what do you need to know to begin painting?

Are you eager to begin painting art but unsure where to start? The world of art is awesome!

Whether you're 18 or 80, painting is for everybody, it can be a career, a hobby or a therapeutic activity. Painting reduces stress and provides a sense of accomplishment.

You may admire the beauty of watercolor or the rich textures of oil paint. This page features tips on oil and watercolor techniques to get you started painting.

Enter the world of painting art!

There's nothing like the joy of a completed painting. On this page you will find:

ideas to start painting

Finding ideas and inspiration is a part of painting.

Everyday life is full of inspiring ideas for a painting. It could be the dog curled up in front of the fireplace, a cup of steaming hot coffee or the precious face of a small child.

The wonders of nature hold endless paintings.

Treasures from the seashore

The changing seasons, the clouds, a sunset, a tree blowing in the wind, and all the wonderful wildlife provide ideas for our artwork.

Just one visit to the seashore could hold a treasure trove of future paintings.

Observing the shape of the waves, the color of the sand, a crab running to hide and seashells we bring home could spark a myriad of paintings.

Look at things with an artist's eye.

Observe the color of things and how they change in light and shadow. Run your eyes around the shape of things, imagining you are drawing an outline.

Look at other's artwork. Look at the classic artwork in galleries or on-line. See what techniques they used, what colors, what brush strokes. What made them great paintings?

Could you use some of their techniques in your work?

Start a file of ideas.

Keep your eyes open and jot down observations and painting ideas for future paintings. If you don't have time to sketch things, we have a handy camera on our phones. We can snap some pictures that will jog our memory later.

begin with the Basics

Paintings are built upon the basic fundamentals of color, composition and values. These basics serve as the building blocks of your artistic expression. Get a good grasp of them and you'll be well on the road to successful artwork.

While we are learning how to paint, it's a good idea to learn the common art terms artists use when they are talking about their artwork. You can find them in the glossary of art terms.

color: a vital concept for every artist

Have you ever marveled at the vibrancy and harmony of the colors in a beautiful painting?

Color is fun!

A color wheel can be handy when we first begin painting. It can help in identifying colors and selecting pleasing color combinations.

The wise artist uses color temperature in their paintings.

Warm bright colors like red, yellow make objects appear closer. Cool colors like blue, green and purple make objects recede.

Color is a powerful tool in the hands of an artist. Once you understand colors, they will become our precious tool.

An important aspect of color is the emotional effect of colors.

good Composition creates good paintings

Composition is easy.

Composition provides the framework of our artwork. It's how the elements are arranged in the painting.

A well-composed painting is balanced, and each element harmonizes with the rest.

A good composition draws the viewers in and guides them throughout the painting.

The rule of thirds makes composition easy. It's a no-brainer when we are learning how to get into painting.

It always creates a good composition, so we can concentrate fully on the process of painting.

Divide the painting surface into nine equal portions.

Place the main elements of the painting along these lines or their intersections.

This automatically creates energy and interest in our paintings.

More ways to use the rule of thirds.

values in painting art

Values are one of the most important keys to painting good art.

Light and dark values create good paintings.

Values make impactful artwork.

Light and dark values are the backbone of our paintings.

Artists can use values to direct the viewers focus, add depth, and increase visual interest.

A painting without sufficient variation in values will look flat and dull.

Artists use different values to make objects look three-dimensional.

Learn to see and use values in your paintings.

There are many other principles of painting. But color, composition and values are the important foundations of successful artwork.

Learn and practice painting with the rules. Later you can bend the rules and find your own style.

essential Supplies to begin painting

Quality materials make painting enjoyable and affect the outcome of our paintings.

It's obvious we need paint, a brush and something to paint on. So, what do we need to start?

Oil paintings may be done on art panels.

Butterfly Fish on Gessobord

What Paint Should We Use?

You may actually try different types of paint to decide which one you prefer.

Acrylic paint is fast drying and relatively inexpensive. It can be painted on various surfaces. One of my art friends does little landscape scenes on rocks and she sells almost every one.

Oils dry slower, allowing the artist time to blend and rework passages before it dries.

Watercolor is often used for delicate, intricate works. Once their techniques are learned they make wonderful paintings.

Visit an extensive explanation of the 3 popular paint mediums.

Student quality paints are less expensive and certainly good to begin painting.

Artist paints (professional paints) are actually a better buy. They cost more than student paints because they contain more pigment. So, they cover better and produce more vibrant colors.

What Surface Should We Paint On?

Learn how to paint watercolors on watercolor paper. Later you may try aquaboard or canvas made for watercolor.

