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Painting Techniques For Beginners

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Want to pick up some painting skills but not sure how? Don’t think you can do it because it is too “difficult” or you don’t believe you’re talented enough?

painting

You don’t always have to be gifted to be good at something. All you really need is a little time, effort and maybe a few helpful techniques.

This article will help you become a better artist with a variety of painting techniques. Before you know it, you’ll be displaying your works of art in beautiful wall frames throughout your home!

Get Your Supplies

First of all, before we start the beautiful painting process, we need to run to the art store and pick up some equipment to make that perfect masterpiece. There are tons of options available, some more beginner-friendly than others. So, let’s delve into the best type of paint for a beginner level.

We recommend steering clear or oil paints, at least to start. Aside from the lengthy drying time and headache inducing aroma, oil paints aren’t very forgiving if you make a mistake. They’re also tricky to control due to the changeable consistency.

Another tricky place to start is with watercolour. Though they produce beautiful pictures, watercolour can be a difficult medium to get the hang of – what with the combination of pencils and paints!

For total beginners, we recommend starting with the most straightforward paints – acrylics. Simple, consistent and easy to mix, acrylics are the perfect starting point for any budding painter.

So, you’ve got your paints, what else do you need?

  • Canvas – a great material for acrylics!
  • Palette
  • Brushes
  • Palette knives
  • A range of acrylic paints
  • And paper towels to keep your brush dry
  • Jar for water

Now that you have all of your supplies and are ready to become the next Picasso, let’s talk techniques.

Do Some Research

Good painting techniques are critical to becoming a good artist; you don’t want to pick up bad habits right from the get-go. Getting comfortable with the brush is essential as you are just starting out, and it is suggested to watch a few (or many) videos online of how an artist paints and watch their brush handling to give you some inspiration and a good idea of how to paint correctly.

Now let’s get out the acrylics and put brush to paper!

A Wet Brush vs a Dry Brush

To produce a top-notch acrylic painting, you don’t want to go in too strong with too much paint straight away. As such, make sure you’re adding water to your paints. This will help make the painting thinner – a much more manageable consistency, especially if you’re wanting to cover large areas of your canvas.

By contrast, a dry brush is also beneficial to create a strong current of colour on the page. Unlike with water, acrylic paint alone won’t soften the edges of your brush, allowing for more texture and movement to the line. Why not try painting with both techniques and see what you prefer?

Now you might be thinking, this is all very well but I don’t even know what to paint!

Well, a plan is always helpful.

Have a Plan

You might be feeling brave and wanting to paint straight onto your canvas – this can be incredibly liberating and helpful if you’re opting for abstract.

But if you’ve got empty page fear, why not choose an image to copy and map it out with a pencil first – just remember to go lightly with your pencil so you don’t have to work overtime to cover up the lines with your paint.

Layer Up

Our final top tip? Layering! You can always add more but you can never take away, so start with light layer of paint and build it up slowly (it’s easier to cover up any mistakes this way!)

Now you know the basics, it’s time to start painting!

As you’re just starting it, remember to believe in yourself, take inspiration from other artists, and master the basics. Painting is a fun and therapeutic way to get creative – so remember to be yourself, and don’t take it too seriously.