Level: Intermediate Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 7.5 Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease: 62.1 Drawspace Curriculum 8.2.A6-10 Pages and 33 Illustrations Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes Outline the contours of stripes on a zebra s face, and then paint inside their shapes Prerequisites: 8.2.R1 Painting Supplies for Beginners 8.2.A1 Set Up a Wet Palette and Mix Colors 8.2.A2 Get Started With Painting 8.2.R5 The Secret to Creating Symmetry Supplies: canvas board, script liner brush (also called a liner or rigger), painting supplies, paints, pencils (HB and 6B), erasers, sharpener This activity has two sections: Draw a Symmetrical Zebra Face Paint Neat Edges and Shapes Draw a Symmetrical Zebra Face 1. Use a ruler and an HB pencil to draw a vertical line of symmetry down the center of a canvas board (Figure 1). ArtSpeak Canvas board: An inexpensive rigid board with a canvas-textured surface that is ideal for painting. Line of Symmetry: A vertical or horizontal straight line dividing a canvas board into two identical squares or rectangles. Both sides are said to be symmetrical. Symmetry: An arrangement of lines, shapes, colors and/or values on opposite sides of a line of symmetry. Grid: An arrangement of squares of exact sizes proportionately drawn on both a reference image and a drawing surface. Even though the painting in this activity is 8 by 10 in (20.3 by 25.4 cm), you are welcome to use a rectangular canvas of any size you want. The overall proportions of your painting may end up different, which really doesn t matter. The goal of this activity is to simply improve your ability to paint neat lines with crisp edges. Begin painting in the center of your finished drawing. From there, work your way outward toward the edges of the canvas until the painting is finished.
2 8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes Figure 1 Make sure your canvas is turned to a vertical (portrait) format. Each half of your 8 by 10 in (20.3 by 25.4 cm) canvas board now measures 4 by 10 in (10.2 by 25.4 cm). 2. Use a ruler to draw a grid made up of ten squares on one side of the line of symmetry. Each square is 2 by 2 in (5.1 by 5.1 cm). 3. Use a sharpened 2H or HB pencil to draw three curved lines (Figure 2). A section of these three lines extends into or cuts across all but one grid square. 4. Draw the curved lines in Figures 3 and 4. Most lines in this drawing are curved. The outline of the eye, upper eyelid, and the outer edge of a center shape is added in Figure 3. Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 In Figure 4, the nose is outlined and an additional detail is added to both the eye and center shape.
8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes 3 5. Draw a long compound curved line from the upper right grid square down to the lower right grid square (Figure 5). Carefully examine the location of this line in each of the seven grid squares it travels through or into. The accuracy of this line is integral to correctly drawing several other lines. 6. Add a short curved line in the lower right square. Note that both ends of this line meet the line of symmetry. 7. Draw three more curved lines inside the outline of the nose. Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 One of these lines creates the shape of a nostril. 8. Draw two more long curved lines from the upper right grid square downward (Figure 7). One of these lines ends on the outer edge of the nose and the other on the line of symmetry. 9. Add two more lines in the two upper left squares (Figure 8). Each ends at the edge of the eyelid. 10. Add two curved lines that begin on the outer edge of the cheek and end on the upper edge of the nose.
4 8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes 11. Refer to Figure 9 to draw the straight and curved lines on the far left (in the background). 12. Erase the grid lines and redraw any sections of the zebra that are inadvertently erased (Figure 10). Figure 10 Figure 9 13. Use the technique in Lesson 8.2.R5 The Secret to Creating Symmetry to draw the other side of the zebra s face (Figure 11). Figure 11 Refer to 8.2.A1 Get Started with Painting for detailed information on: spraying a canvas with fixative thinning paint by mixing paint with water applying thinned paint to a canvas 14. Spray your drawing with two thin coats of fixative. Spray fixative usually takes about 20 minutes to dry in between coats. 15. Paint a thinned coat of white paint over the surface of your canvas to lighten the lines.
