Take a canvas. Put a mark on it. Put another mark on it. - Jasper Johns Overview:
Using only black and white, we’ll explore a freestyle method of painting, connecting with movement, emotions, and music. Move beyond judgement and expectation to allow your painting to joyfully flow.
Materials:
• 30x30” stretched canvas • Black and white acrylic paints (Golden brand recommended, both heavy body and liquid) • Brushes • Palette • Optional: spray bottle with water, rags, household items for stamping, marking, and scratching.
• Light a candle or incense, and play some hypnotic music, nature sounds, or a meditation. • On your palette, squeeze out some white and black paint. Mix some shades of grey as well. • With movement and emotion, let your paint spread across the canvas. • Keep in mind images and text from your Vision Board and Voicing Myself exercises. Remember the discoveries you made in the Drawing from Emotions and Doodle Practices. You may with to include some words or forms that emerged for you during these exercises. • Instead of worrying about what it looks like, let the fact that you are painting, be enough. • Download the Painting Prompts (below) to reference while painting. • Return to the painting later. Choose what parts you love, and emphasize them somehow. Refine the final touches until you feel complete.
Sketchbook Reflection:
• What feelings arose as you painted? • How did you work through any hard emotions or blocks? • What did you learn during the process?
