LEARN TO PAINT COLORFUL CONTEMPORARY FOLK ART IN ACRYLIC By Heather Galler Table of Contents INTRODUCTION WHAT IS FOLK ART? TOOLS & MATERIALS PAINTING TECHNIQUES NAÏVE STYLE COLOR CHOICES DRAWING & PAINTING PROJECTS FRIDA KAHLO DAY OF THE DEAD OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE TREE OF LIFE GANESHA GAUTAMA BUDDHA CHINESE DRAGON MANEKI NEKO DUTCH TULIP FIELDS RUSSIAN NESTING DOLLS DALA HORSE ENGLISH COTTAGE GIRL HOLDING A CAT NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND FARM LANDSCAPE CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA INSPIRATION GALLERY ABOUT THE ARTIST Find all of the templates in this book at www.quartoknows.com/page/folk-art Introduction As an artist, I love learning about other cultures and customs, and I am always looking for new ways to be inspired. To me, folk art is an untapped well of inspiration—it is art that represents a person’s history and traditions. Folk Art Fusion will take you through the process of how I created 16 folk art paintings inspired by different countries and cultures around the world, including China, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, the United States, and others. Each subject in the book was carefully selected because it inspired me. What is Folk Art? Everyday people creating extraordinary works of art—this is the basis of folk art. Folk art relies on experience, community, and heritage rather than formal training. It is art that is felt rather than taught. Deeply rooted in tradition, folk art is an artist’s feelings, ideas, expressions, and customs brought to life. The term “folk art” was used during the 1700s and 1800s to describe art made by craftsmen, manual laborers, peasants, tradespeople, and working-class folk. These artists were untrained or had very little schooling in fine arts, but some had practical skills that they learned on the job, such as painting signs or houses. Folk artists today continue to be everyday folk who use their acquired skills— and their imaginations—to create their unique works of art. Because many folk artists have no formal art training, artistic rules such as perspective (drawing objects three-dimensionally in order to give them the illusion of depth and distance) and proportion (drawing objects so that their size and shape are harmonious to one another) usually are not followed. Folk artists often use simple artistic techniques, bright colors, and childlike perspectives, creating art as a means of self-expression rather than creating art that’s “correct.” This untrained style can also be called “naïve art.” Folk art is truly art of the human spirit. It is continually produced by people of all walks of life and from all over the world. As long as there are people with a need to imagine and create, folk art will always be around. Tools & Materials Here are the tools and materials you will need to complete the paintings in this book. PAPER Paper comes in various weights and sizes. I like to use 80-lb. paper because the paper holds its shape when painting. Thin paper warps when it gets too wet; generally, the heavier the paper, the easier it will be to paint. You can use paper in sizes 8 1/2” × 11” and 11” × 17”. PAINTS Paints should always be the best quality you can afford. There are two types of paint you can use for the projects in this book: acrylic paint and craft paint. paint you can use for the projects in this book: acrylic paint and craft paint. Acrylic paint will produce a good pigment with a deep intensity. Craft paint is a less expensive option, but it doesn’t contain as much pigment as acrylic. You might need more layers of paint to get the color and intensity that you want. PAINT PENS Paint pens—also known as paint markers—come in a variety of colors and types, but we will be using oil-based paint pens. I like to use oil-based paint pens because they add a glossy finish on top of the flat paint, which lends a bit more depth and interest to a painting. You can usually find paint pens in the glass paint section of any craft store. BRUSHES Paintbrushes come in low, medium, or high quality, and they have either natural or synthetic hair. For the projects in this book, choose synthetic, medium-quality brushes. Low-quality brushes shed, and high-quality brushes are costly and unnecessary for these types of paintings. There are several types of brushes available, from flat to round and pointed to angled. A flat brush is a good all- purpose brush to use for the paintings in this book. MARKERS Black permanent markers are ideal for drawing the outlines of the art as well as for filling in larger areas instead of using paint or a paint pen. Choose markers with varying tip thicknesses, from fine to broad. I have found that cheap markers