14 Jun A Beginner’s Guide to Brushwork in a Charlotte Mason Education

I am so excited about our newest handicraft – BRUSHWORK! Brushwork in a Charlotte Mason education, is a watercolor technique that is typically used to illustrate objects in nature. It begins with the most basic brush exercises, teaching a solid foundation (I think of it as a precursor) for watercolor painting. Watercolor painting is something that I have wanted to learn my entire life, and today is the day I am going to start learning.

I have always loved watercolor paintings – I have them scattered throughout my home, decorating my walls and bookshelves. I admire how the artists manage to blend colors so softly, creating dreamy skies and water. Or how they somehow mix the paint in such unpredictable ways, playing with light and transparency, yet at the same time maintaining just enough control of the techniques to show feelings of joy or sadness. In our newest handicraft, brushwork, we are going to learn some of the foundational skills in the art of watercolor painting.

As I’ve learned over the years, watercolor painting is not a handicraft to be taken on without some level of instruction. Believe me. I’ve tried. It takes time to develop and build the skill required, and this starts with brushwork.

To walk us through the process of learning brushwork, I have chosen the book, Brushwork, Elementary Brush-Forms by Marion Hudson. This book was originally published in 1903, around the time of Charlotte Mason. I don’t believe this book was specifically used by Charlotte Mason, but it is considered to be an excellent resource for those wanting to learn watercolor or for those of us who follow the Charlotte Mason homeschool method. 

What is Brushwork?

If you are a Charlotte Mason homeschooler, like us, you will probably be familiar with the terms “brushwork,” “brush drawing,” or “dry-brush” when discussing watercolor painting. Although these terms are all tied together as part of a Charlotte Mason education, they are each slightly different.

Brushwork is the foundation of brush drawing. The goal of brushwork is to learn the basics, how to handle and control a brush, how to load a paintbrush, and how to maneuver a brush on paper. These are all very valuable skills that students will eventually use when progressing on to brush drawing and dry brushing.

Brush drawing is also a part of watercolor painting and is a natural progression from brushwork. Instead of using a pencil or pen to draw or outline an image, the artist uses a round brush to draw or paint the subject, using the skills learned in brushwork. A Charlotte Mason education encourages this type of watercolor painting, especially when illustrating nature in journals.

Dry brush painting is another watercolor painting technique, where a minimal amount of paint is loaded onto a brush. Any excess paint is wiped off before applying the brush to the paper, giving a textured or highlighted effect.

Materials Needed for Watercolor Painting

If there is one thing I’ve learned when it comes to buying handicraft supplies, it is to BUY QUALITY. Crafts reflect the money put into them and since you’re going to be putting a lot of effort into this, don’t take the cheap route! As a general guide, when starting a new handicraft, we start with the minimum, but we always look for good quality. Then, depending on our interest in the craft and as our skills grow, we grow our tools and search out better quality or even professional grade supplies.

The first thing to consider is the paints themselves. Watercolor paints vary widely and dramatically in quality. They come in a couple of forms – watercolor pans with paint bricks, and tubes of concentrated paint.

• Watercolor Pans – This type is typically marketed as a travel set and is ideal for outdoor or on-the-go painting. We’ve found this type of watercolor very useful, for example, to take on nature walks, and when nature journalling. We like this Artecho Watercolor Paint Set. It has 128 colors and comes with a water brush pen, a nylon brush, a pencil sharpener, a sketching pencil, a color chart, watercolor paper, a sponge, a portable tin box, and a velvet bag. Although the paint bricks are smallish, the colors are rich and vivid and provide opacity when desired.
• Watercolor Tubes – A set of watercolor tubes is preferred if at home, when you are able to sit down and spread out your paints. They tend to be of better quality and take less time to mix.

• Choosing a watercolor brush can be very overwhelming. There are so many types and sizes! Since our reference book does not specify a size or shape, I’m going to suggest two round brushes to start. We found that larger brushes are easier to start with, so we started by purchasing three – a size 4, 6, and an 8. For our purposes, we were looking for a brush that was mid-range in price, durable, able to hold and release paint well, while at the same time maintaining its shape. We ended up choosing the Princeton Velvetouch brushes from Blick, our absolute favorite art supply store.

