Today began with everyone once again at their flat, the one we made the gradated wet blend and the stumble on. We then proceeded to test various tools on this surface, by dividing the flat into four sections we were able to work with three main tools.
Those were slinging, rags, textured rollers, and combing.
We then experimented with some other tools on the floor. My personal new favorite is a mop head connected to a handle by a wire, which enables it to swing around. You soak this with paint giving an amazing spatter effect. Even when you soak it in water you get another spatter effect when you rink it out.
After that we had a lesson on proper spattering (the irony). It is not proper to bang your brush against another item (or hand), instead you manipulate your spatter by how thin your paint is, how much paint is in your brush, and where in your brush the paint is resting. You then flick the brush with your hand, and control the direction by pointing where you want to spatter. It is important to keep the wide edge of your brush (we were using 4″ lay-ins for spattering) facing down. Otherwise you will end up with lines of spatter instead of a uniform spatter. We also worked by doing wet spatters and bath spatters, which is playing with how much water is on your surface prior to spattering.
Following the spatter lesson we began lining. Properly built lining sticks are key. They need a beveled edge and a concave base, making the bottom of the lining stick only touch the surface in two locations. Angled Sash brushes are ideal forlining. We also used fiches and created soft edged lines.