Techniques Page 2

Dagger Stroke

This technique drives paint into the canvas weave, empowering it with your creative energy. What does that mean? It means simply that you’ve changed your blank canvas into a foundation for your art. At this stage you don’t worry about the image (or subject), that will come later. Right now, you want only to get rid of that blank canvas and begin your painting. This technique lays the foundation not only for your art, but the freedom to create whatever image you want. You can develop the image and change it later. It takes only minutes to cover the canvas. It’s exhilarating, powerful and fun. Each stroke is very simple, but you are taught how to do these strokes so that the strokes have within them a secret for advanced success.

This is a Day One, empowering technique. 

Blending

Once you have put your foundation on canvas you can begin to refine it. Refining that raw paint takes away future problems with it and you can begin moulding the subject the way you want. Blending is a technique that refines the paint that’s already there. Unfortunately, blending is taught too often as a finishing technique – which vastly limits its use. If you’ve painted before, you’ve probably done it a thousand times. But its real power is early or mid-way through a painting: something which isn’t taught as it requires knowledge of the special combinations advanced techniques can achieve. Paintings which use Blending as a finishing technique will only ever be as good as they are now, and the painter won’t achieve anything more than that. Instead, when you learn advanced techniques – all 12 techniques and how they can combine together – you’ll see Blending is actually a very powerful way of creating a foundation for effects later in a painting which otherwise cannot be achieved. These effects can be developed over a lifetime and can bring massive results into your life and art career.

Painting Knife

The Painting Knife technique is often taught as a quick fix – it can get results immediately.  For instance, here’s a parrot’s tail feathers that was created in one stroke, as you can see in the photo following.

Painting Knife continued

Unfortunately, like the Blending Technique, the Painting Knife Technique is used far too often to complete a painting. Some people finish a painting using this technique and no others, because it is such a quick fix. However, those paintings again won’t develop any better than they are and the painter won’t achieve anything more than that. Instead, the Creative Knife Technique has uses far beyond what can simply be described here. The DVDs and comprehensive Online Course explain it in great detail for you. In short, the Creative Knife Technique is a Day One, empowering technique which lays the foundation for many, many amazing effects later in the painting. Each step is very simple, and it’s exhilarating fun..

Caress Stroke

As the name implies, this is a very sensitive, sensual stroke. It’s also incredibly useful. You can use this technique to change the colour of your painting, or alter the subject completely, or lay another foundation at any time for amazing effects later. Imagine that! At any time you like you can completely change the painting you are doing and turn it into something entirely different. And, of course, you can use this technique to vastly improve the image you wish to keep developing.

Transparent Glazing

If you’ve painted before you would have heard of the term ‘glazing’. However, this technique is taught very poorly, and with very limited results. There are actually two types of glazing: Transparent Glazing and Opaque Glazing. Each is of inestimable value in the creating process. Instead of just putting a glaze on a painting when it’s done, Transparent Glazing – when used in the advanced technique process – creates unbelievable effects during the creation of your art, at any stage. It is one of the swiftest techniques. There’s a demonstration you’ll see in the Comprehensive Online Course which has the instructor set up the palette, hit the painting with the Transparent Glaze technique, thereby altering the painting so it’s dramatically improved and dramatically different from what it was, then clean up, and leave the studio – all within 45 seconds. But the real power of it is how it works with other techniques, in combination, to create effects that will make your paintings soar high into the realms of true fine art. Used with proper knowledge, in an advanced way, this technique is magnificent.

Opaque Glazing

Here’s some fun: many art teachers tell you not to do this! They actually say it will ruin your painting, that it can’t be done. We smile about this in the courses, as it’s a wonderful technique and easy to do once you know how. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to create subtle, atmospheric effectst! Of course, you’re taught how to do it, and how to avoid any problems with using it. The Opaque Glazing Technique can be used at any stage during the process, and can be both a refining and empowering technique, once you know its secrets. Then, it’s very easy to do, and irreplaceable!

Creative Knife

 Even if you’ve painted before it’s all but guaranteed you won’t have seen this technique, or even heard of it before. It is creative power PLUS. Top Shelf. It’s easy to learn; however, it does take time and practise and experimentation to master it. But you’ll certainly get results immediately that you can’t otherwise get. Using this technique, your paintings will enter the higher realms of fine art and you’ll be doing things others cannot do. The Creative Knife Technique is thrilling: there’s no other word for it. You can use it at any time during the creating of your painting, and it’s infinitely variable: do it any way you like, any time you like. It’s taught at length and in detail in the DVDs and Comprehensive Online Course, and we are careful to make sure you don’t confuse it with the Painting Knife Technique, which is a different technique altogether.

Wiping Off

 It sounds like it should be used to take away mistakes! But this technique is used specifically and with a huge amount of fun during a painting to achieve effects you can’t otherwise get. You’ll feel very liberated and like you’re flying with artistry when you use it. It’s also guaranteed to make you smile.

Creative Rag

 This technique is a ridiculous amount of fun to do, and gives results which you can’t otherwise get. See how unique each technique is? Without each one, you are missing out on so much. There are a few little secrets to know in using the Creative Rag Technique, because it can be a bit of a wildcard in your creative toolset, but a simple demonstration in the DVDs and online course solves that for you and sets you on your way to freely expressing yourself. And did we say it was fun?

Liner Stroke

 This technique you would have seen before even if you haven’t painted. We all did it as kids. It’s pretty basic. The only difference is that it works in very different ways once you’ve used various advanced techniques on your painting before you apply this technique.  

Scribble Stroke

 It’s named this way because that’s the sound the Scribble Technique makes when you use it. It’s a rare gem. Again, this technique gets you results and effects on canvas that none of the other techniques can give you. It does take practise, but it’s super easy once you get the right mix on the palette, which is taught in detail. In other words, you have to get the right mix on the palette, but the stroke itself is very easy. It’s a gentle, very pleasant technique that changes your paintings dramatically. People who use the Scribble Technique create paintings that no one else can. You achieve an image that has visual layers to it, which means that with a super quick application using this technique your image obtains a depth which engages the eye and keeps on coming. Very advanced, and it can be yours!

What do I do with these?

 You combine them.

LEARN MORE

Do I have to use every one?

Not at all.  There are no rules! Once you know each technique and what it can do, you have the power to make the right choice as to which techniques you use, don’t use, and how they’re combined. Every painting is different.

This way, every painting you do fully expresses the power of your vision for it.

LEARN MORE

Can you show me how?

Absolutely.  That’s what we’re here for.  Each technique is super easy to learn, and super easy to do. The magic naturally happens when you combine them. 

This way you can create extremely complex images by combing very simple techniques.

You will learn everything you need in the Online Art Course. 

LEARN MORE