• Watercolor paper is another supply that you don’t want to skimp on. Charlotte Mason had her students keep a “Brushwork” book. This book was at least 9″ x 12″ and was where the student would paint things they’d brought back from their nature walks. Since this size is actually an average watercolor paper pad, it works quite well. However, much of our brushwork practice will be done on quadrille paper with a 1″ grid. Since this paper is for practice purposes, I don’t get too excited about the quality, however, you do want it to be at least a medium weight with some absorptive ability, or the paint will bleed through, causing a mess.

• Don’t forget a small ceramic saucer (or two) to hold the paint and a couple of glasses for the water. We found ours at Daiso for a few cents. Obviously, you don’t want to mingle these items with your own dishes. Optionally, you may want something to cover your table and something to cover your clothes.

The Purpose of Brushwork

Brushwork is an introduction to watercolor painting. It also serves several other goals:

• According to Marion Hudson, in Brushwork, Elementary Brush-Forms, brushwork can help “train the power of observation by means of the eye and the hand,” “give knowledge of colour, form, and number, especially of familiar natural objects,” and help “develop originality and the power of imagination.”
• It can help develop fine motor skills.
• It develops observational skills.
• It helps to develop an appreciation for nature and beauty.
• It can improve handwriting.
• It provides great joy, satisfaction, relief of stress.
• You are guaranteed to have the opportunity to develop character while learning brushwork. Anticipate (and be prepared for) some dramatic spills and stains. They will happen.
• Brushwork is a form of narration. Students can convey their observations in a visual way through painting.

The Principles of Brushwork

As with each of our handicrafts so far, there are principles to use while teaching the process that ensure the work is of real educational value.

• According to our guidebook, the lessons only use six colors of paint. These are carmine, light red, indigo, cobalt, gamboge, and pale chrome (yellow).
• Do not work from copies. Always use natural, original forms, seasonally appropriate, and preferably something chosen by the student. Before beginning the lesson, allow the student the time to examine the chosen object carefully from all angles.
• Adapt the lesson to the student. Each student will be at a different level and will require a different amount of time and repetition. Remember that brushwork is a new skill and it will take time. Do not allow frustration to infringe on your time painting. Take the time to enjoy the process.
• Do not use compasses or rulers.
• As with each handicraft, cleanliness is an important, inherent lesson. The same applies to watercolor painting – maybe even more so. Demonstrate to your students how to keep a clean workspace and how to handle watercolor paints. Keep water, palettes, and paint bricks clean even while working. Use a separate brush for supplying water to the palette. If possible, use different paint brushes for each different color. If this is not possible, use a clean glass of water for washing out the brush.
• Learn to care for your paintbrushes. Make sure that you remove all paint when washing them, ensuring that the water runs clear. Reshape them with your fingers and store them with the brush side down or lying flat on a napkin to dry after each use.

How to Teach Brushwork in the Homeschool

• Start by scheduling brushwork into your homeschool day. If we do not plan for this, it is only too easy to push it aside as we get busy or distracted. Remember that art and creativity bring joy! This is part of the day that you should all be looking forward to! Schedule brushwork as a formal art lesson twice a week for 30 minutes.
• Be organized. Set up your space while your students are otherwise occupied. Give the students about 15 minutes to play outside after lunch. This will give you time to gather supplies and set them up.
• “It must be strictly understood that no help is to be given by others in the actual painting of originality, which should bear the child’s own stamp of originality.” Allowing the child the freedom to express themselves artistically is what brings joy. So be very intentional about allowing this freedom.
• Demonstrate to the students how to hold and maneuver the brush. Hold the paintbrush vertically, with only the little finger touching the paper, stabilizing the hand. Move the arm from the shoulder, not the elbow.
• Getting the right paint consistency is another skill to practice. Squeeze out a small pea-sized blob of paint onto the saucer. Drop a couple of drops of water onto the pan and mix it together with the brush. Aim for a viscosity between milk and cream.
• When painting, always start with the flower, then you may use the same brush for the leaves without washing it, “as a slight tint of the flower color usually improves the green.”

Happy Handicrafts Video: Mastering Brushwork: A Beginner’s Guide

Most importantly, ENJOY YOUR TIME PAINTING! This is a fantastic way to spend time with your children. Forget putting expectations on them. Abandon perfection. Create something beautiful – on canvas and off.

References:

• Brushwork, The Parents’ Review. [1893] Vol. 04, No. 06 p. 453-457
• Brushwork, L’Umile Pianta : For the Children’s Sake. 1903, May. p. 24-29
• Brushwork, Elementary Brush-forms by Marion Hudson