Page 12 - The Decorative Painter Summer 2017

In the Teacher’s Corner
Share Your Passions - Teach
CHERI ROL mda
Teaching is a passion. Your passion may be reading, math
or woodworking, where mine is painting. You will most likely never get rich at it, but sharing what you love with others will fill your heart with blessings and students will become your friends. Teaching turns into a learning experi- ence for both teacher and student.
Getting started is the biggest hurdle. I remember wor- rying about the students asking questions that I didn’t have the answers to. It doesn’t hurt to acknowledge that you don’t know the answer. Just assure the student you will have an answer by the next class.
Start small and be friendly. Your students will spread the word and your classes will grow. Treasure the students that gather; make them feel welcome and always be encouraging.
Keep your palette simple, especially for beginners. I use six basic colors. Among a few colors a rainbow of colors exists. I organize my palette with pure colors across the top in the order they appear on the color wheel. Encourage
the students to work on a palette pad made for oil paints. I suggest to my students they cover their palette at the end of the session with clear plastic wrap. When the student has fin- ished the project I recommend they cover the palette and put it with their notes for further reference. Mixing paints can
be a challenge for your students, but with the use of a palette knife with a bend in the handle, (I recommend a Langnickel P-1) the task is much easier.
When it comes to brushes, you want each student to have his/her own. A few good brushes, which cost a little more, will always give better results than a bunch of inadequate brushes. Nothing discourages a student faster than a brush that is not capable of doing the task you want it to. Basically there are three types of brushes in many different styles. For example: blenders, droplets, and mops. There are a few specialty brushes that are designed for use with special projects.
Your beginner class needs to be easy. High success rate for first time painters is a must, especially when you want them to come back. In choosing a project for your class, decide what they need to learn:
n How to prep a smooth surface
n How to seal a wood surface
n How to work on a light colored acrylic prepped surface
n How to work on a dark colored prepped surface
n How to work on a stained-wood background
n How to make a stain using your oil paints
n How to antique or create value change with
the stained background
n How to transfer a design using white or grey transfer paper n How to use a C-thru ruler
n How to create and blend colors
If you use another artist’s designs, be sure to get the artist’s permission. Everyone’s copyright rules are different. Always teach your students to respect another’s artwork.
When I focus on teaching beginners I like to include lessons on basic shapes. This goes along with my idea of
my students being able to apply this information to other projects. Everything around us begins with a sphere, a cone, a cylinder, a cube, or a combination of these. So a beginning lesson of a flower in a round (sphere) vase seems simple,
but with this lesson your students will learn how to shade
a sphere so it takes the shape and looks dimensional. Value change is the key to making an object look real.
Inspiration is all around you. Drawing your own designs is a wonderful way to learn. Look around at the things you collect or display in your studio or home; these are your favorite things. This is the best place to get ideas that create passion and inspire you.
Your teaching space doesn’t need to be big, pretty, or expensive. It should to be clean with good lighting. Also, it should have comfortable chairs and reasonable table space for each student. If you don’t have good ceiling lights, have each student bring an Ott light.
My classroom was built by my husband, Larry. It was de- signed with my students in mind. It also has a camera system that projects what I’m painting onto a flat screen TV mounted to the wall. This system is especially good when there are many students. For a small class I still like to sit in a circle with them up close and personal. Regardless of how you teach – at an ea- sel, on camera, etc. – it is a good thing to invite your students to come and watch over your shoulder. Also, interaction with your students is very important. Walk around the room so you can see their work from their perspective.
When a student asks a question about their painting,
ask them what they think. “What do you like? What don’t you like?” Then make a suggestion such as: “If it were mine I’d – or – why not try?...”
Remember, everyone’s tastes, likes, or dislikes are differ- ent, so no two paintings will be exactly the same. The best advice to a student is that they go home and paint the lesson again on a different surface. Repetition is the best way to learn something.
TEACH AT OUR 46TH ANNUAL SOCIETY OF DECORATIVE PAINTERS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXPO!
SAVE THE DATE! May 8-12, 2018 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, FL
Teaching a class at our annual conference is an opportunity for you to reach engaged artists and painters of all interests and skill levels. Benefits include free conference registration, increasing the exposure of your teaching services and more! To submit a class and for more information, contact Miho Halsey, Manager, Conference and Member Services, at (316) 269-9300 x121 or miho@decorativepainters.org.
10 The Decorative Painter • SUMMER 2017 DECORATIVEPAINTERS.ORG