Acrylic and oil paintings are traditionally painted on cotton or linen canvas.

Linen canvas is more expensive, but it has a fine texture that is perfect for portrait paintings.

Stretched canvas is a good option. They are convenient and ready for painting.

Canvas boards are less expensive and great for practice and learning to paint. They may however warp over time.

Hardboard panels are another option that has a smooth surface that's good for detail work.

What Are the Recommended Brushes?

Begin with a couple of brushes to get the feel of the brushes and paint. We use different brushes for the three main types of paint.

You can begin with a couple of brushes and add more later. Get the brushes specifically labeled for the medium of your choice.

Watercolor brushes; #7 round and a 1" flat, "labeled for watercolor"

Oil brushes; #8 and #12 flat bristle brushes, hog hair is good. You may also use synthetic oil brushes.

Acrylic brushes; "synthetic" #6 round and a 3/4" flat, natural fiber brushes retain water. Synthetics are best for acrylics.

How Do We Clean the Brushes?

Acrylic and watercolor brushes clean-up with water. Swish the brushes in a container of water. Acrylic may require some mild soap the get all the paint out.

Oil paint is cleaned up with odorless mineral spirits. Gamsol is recommended for indoor painting.

Lay the cleaned brushes flat, horizontally to dry.

Don't put them upright to dry, stuff will run down into the ferrule and eventually ruin the brushes.

What Can We Use for a Palette?

Artists mix our colors on a palette. There's no need to purchase a palette to begin painting.

Watercolor can be mixed on an old kitchen plate that will wash after painting.

Oil and acrylic artists may use plastic or Styrofoam plates that can be trashed after the painting is complete.

How Do We Store Leftover Paint?

Art paints keep very well in their original manufactured containers. Out of the sun and in regular household temperatures, they are good for years.

Keep any open, unused paint in a covered palette box between painting sessions. For long periods of time oil or alkyd paint in a palette box can go into the freezer. Take it out of the freezer to thaw, about an hour before painting time.

Tube watercolors may be kept in a covered palette. Before painting, give the colors you intend to use a spritz of water to freshen the paint.

What More Do We Need to Know?

Good light and ventilation are a must for painting all mediums.

Where is a good place to paint? What furniture do we need? Get tips on setting up your home art studio.

painting techniques

Begin painting with the techniques to fuel your confidence as an artist.

Let's explore essential techniques of oils and watercolor with a short demo of each.

Whether you're drawn to the fluidity of watercolor or the rich textures of oil paint, this guide will equip you with the essential knowledge to start painting these popular mediums.

Acrylic and alkyd artists use the same techniques as oil painting.

Do we have to draw?

Drawing is a part of painting. Our paintings turn out best, if we have a good idea of what and why we are doing the painting. That includes drawing.

how to do oil painting

Oil painting offers a unique richness and depth that can transform your artwork. If you're eager to begin painting with oil, understanding the essential rules and techniques can make all the difference.

This section will guide you through the crucial steps to create beautiful oil paintings, so you get the most out of this classic medium.

Explore Oil Painting Supplies

two rules for oil painting

Oils are painted THIN to THICK and DARK to LIGHT.

Thinly underpaint the dark colors.
Paint the medium values with medium thickness.
Finally, paint the highlights and details with thick, light paint.

These rules are the same for alkyd and acrylic paintings.

oil painting demo

This short demo is an excellent way to get the feel of oil painting. Get your supplies and try it!

Phthalo Blue and white paint, you could also use a dark brown, black or Prussian Blue.
The painting is on a 8x10" canvas. You could use a canvas paper pad or a canvas board.
A flat or bright brush is ideal for painting the edges of the mountains.

A good way to paint a landscape is to start at the top of the canvas and paint down toward the bottom. This enables the closer items to overlap those behind them, thus creating the illusion of distance in the painting.

Other paintings may be done in a different order.

sketch the large shapes

Outline the composition and lay in the sky.

Outline the large shapes with thinned paint.

Start painting the sky darker at the top and lighter toward the mountains. Let the sky dry a bit. Then we will smooth it out later after painting the mountains.

1. thinly paint the darks

Paint the mountains from the back forward.

Paint the mountains from the back to the front with THIN, DARK paint, each one is darker coming forward.

The mountains are darker at the top and lighter at the base to simulate mistiness.

2. paint medium values

Paint the water with the mountain reflections.

Paint the water and the reflections with fewer details. Paint the dark first, then medium, then light.

The dark reflections are slightly lighter and the light reflections are a little darker.

3. highlights and details

Paint the final details of the reflections and refine the sky.

Soften the sky with a clean brush and make any other final adjustments you desire.

