Learn to Paint at Michael’s!

Splashing paint on a canvas is a fun way to spend a morning, and you might just be surprised at the results if you try it for yourself! I recently attended a fine art painting class at the Michael’s store in Evansville, Indiana with instructor Joanne Massey, and it was a wonderful experience!

I had never painted before, so I really wasn’t sure how to begin. Joanne had many folders filled with images in a variety of categories, and since I love the ocean, I decided to start with a seascape. Joanne suggested sketching out the bare bones of the painting first, and this turned out to be a valuable reference once I began the painting.

Another helpful tip I received was to start by covering the entire canvas with a coat of paint.  Even a simple white coat will do, but I knew I wanted some coral and pinks peeking out from the sky and water, so I started with a base of those colors. Joanne taught me how to mix custom shades from just a few basic colors of paint.

Here’s the seascape in progress. I was quite pleased with the sky! You can see how the undercoat of paint adds depth to both the sky and the sea. Here’s where the sketch and the photos references came in handy! I combined details from both pictures and from my sketch to create my own unique view.

The finished creation! Joanne helped me add in some of the details and answered all my amateur questions very patiently! I highly recommend checking out your local Michael’s for classes of all sorts. You can link to the website here or click this link to find a store in your area. Whether it’s fine art, cake decorating, jewelry making, scrapbooking or other topics, it’s so helpful to learn from an expert! Many thanks to Michael’s for sponsoring this post and to Joanne Massey and my fellow students in the class for an informative and enjoyable experience!