DIY Brush Strokes Painting Technique

I’ve been practicing up this technique in preparation of taking on a giant painting for over our fire place. I’m not really a painter, but I really love the way these brush strokes paintings look and the technique is so darn simple. I created a brushstroke hoop painting last year and it’s still one of my favourite projects to date. Although I wrote out the instructions, I’ve had a few people tell me that it looks too difficult for them since they’re not artists.
I get it. Oh man, do I get it. So when I spotted this J canvas at Michaels earlier this year, I snapped it up for my Secret Sister at SNAP Conference (her name is Jessie). I decided I’d film the painting process to help demystify the process because it really is simple- mixing whites and colours. I chose red and purples, her favourite colours for this piece and threw in a couple complimenting pops of colour (hello blue and yellow). The one I’m planning for our living room I’m going back and forth between a grayscale and navy piece or a brighter palette, similar to the hoop painting.

Ready for the video? Me too.

Below are a few tips on the how-to, but it really just takes some playing, layering the colours while wet using the same paint brush.

• Use a flat paint brush (square look)
• Use a thicker acrylic if possible, avoiding craft paints (My favourites out of these were the Studio 71 ones)
• Cover most of the canvas in your base colour first (mine was white)
• Don’t wash your brush in between colours. When you pick up a new colour, the first stroke will be the most pure, then it will blend with the colour that was originally on the paint brush
• Likewise, if you continue to brush in one spot, the colour that was on the canvas first will start to mix through
• Have fun with it!

If you give it a shot, I’d LOVE to see your pieces! Share on social @colleenpastoor or shoot me an email colleen@lemonthistle.com.