Load your brush with THICK, LIGHT color. Stroke the highlights on the water horizontally.

do you want to start oil painting?

A dog oil painting tutorial

Practice the same oil painting rules you just learned with this fun dog tutorial:

Paint dark to light.
Paint thin to thick.

The painting uses a simple color scheme with only three colors and white.

Black, grey and brown are not included in the three colors.

You get to use the easy method of mixing black, brown and grey from the selected palette colors.

begin painting more oils

Paint with the rules of oil painting.

This exciting tutorial is for intermediate artists. It uses the rules of classic oil painting.

Paint dark to light. Paint thin to thick.

First you underpaint by blocking in the dark colors of the horse.

Then block in the background water and paint the sky.

While painting thicker and lighter, complete the beach and the ocean waves.

After the sky is dry, highlight and detail the horse.

how to watercolor

Begin painting watercolor, it's an exciting journey that allows you to explore the delicate interplay of light and color.

Watercolor is painted the opposite of oil painting techniques.

In this section, we’ll cover the step-by-step process that will help you create watercolors with ease.

the essentials of watercolor

Paint watercolor from LIGHT to DARK.

Do a light pencil sketch, then begin painting.

Start with light washes of color.
Glaze the washes darker where applicable and paint the dark colors.
Detail and finish; scratching out highlights, darken where needed, any small brushwork, etc.

watercolor demo

This example used the primary colors of yellow, red and blue.

It was done using a round Black Velvet watercolor brush on a small watercolor tablet that's ideal for practice. Watercolor Supplies

do a light pencil sketch

Lightly sketch the composition with pencil.

In a landscape painting, it is not necessary to draw every little detail.

Go for the big shapes. Good composition places the waterline above or below the center.

Sketch the outline of the two big rock formations. The front rocks are painted in later.

1. start with light washes

Start watercolor paintings with light washes.

Wet the entire paper except for the big rock.

A. Turn the paper upside-down. Start painting at the horizon line with yellow, red, then blue.

B. Turn the paper upright and paint yellow, red and blue down to the bottom edge. The wet paper blends colors as you paint.

2. paint the darks

Mix a dark rock color with a combination of red, blue and yellow.

The three primary colors always mix to make neutral colors that harmonize with the rest of the painting.

3. detail and finish

Darken the rocks and the water where desired.

Darken the rocks with a second layer. Paint more darks and color into the water.

Mistakes can be corrected. Using a damp brush, I pulled some yellow off the water at the horizon. Then painted a bit of blue.

paint an easy watercolor

Paint this step-by-step watercolor.

Many people begin painting with watercolor.

You can paint this Angelfish with watercolor.

You are provided with the reference photos, how to get ready to paint with tips for doing any watercolor painting.

Using just a few colors creates a harmonious piece of artwork.

What do we do if the watercolor paper is wavy after we paint on it?

There's an easy way to solve the problem of wavy paper.

more about how to watercolor

Refine your watercolor techniques.

Learn more about painting watercolor with this captivating tutorial.

Review the basics of how to use watercolor, what supplies and colors are recommended for watercolor painting.

Draw and paint this feisty Rufous Hummingbird who doesn't mind sitting on such a thorny branch.

Start painting with the light colors. Then when they are dry, glaze on the darker colors and shadows.

This painting uses only three colors, yellow, orange and blue.

Green is not included so you get to practice a bit of mixing colors.

finding your unique style

Experimenting with different painting styles is part of finding our personal artistic voice. From realism to abstract, and impressionism understanding the styles can enrich our artwork.

Realism depicts subjects as they are in real life. It takes sharp observation, technical skills a lot of time and patience. It's a challenge, but it can be very rewarding.

Abstract art works with shapes, colors, and forms, that may or may not represent real-life subjects. It conveys emotions and ideas rather than discernible objects.

Impressionism emphasizes light and color, instead of realistic details. The impressionist often uses bold brushwork to create vibrant and dynamic paintings.

Trying different styles expands our horizons and we can discover new ways to express ourselves.

Our artwork may not be a specific style, but it will be uniquely ours.

Don't hesitate to experiment.

Realism requires patience.

Painting is not a one-time adventure. The more we paint, the better we get and the more we enjoy the art of painting.

As you explore the different techniques and subjects, focus on the joy of creating and allow each painting to teach you something new.

let your creativity flow

Now you know where to look for painting ideas, the basics of good paintings, essential materials and the rules and techniques to begin painting oils and watercolor.

As you continue to develop your skills, explore more pages on Art by Carol May to deepen your understanding and passion for painting art.

Don’t hesitate to experiment, express yourself and find your style. That's the joy of painting.