Paint Using Only 7 Colors: Capture the Brightness in Acrylic Vivid Colors

1. Introduction: Hello, my name is Miki. I'm Japanese artists and now I'm living in Germany. My paintings are displayed as Rental Art at offices, shops clinics and hair salons. And every year I exhibit my paintings at Fire King cafe in Tokyo. There, my art attracts people and brightens up the cafe. Here in Germany, I sometimes participant the market. People are really interested in my art. Colorful art captures the hearts of people across world borders. This summer, I held an interactive online class to paint endangered animals. It's difficult to imagine the animal's life that are not usually around us, but when we paint them we can expand our imagination. It reminds us that we are all living on the same earth. By painting endangered species, it's an opportunity to think about the situation of those. So, in this lesson, I decided to paint this polar bear with you. It's a white polar bear, but I paint it vividly. My style is to capture the original color in brightness and convert them to primary colors. I'm going to show you step-by-step on how to paint with acrylics. And it can be finished with not many steps. And the colors has a healing effect. You can enjoy using them. Learning this skill is critical because replacing true colors with primary ones gives you a new perspective. And it looks more modern than a painting with real colors. By the end of this class, you'll be able to decorate your room, or send it to friends and family as a postcard or letter or make your icon for social media. You can also make original goods using your painting. We are using acrylics in this class. You can buy them not only at art supply stores but also at general shops. In this class we use yellow, pink, yellow-green, red, dark-blue, blue and white. If you don't have all colors, you can mix to make it. And you don't need to use exactly the same class as me. Please use similar one to those. This class is perfect for beginners, but also great for anyone who wants to try a new style. If you have any questions throughout this class, you can post them in the discussion thread down below. Don't forget to Follow me on Skillshare. Click the follow button up top and you'll know as soon as I launch a new class. You can also follow me on Instagram. You can enjoy a lot of my colorful art. Let's spread the wings of our imagination and create amazing art. 2. Project: We're going to paint this polar bear colorfully. Colorful polar bear? Some people may wonder. The polar bear's hair is white, but it has shadows. I will explain how to paint three-dimensionally using primary colors with the same brightness as the shades of the image. I'm providing a reference photo which you can find in the project & Resources tab. Once you're there, you'll see a column on the right called Resources. That's where you can click to download a reference photo for this class. And I'll be demonstrating this polar bear. I paint one color at a time. You never get lost. Even if you and I paint in the same way, in the end everyone's art will be different. Let's enjoy our difference. When you finish your painting, please take a photo, share it in the student project gallery. You can find a galley under the same project on the Resources tab. On the right, you'll see a green button that says "create project" Tap that, and once you are there. You'll have the option to upload a cover photo. Add a title and write a little description. You could include both image and text here, if you'd like. Once your project is uploaded, it will appear in the student project gallery. If you want to share your project on Instagram, Please tag me and Skillshare. So we can both like and comment social media too. If you share your work on in your Instagram stories, Don't forget to tag me so I can re-share your story. Please don't forget to follow me on Skillshare by clicking the "Follow" button up top. That's about it. In the next lesson, I will explain the key point of my style. Brightness. 3. Brightness: Color has a brightness. my style is to capture the original color in brightness and convert them to primary colors. For example I will explain in this bear's painting. First, painted yellow-green. Then yellow. Makes the photo and painting into monochrome. The lightness and darkness of a photograph and a painting are similar. Next is a red, Paint dots in the eyes. Paint the nose, mouth, ears, forefoot, and the border between the body and the ground. Make photo and painting into monochrome again. The red, which is darker compared to yellow and yellow-green, makes the eyes, nose, and mouth clear and expresses shadow areas. Add pink and dark blue. Then it's finished. Color has a brightness, and the brightness of the painting is similar as the image photo. Even if we are using primary colors, if the brightness is similar to that of the original photo, it becomes visible three-dimensionally. The next lesson I will explain what we need for this class. 4. What We Need: Let's check what we will need in this class. Acrylic paints. Acrylic paint becomes water resistant when it dries. So, let's use unnecessary paper as a pallet then when it's finished, you can throw it away or recycle. I use this paper that came with the canvas. In this class we use yellow, pink, yellow, green, red, dark blue, blue, and white. I bought these at my neighborhood general shop. I don't care about the brand so much. You can use the brand whatever you want. In this class, you don't need to paint the same as me. And you don't need to use exactly the same colors as me. But please use similar one to those. Let's enjoy our difference that even if we paint the same way! Then, brushes. You should choose the soft brushes for acrylic. Flat Brush No.18 or 16 We use this thick brush to paint the base colors. Flat Brush No.12 Paint the polar bear's hair etc. To give the movement of the painting. Round Brush No.0 Paint details and clarify the painting. Canvas or thick paper. Acrylic paint can be applied thickly. If you paint on thin paper, it may tear. Please prepare the canvas or thick paper for this class. Palette. As I said, we can use unnecessary paper. Please check the recycle box. Maybe you can find one that you can use for a palette. Water dish. You don't need to prepare something special. You can use empty bottle of jam, honey, candy, etc. for the water dish. towel that wipes extra water from the brush. Pencil and Eraser. Probably you can find them in your home. Reference Photo. I'll show it on the screen during the class. When I paint, I almost always see reference photos. From there I refer to shapes and shades and atmosphere. Usually, I have it on my iPad. ou can print it out or save it on your mobile. Even though my painting is not photo-realistic, still nice to have a photo to help my imagination gets more lively. These are what we need for this class. Look for them in your home. OK that's it. Let's start creating in the next lesson. 