a very simple design which lends itself to the no-line technique.
In some cases this may be more risky and perhaps not a great idea. If the subject is more complex like cityscapes, landscapes, portraits, etc. than a drawing may be desirable. Of course much of this depends on your experience with the subject and confidence.Painting in layers
Using layers means allowing one layer to dry completely before another one is added. Layers are a great way to add depth to the subject but just know it's not about adding more details.
In version two I will work with the same details but add more light and shadow to the bottle. That's it!Remember the coloring book?
The coloring book mentality is eliminated when you leave out a drawing. When you add a drawing it's so easy to stay within the lines! This is why no lines can be so effective. No matter how loose you want to be a drawing will tighten up the end result(s).
Values Versus Colors (7:00 Mark)
I eluded to value being more important than color at the 7:00 mark. It's very important to not try to color match the image(s). You will lose that battle every single time! A much better approach is to focus on value. So, get the right value and leave color-matching out of your process.
Trying to be perfect with colors will bring you right back to square one and that's thinking, and painting, tight!Keep it simple!
Learning any new idea is challenging. You are not expected to master them right away. The key to sustainable improvement is baby steps. My suggestion is to keep your subjects simple for a while. Take your time and develop the right attitude and approach discussed in these lessons.
If you have painted for a while then it will be more challenging because you have habits that need to be changed. If you are new then you have to process all the information and gain the experience needed to create confidently.
Materials
Same as version one
See Attached Demo Image
- Composition And Design Process11:49
In this lesson I will cover how to get started with a complex scene. In most cases it comes down eliminating details and zeroing in on a focal point and/or story.
The struggle is always learning to avoid the trap of seeing details. Forget the subtle architectural features and unnecessary information that do not support the focal point.
So what does developing a focal point and/or story mean?
To master complex scenery you want to understand the viewer's point of view. What journey do you want to take them on and how will you pull this off through good design and composition?
In other words if you treat every element and area of the painting equally the viewer will become confused. That's because every square inch of the subject is demanding attention.
The common mistakes many artists make is they add just as much detail, vibrancy and contrast to the background, middle-ground and foreground. There's no thought into how they will arrange the shapes, value and tones in a compelling manner.
In the video demo I will walk you through how I treat complex subjects. And first things first, it's all about the design and composition.
Often times I will begin by developing the focal point. From there I can work on how the background and foreground can be used as a support for the focal point. So they are reduced to simple shapes that will help me create a design that works not just for me but for the viewer.
All the while I'm simplifying and reducing clutter. Once I understand where the focal is situated and what those shapes look like it's easy to take it to the next stage and that's arranging values. We will look at this in the next lesson.
See Attached Demo image
- Value Sketch10:57
In this demo I will use watercolor but it can be done with any medium.
A value study is an incredible tool for connecting shapes, reducing clutter and planning how you will approach color.
Here are a few guidelines to help you create quick and loose value studies.The key is to paint it as chunky as you possibly can.
Throw details out the window.
Take the largest shapes and the focal point and that's it.
Make as few colors/values as possible. Four to five works well in most cases.
I have several methods for doing these studies. Sometimes I will pre-mix four to five hues before beginning the study. But more often than not I prefer to work more directly without pre-mixing. That's basically what I did in this example.
For the gray values I use an equal amount of all three primaries mixed with titanium white.
Always use large brushes!
Work small! No need to go any larger than 7 to 5 inches.
Work quickly. If you are a very detail oriented artist set a time for five minutes.
See Attached Demo Image
- Demo - Materials3:32
Materials Used In This Demo
Squirrel mop #8, #5
Large pointed round #12
Needle brush, or liner
22 x 15 inches 140 lb. cold press paper
Gator board for firm backing
Leakproof palette
Sponge
Paper towels
Two reservoir water
Mist bottle
#2 pencil
Masking tape
Holbein Hues
Ultramarine blue
Cobalt blue
Cerulean blue
Alizarin crimson
Pyrolle red
Cadmium orange
Burnt sienna
Yellow ochre
Neutral tint
Lavender
White Gouache - Demo - Add Design4:49
I will use a #2 pencil to add the design.
Keep in mind I'm employing many of the ideas and techniques covered in previous lessons.
So, a nice relaxed grip, working quickly and avoiding unnecessary details.
See Attached Demo Image
- Demo - Layer One6:17
Here are some key points from the tutorial;
Starting with the largest brush I will begin the add the first wash.
With watercolor you need to plan where, if any, you want to reserve white space. This is where the original white of the paper is left untouched.
Alway mix enough paint to cover the intended area.
Tilt the board once your washes are applied to encourage blending.
- Demo - Layer Two7:46
Here are a few points from the demo;
As the painting progresses shapes will get smaller.
However be sure to choose the largest brush possible that will get the job done with less strokes.
Be sure to put the paint down and leave it alone. Don't become fussy if the results aren't exactly what you had envisioned. Embrace the imperfections.
- Demo - Layer Three18:56
You know the drill! The painting is progressing which means brushes will get smaller but I will stick to the plan. Work quick and stay in control.