8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes 5 Figure 12 The lines need to be light as shown in Figure 12. If your lines are still dark, add a second thin coat of paint when the first coat dries. Paint Neat Edges and Shapes A script liner brush is ideal for painting neat edges but doesn t like making upward strokes. Other options are to use only sideways and downward strokes and rotate your canvas when convenient. Also remember to keep your script liner almost upright so the thinned paint mixture flows downward. To keep your brush steady, use the tip of your little finger to balance your hand as you slide your hand and arm across the painting surface. No need to use the colors shown in this lesson! As the artist, you get to choose any colors you want for your zebra painting. Be patient with yourself when learning to paint neat edges. Those lovely orange outlines in Figure 13 are difficult for even experienced artists. Keep in mind that each outline has two edges/sides. Don t fuss with the inside edges that get filled in with the color you re currently using (Figures 14 and 15). Instead, focus on painting neat edges on the side of each outline that doesn t get filled in until you change colors. Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 For help choosing and mixing colors refer to: 8.2.A9 Create a Color Wheel with 24 Colors 8.2.R2 Color Theory for Beginners You begin painting with the smallest oval in the center of the canvas (shown as yellow in Figure 15).
6 8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes Figure 16 Caution! Before you begin mixing paint, always make sure your wet palette is set up and ready to use. Otherwise, your mixed colors will dry before you have a chance to use them. 16. Mix any three colors you want for the inner three shapes. The colors used in the illustrations are yellow, gold, and orange. Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19 17. Outline and then paint the inside of the smallest shape (Figures 16 and 17). 18. Outline both the inner and outer edges of the next shape with its paint color. This gold shape surrounds the small oval you just finished (Figure 18). 19. Paint the inside of this shape with the same color (Figures 19 and 20). The process you used to paint these first two shapes is the same for all other zebra shapes: 1. Select and mix a color you like. 2. Use a script liner to outline the edges of the shape. 3. Use a larger soft brush to paint the space inside the shape. Figure 20
8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes 7 Figure 21 Figure 22 Caution! Script liners don t like thick paint. When a paint mixture is too thick: edges and lines are ragged (not neat). ugly white spots appear where paint can t fill small crevasses in the canvas. 20. Paint the third shape with the color you chose and mixed. The three colors in Figures 21 and 22 are all considered warm colors. Caution! If you leave a brush loaded with acrylic paint out of water for only three to five minutes, chances are it s ruined. 21. Mix two new colors to paint the shapes in Figures 23 and 24. The red in Figure 23 is also a warm color. Purple (added to the painting in Figure 24) is made by mixing a warm color (red) with a cool color (blue). If the mixture has more: red than blue, the resulting color is warm. blue than red, the resulting color is cool. Figure 23 Figure 24
8 8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes Caution! Never place a script liner brush sitting on its hairs in a container. Brushes are ruined if their hairs become permanently curved. After you wash your script liners, store them in a container with the hairs pointing upward. 22. Refer to Figures 25 to 33 in sequence to paint the remaining shapes. Choose your colors wisely and have fun. Figure 25 Figure 26 Figure 27 Artists hands sometimes become shaky while using a script liner to paint fine details, edges, or outlines. To prevent this problem: Take frequent breaks to wiggle your fingers and relax your hands. Remember to move your hand and arm (rather than just your fingers). Painting lines with a script liner is similar to drawing continuous lines with a pencil.
8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes 9 Figure 28 Figure 29 Figure 30 Figure 31
10 8.2.A6: Paint Neat Edges on Zebra Stripes Figure 32 23. Check over your painting from top to bottom and touch up and/ or repaint problem sections (Figure 33). Especially look for sections where: the paint is too thin to completely cover the canvas. the edges of stripes appear shaky instead of neat. Figure 33 Challenge! Create a contour drawing on a canvas board of an animal with spots, such as a Dalmatian or giraffe. Mix paint colors you love and use the painting process in this lesson to transform your drawing into a fun painting.