5. Sketch: Let's start with sketch Determine the top, bottom, left, and right position so that the entire bear's body fits on the canvas. It's not necessary to draw exactly as in the image photo. Draw a rough outline of the body. Position the ears. And hind legs. Once the general size is determined, Next is the position of the forelegs. Like hands. It also draws a rough outline. You don't need to be serious. Then, draw the nose in the middle of the face, eyes, and mouth. In this class, coloring is the main thing, o the sketch is ok to be rough. A rough sketch was completed. In the next lesson, we will paint the base color yellow. 6. Yellow〈base〉: Let's use a thick brush. Blush number 16 or 18, yellow. Paint the light areas. Follow the surfaces. Paint outside the body because light is shining outside. There are no mistakes, so paint boldly! The blight areas where the light is shining are painted yellow. In the next lesson, let's paint pink on the shadow areas. 7. Pink〈base〉: Rinse the brush with water. Again we use Brush No16 or 18 then pink. Paint the shadow areas. Pink is little bit darker than yellow. So we paint a bit shadowy area. Move the brush according to the flow of the hair. Apply plenty of paint to the brush and paint dynamically. You don't need to paint it in details. Shadows under the jaw. Earholes. Nose. Pink cheeks make him pretty. The area around the eyes is slightly concave, so paint pink. We painted the bright areas yellow and the dark areas pink. In the next lesson, let's use a thin brush to paint the eyes and details. 8. Dark Blue〈details〉: Brush No0 dark blue. Paint eyes with dots. The outline of the nose is painted and clarified. Mouse, earholes, Clearly define the shape of the forelegs. Shadows of fingers and hind legs touching the ground. Forelegs. Paint the shadows of the belly hair. We painted the eyes, nose, mouth, and legs to clarify the details. In the next lesson, we will use yellow-green to paint middle dark area. 9. Yellow Green〈middle dark area〉: Brush No12 yellow-green. Yellow-green is little darker, than yellow and little lighter than pink. Paint shadows under the eyes and around the mouth. Follow the shape around the nose. Base of ears. Along the shape of the surface a little dark area of the forelegs. Determine shoulder position. Shadow of the base of forelegs. Hind legs, Paint the shadows of the belly hair. Scatter yellow-green throughout. Move the brush to follow the hairs growing. Look at the overall balance and add yellow-green. Adding a yellow-green in the middle lightness range gives a three-dimensional effect. In the next lesson, we'll add red with a thin brush to make it vibrant. 10. Red〈details〉: Brush No0 red. Paint eyes with dots again. Put red next to dark blue. The shadow with the forelegs combined. Shadows of fingers and hind legs touching the ground like dark blue. The flow of the belly hair. Define the contour a little bit. The addition of red made it vibrant and defined the shape. In the next lesson, use white to create a fluffy hair atmosphere. 11. White〈fluffy hairs〉: Brush No.12 white. White is lighter than yellow. Let's paint a lightest areas. The forehead in the light. Follow the flow of the hair and the shape of the surface. Acrylic paint doesn't melt even if it's wet once it's dried, so white can be painted on above. Paint like the fluffy hairs. By painting white, the part can be seen in the foreground, creating a three-dimensional effect. Paint white on lighted areas and in the foreground. You don't need to paint the colors properly. Let's paint roughly and comfortably. With the addition of white, fluffy hairs appeared. In the next lesson, we paint a little more details 12. Blue & Yellow: Brush No.0 blue. Paint eyes with dots again. Earholes and mouth. Shadow of forelegs. and shadow on hind legs. Nose. Define the contour a little bit. Add blue to the belly hairs. Brush No.12 blue. It's same blue but change to a thick brush. Paint the flow of hair with a thick brush. And a little dark place around his eyes. The shadow of the base of the ears. pinned the law of the hair will stick, blush. Brush No.12 yellow. Let's paint yellow because it's too dark by adding various colors. Follow the flow of the hairs Various colors are layered and it's become brilliant. In the next lesson, let's paint pink for the background. 13. Back & Fur: Brush No.16-18 pink. Let's paint the background pink! It doesn't have to be pink. Paint your favorite color. Paint it with a large brush and dynamic. You don't even have to use just one color. You can paint it as you like. By painting a dark color on the background, the bear's white stands out. Brush No.12 white. By painting the background, the border with the bear has been too cleared. Paint the fluffiness of his hair. Brush No.12 pink. Blush on cheeks in pink. Brush No.0 dark blue. To make the eyes clear. Write the sign in dark blue and finish. In the final lesson, I talk about how to use his painting and their effects. 14. Final Thought: Congratulations on finishing this class with me. How do you feel after completing this class? Please share your creations. Let's enjoy our differences! I hope you can find a new perspective and ideas in this class. You can decorate your room with colorful painting you create. In life, there are tons of different factors that influence your mood and mental health. This art definitely raises your spirits. And thinking about endangered animals is a very small step, but it leads to a sustainable future. And when you take a photo or scan your painting, It can also be used as digital art, like on mobile phone standby screens. Of course, you can print them out and send them as letters or postcards. It is also possible to create original products using painting data. And if you share your artwork on instagram, please go ahead tag me and Skillshare. That way we can like and comment on social media. If you share your work in your Instagram stories don't forget to tag me so I can re-share your story to my own one as well. This is my fourth class for Skillshare. if you would like to create more brilliant artwork with me. By cricking my name up top, you can find my other class. And please don't forget to follow. Thank you very much for joining me today. I'm looking forward to seeing your artwork. Let's create a better future together. See you next time.