Paint Happy - Softcover

Acosta, Cristina

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1581801181 ISBN 13: 9781581801187

Publisher: North Light Books, 2002

Synopsis

"In this book, you don't work from life exactly as it looks, but as you see and experience it. You are always developing your inner eye." --Cristina Acosta

Many adults who decide to "study art" become too serious and frustrated, thinking they will never learn what it takes to be really good.

Paint Happy! encourages readers to relax and enjoy their work by combining expressive painting techniques with their own unique style.

This book couples fine art with elements of craft and decorative painting that will appeal to both a traditional audience and young artists seeking self-expression and fun.

Cristina accomplishes this while keeping in mind the basic tools of composition and color. She also includes a number of creative and inspiring ideas geared toward decorative painters and greeting card artists.

About this title

From the Author:

IntroductionI painted for many years before I realized that I was chasing a myth. Somewhere along the way, I came to believe that to become a good artist, I needed to acquire an ever increasing knowledge of methods and techniques. May attention to technique garnered me a job as the production artist for a billboard company. After a couple of years painting billboards, I could copy any image given to me in any style, from simple cartoons to photo-realism. By the time, the holy grail of technique seemed disappointingly empty. I had given nearly all of my attention to developing the skills to paint whatever I wanted and very little attention to discovering what I really wanted to paint.  For a few years, I taught college drawing and painting classes. While the students gained "the basics," I noticed that for most of them consistent academic study didn't seem to encourage innate joy and enthusiasm for painting. I knew that if I didn't' teach any basics y student would be adrift, eventually becoming frustrated by their lack of ability to correctly mix the colors they needed or to understand what they saw in a painting. I thought that there must be some way to teach artistic skills without getting in the way of a student's unique vision of the world. Surprisingly, my epiphany came with the experience of motherhood. By the time my daughter, Isabella, was eighteen months old, she was painting every day with me. Watching her, I couldn't help but notice that her experience of painting was entirely different form mine. She painted with complete abandon. She was never hard on herself. In facet, when she finished a paint that sh really liked, she'd put her brush down and clap and cheer! If she didn't like it, she quickly pushed it aside and moved on. She never tried to paint like anyone else (especially her mother!). Whenever Isabella finished a painting, she would show it to me. Id' look at the piece and very clearly tell her what I admired about it. Her natural style of learning augmented with my minimal positive insights enabled her to learn quickly and define her own style.During Isabella's toddler years, I was so inspired by her obvious happiness while creating that I decided to take an hour or so each day and paint in the same fashion. The more I opened my mind to painting with the attitude of a child--albeit a very "experienced" child1-- the more my work evolved. Within a few months, my style of painting had completely changed. My work flowered so naturally that the images seemed to paint themselves. I became passionately excited to rediscover that creating could be so simple. My images reflected my joy, and "paint happy" was born! Learning to paint happy was the key that opened my creative soul. Whether you're a new painter or an experienced artist looking for new energy in your work, you will enjoy learning to paint happy. My book guides you to connect with your playful inner spirit while you learn the basics needed to become technically proficient. I don't intend for you to permanently paint images in my style. My style is the result of my particular life experiences. You may wish to copy my exercises as closely as possible, then, taking what you've learned, immediately create an image of your own. With practice, your innate sense of design and personal style will develop.So open this book and enter a world of color. Follow along with your paintbrush in hand, and chapter by chapter the beauty of the world around you and within you will be revealed through your painting.Enjoy!Cristina Acosta

From the Back Cover:

Re-connect with the inner artistic spirit of your youth--the imagination, creativity and energy that comes with the release of anxiety and expectation. Cristina Acosta show you how, with guidelines and advice for painting with joyous abandon. Shell help you re-think color mixing and design, while developing your own personal style in acrylic or any other medium. Everything -- even her "lessons" -- is designed to make your painting easier, more satisfying and, most importantly, more fun! Acosta will also teach you how to relax and explore your playful side to create beautiful art, then apply those ideas to your home. She'll show you how to move beyond the easel to paint tiles, ceramics, furniture and fabric -- even wall murals. Step-by-step examples make experimenting easy. It just the encouragement you need to paint and paint happy!

About this edition

• Publisher: North Light Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1581801181
• ISBN 13: 9781581801187
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112