No, this is not a de-saturated photo of a painting. This is a seascape painted on canvas using only black and white acrylic paint. I'm quite proud of the clouds. I was too busy helping others to finish the lake/ocean, though.
One of my jobs as a librarian is developing arts and crafts programs for our adult patrons. I have been trying to figure out how to host an interesting painting project given my limited budget and skill, so when I found a monochromatic painting project in one of our books, I knew it could be a fun class!
My goal was to encourage people to develop basic skills like blending colors into a gradient, layering elements of a painting, and focusing on shape and texture. It went better than I expected. I had ten canvases, and all were claimed, with a waiting list of other interested patrons on top of that! I make no claims to being a master painter or expert teacher, but my audience seemed to enjoy this unusual exercise.
We used only two brushes, only two paints, and were done in less than two hours. I demonstrated blending colors on the canvas for the background, mixing two colors on the brush itself to create the hills and clouds, and adding details with a small brush to complete the piece. Once my participants grasped these basics, I encouraged them to experiment and see what they could create. Everyone had a unique take, and everyone ran into trouble at some point, but I think I managed to offer the right blend of encouragement and advice to help them adapt and make something fun for themselves.
One person started to paint a lighthouse with a bright spot she later decided should be a full moon. Another had a very bold light and dark landscape with a rough sea. A third created intricate details with a tree. A fourth tried to paint a rowboat, and then realized her brush strokes were starting to make the bottom of the painting look like a waterfall, so suddenly her peaceful vista became a terrifying scene of danger. Everyone found a way to make it their own and try our new techniques while adapting to whatever their whims or mistakes presented.
If you're ever in need of a fun art project, feel free to borrow this idea! Add a sailboat silhouette or a bright sunset. Make the waves more violent, or keep the ripples even more calm. If this inspires you to paint something, drop a photo or post link in the comments!
