Mastering Strokes

Ever wonder why Suzanne Mikulka, CDA has letters following her name?

CDA stands for Certified Decorative Artist and is an award given to painters who show they are MOST proficient. It is only awarded to the best of the best. While Suzanne is an extremely skilled painter, even more – she excels at passing this skill on to others.
Mastering painting strokes involves controlling your brush’s pressure, speed, and angle. These variables dictate the thickness and texture of the paint. Beginners should experiment with basic motions. Build muscle memory by starting thin, pressing down hard, and lifting up slowly.

You will have a great day painting with Suzanne. You will leave with a new skill that will make your painting so much more confident. You will also learn how important having the ‘right’ brush is to your make your work more beautiful than ever!  Lunch will follow for all the mini-seminar painters at Skillets …serving sandwiches, paninis, wraps, and soups.

$10 DASF / $20 non-members

Registration:  Opens September 1, 2026
15 painters Maximum

Surface
Paper, supplied

Palette (Painters BYO)
Acrylic Paint (any one color of the usual craft paint such as DecoArt American or Other)

Bushes
“Loaner-Brushes”   …Plan to use the classroom set of loaner brushes for the best results
Great brushes help painters create great strokes

(Painters BYO) …Painters who want to learn on their own brushes and have them evaluated by Suzanne bring the following
Script Liner 2.0
1/2-inch Angle
Flat, Any Size
Round, Any Size
“Designer-Brushes”, …Deer Foot, Rake, Fan, etc

Supplies (Painters BYO)
Pencil
Water Bucket
Paper Towels
Paper Palette
Notebook , for taking Notes