- Layer Four (NEW)4:17
The painting will be completed with as few strokes as possible.
At this stage it's easy to become engrossed into the imperfections.
Your brain will try to convince you to correct every single detail that isn't perfect.
Don't get caught in that trap. You will ruin the fresh quality and immediacy of the work. Let them go! That's always the best choice even if in the end the painting doesn't come together.
You are better-off starting a new one than trying to put band-aids on an existing painting in the final stages.
See Attached Demo Image
- Value Sketch9:20
In this demo I will use acrylic but it can be done with any medium.
A value study is an incredible tool for connecting shapes, reducing clutter and planning how you will approach color.
Here are a few guidelines to help you create quick and loose value studies.The key is to paint it as chunky as you possibly can.
Throw details out the window.
Take the largest shapes and the focal point and that's it.
Make as few colors/values as possible. Four to five works well in most cases.
I have several methods for doing these studies. Sometimes I will pre-mix four to five hues before beginning the study. But more often than not I prefer to work more directly without pre-mixing. That's basically what I did in this example.
For the gray values I use an equal amount of all three primaries mixed with titanium white.
Always use large brushes!
Work small! No need to go any larger than 7 to 5 inches.
Work quickly. If you are a very detail oriented artist set a time for five minutes.
See Attached Demo Image
- Demo - Materials & Design7:20
Here are a few points from the video;
All material were selected based on the size of the final painting.
Brushes chosen are suitable for a 22 x 15 surface area.
Palette size is large enough to accommodate the size of the painting.
I will use a #2 pencil to add the design.
Keep in mind I'm employing many of the ideas and techniques covered in previous lessons.
So, a nice relaxed grip, working quickly and avoiding unnecessary details.
Materials used in demo
Brushes - synthetic
Large round brush
Medium round brush
Large fan brush
Medium fan brush
#10 pointed round
Liner, or signature brush
Miscellaneous
22 x 15 inches 140 lb. cold press paper (student grade)
Gator-board for firm backing
Two water reservoirs
Medium size cardboard palette
Paper towels
#2 pencil
Heavy body acrylics
Ultramarine blue
Cerulean blue
Cadmium yellow
Yellow ochre
Scarlet red
Burnt Sienna
Titanium white
See Attached Demo Image - Demo - Layer One6:17
It's time to block-in the main shapes. Below are a few points from the lesson;
I tend to not color match and focus more on value and tone.
It's always wise to reduce palette to six or seven hues plus white. This will help eliminate unnecessary decision making which takes time and puts you in a 'tight' state of mind.
Try to mix hues that are in the ballpark but imperfect at this stage. Basically you want to avoid mixing the 'perfect' colors that you desire in the final painting. This will help set the stage for the next layer.
- Demo - Part Two25:00
Here are a few points from the video;
At this stage I've allowed the block-in to completely dry.
I avoid color matching the photo and focus more on getting values and tones correct.
Work quickly and maintain a carefree attitude.
Sometimes you can use a paper towel to smudge and smear paint into the surface. This creates a nice contrast to brushstrokes.
Smaller brushes are selected as the painting progresses.
I maintain a loose grip and avoid holding the brush near the end of the ferrule.
The bulk of the painting was done before paint hit the paper.
The design and value study stage made painting loosely possibly. This is when many details were eliminated and shapes were reduced to only what's needed to support the focal point.
See Attached Demo Image
Requirements
- Should have good knowledge and basic fundamental watercolor and acrylic techniques.
- Recommended for intermediate to advanced levels.
- Good quality watercolor and acrylic painting supplies.
- Be willing to work!
Description
Hi, I'm Robert Joyner. And I've created Embracing Imperfection - The Art Of Painting Loose for people like you that want to loosen up and make art fun! This is an ideal class for all mediums but I will use watercolor and acrylics in the demonstrations.
If you've always wanted to...
Learn to break away from unnecessary details that only clutter your artwork.
Develop the mindset and skills that will allow you to paint more expressively.
Learn why so many artists can paint loosely with ease.
Then this course is for you!
Develop the right attitude that allows you to paint quickly without all the fuss.
Discover how to select right materials for the job.
Techniques for painting quickly.
Develop the necessary skills to paint loose complex scenes with confidence.
Course Includes;
22 details video lessons
Demos in acrylic & watercolor
3 assignments
Ask questions & get answers
Testimonials
That was totally amazing! This is the type of painting style that I would like to achieve and I've been looking for a teacher/tutorial for so long but not successfully. Robert shows the entire process that results in a complex loose painting. I really like the way he encourages the viewer repeatedly to let go of the imperfections (so difficult for me but I'll try) to get that looseness in the painting. Definitely a great teacher!
Jean P.
This class has already exceeded my expectations and I'm only part way through. Robert clarifies, simplifies, and demystifies what you should focus on to work more loosely. His demonstrations bring the point home very effectively. I tried painting the way he suggested and it works. This is just what I was looking for! Highly recommend!
Keren D.
Who this course is for:
- Intermediate and aspiring artists that want to loosen up their approach and break free from tight watercolor and acrylic art.