Bring out the creativity in you through painting
In this article, we’re here with some top tips for beginners, to help you kickstart your painting adventure.
15/03/2021
As creative expression goes, painting is one of the best methods.
It’s soothing, there are plenty of textures and hundreds of colors to play with, and you can get good equipment for relatively affordable prices if you know where to look.
You could learn how to paint anything you wanted with the right energy, effort, and motivation.
There are many benefits to painting for everybody, regardless of age or gender - not only is it a great way to release your emotions, but it is also proven to have a positive impact on your mental health.
Today we’re here with some top tips for beginners, to help you kickstart your painting adventure. The most important advice we can give you is: have fun!
Getting Started With Paint - Steps To Success
Pick Your Paint - Which One Sounds Best
There are several kinds of
paint to choose from, your basics being
watercolor, acrylic and oil. Each of them has
positives and potential downsides, so it’s up to
you; you might like to try all of them out in
turn to give them a fair shot!
Acrylics
are perhaps the easiest to work with for
beginners, given that you don’t need to mix them
up or utilize specialist equipment. Just squirt
them out of the tube and onto your palette, then
get ready to paint. Be aware that they dry
rapidly though!
Watercolors are the
hardest to use in my opinion, given you’re
reliant on water, which is uncooperative at the
best of times! Likewise, making edits or fixing
mistakes is also more difficult because, well,
too moist and your painting is ruined.
Oils are good once you’ve had some practice with
acrylics, given you can really mix up texture,
consistency and drying time by using chemicals
like paint thinner. Whilst opening you up to new
techniques, this is also the trickiest paint to
set up.
Decide Your Painting Goals, Then Stick To Them!
There has to be a reason
you want to give painting a shot in the first
place.
Maybe you’ve been inspired by a
piece of art you saw and want to try your hand;
perhaps you’re great with a pencil and want to
expand and experiment with different media.
If you aren’t actually committed to spending
time and effort honing your craft, there’s
really no need to invest in the best and most
expensive equipment, is there?
Think
about what your realistic goals are here.
Do you want to be able to paint a real life
object and render it realistically?
Maybe you’re just looking for a new way to
express yourself.
Either way, your
learning style and schedule is going to be
pretty different.
Those who want to
“learn” painting should seek out instruction -
whether that’s Youtube videos, online tutorials,
paid tutoring from an experienced artist or even
a paint by numbers kit.
Otherwise, those
taking a more Do It Yourself approach could set
aside a certain day or amount of time per week
for painting and try to stick to it.
Without an outside party to motivate you, it can
be easy to give in and give up. It’s all about
practice!
Stock Up On Supplies!
As
we said, it doesn’t have to cost the Earth to
get yourself up and running.
Your
makeshift studio can be any room you have space
to get messy without disturbing anyone, getting
distracted yourself, or ruining any priceless
family heirlooms accidentally.
Once
you’ve decided where you want to get your paint
on, it’s time to go shopping.
You don’t
need one of everything or paint in every color
under the sun: quite the opposite. It can be as
simple as these five must-have starter items!
- - Canvases/paper, various sizes
- - An easel or a desk to lean on
- - Palette to hold your paint and mix colors
- - A couple of brushes that suit your chosen paint
- - Paints, themselves!
Once you’ve equipped yourself with the above,
you’re good to go!
That’s not to say
there aren’t many more helpful accessories, like
palette knives for mixing or solvents for your
oil paints, but this is strictly what you need.
When it comes to price, your priority should
be getting good quality paints, brushes, and
canvases/paper; a thousand dollar easel or fancy
palette does not a good artist make!
That
said, you can always start off with the
affordable stuff and work your way up to a
fancier kit when you have the experience to use
it!