Maureen McNaughton - The Brushstroke Handbook

Maureen McNaughton The ultimate guide
to decorative painting
brushstrokes the
Brushstroke
HANDBOOK
North Light Books
Cincinnati, Ohio
www.artistsnetwork.com The Brushstroke Handbook. Copyright 2006 by Maureen McNaughton. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. The patterns and drawings in this book are for the personal use of the reader. By permission of the author and publisher, they may be either hand-traced or photocopied to make single copies, but under no circumstances may they be resold or republished.

It is permissible for the purchaser to paint the designs contained herein and sell them at fairs, bazaars, and craft shows. No other part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. The content of this book has been thoroughly reviewed for accuracy. However, the author and publisher disclaim any liability for any damages, losses or injuries that may result from the use or misuse of any product or information presented herein. It is the purchaser's responsibility to read and follow all instructions and warnings on all product labels. Published by North Light Books, an imprint of F+W Publications, Inc., 4700 E.

Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45236. (800) 289-0963. First edition.
10 09 08 07 5 4 Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct
100 Armstrong Avenue
Georgetown, ON, Canada L7G 5S4
Tel: (905) 877-4411 Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by David & Charles
Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4PU, England
Tel: (+44) 1626 323200, Fax: (+44) 1626 323319
Email: mail@davidandcharles.co.uk Distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link
P.O. Box 704, S. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-1-58180-782-0 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60061-599-3 (EPUB)
ISBN-10: 1-58180-782-1 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. paper) 1.

Painting--Technique. 2. Brushwork. 3. Flowers in art. Title. Title.

TT385.M37 2006
745.723--dc22 2005022448 Editor: Kathy Kipp
Designer: Clare Finney
Cover: Clare Finney and Brian Roeth
Layout Artist: Kathy Gardner
Production coordinator: Kristen Heller
Photographer: Christine Polomsky Metric Conversion Chart

Maureens first book for North Light is titled Beautiful Brushstrokes Step by Step , published in 2003. Dedication This book is dedicated to all painters and teachers of decorative art who share their love of this art form with others. To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. JOSEPH CHILTON PEARCE Acknowledgments Developing this book required the hard work of so many people. Kathy Kipp, my editor at North Light Books, had the vision for this book and was always there for me with encouragement and direction. Christine Polomsky, our photographer, shared with us a dedication to showing our readers how to paint step by step with her incredible photos in this book.

Thank you to all the folks at North Light whom Ive not met, but who have worked behind the scenes to make this a book of which I am most proud. Stan Clifford from DecoArt has never failed with his generosity and support through the years. Thank you, Stan. Rosemary Reynolds, the Helping Artist Coordinator with DecoArt, amazes me with her organization. She always goes that extra mile, making sure we had those glorious DecoArt colors for this book and also for my seminars and convention classes. Thanks to my friend, Ann Giesel, who expertly prepped all my surfaces for this book, and does so for all my seminars and classes.

Ann is always there to help me in any way she can. Her friendship means the world to me. A loving thanks to my husband, Jim, and son, Graeme, who took care of everything at home and in our business so that I could work the long hours needed for this book. A loving hug to our daughter, Laura, who is such an important part of our family. Their encouragement, love and belief in me make all things possible. contents Pressure Strokes

A small investment in good-quality brushes and paints will get you started. Practice the designs in this book on smooth card stock or canvas. Soon you will be painting your own greeting cards, decorating scrapbook pages and enjoying your new skills! Brushes In 1978 I introduced my line of McNaughton brushes. They have evolved through the years as my understanding of brush capabilities has grown. The unique construction of the synthetic filament is designed to carry the large amount of paint required for my technique, with even distribution through the bristles. Their spring and resilience make these brushes ideal for stroke-work.

Round The round brushes are full-bodied and come to a sharp point. The sizes of round brush used in this book are: no. 1, no. 2, no. 3, no. 5, no. 6, no. 7 and no. 8. 8.

Liner The liner is a round brush with longer bristles that taper to a very sharp point. It is used for linework and detail in this book. The short liner is used for very tight curls and tendrils. The liner brush sizes used in this book are: the no. 0, the 5/0, and the 5/0 short liner. Flat The top edge of the bristles of a flat brush is called a chisel edge, or chisel for short.

The chisel must remain closed tightly when the brush is filled with paint in order to form the points in flat brush strokes. The flat brush sizes used in this book are: no. 0, no. 2, no. 4, no. 8, no. 10 and no. 14. 14.