you want to learn how to paint?

Are you eager to learn how to paint art but unsure where to start?

This page provides information on the essential supplies, how to improve your skills, staying inspired, finding your own style and answers to other questions.

There is a pictorial guide to the tutorials. They are an excellent way to learn painting.

You can learn how to paint art with tutorials and tips.

Enter the awesome world of art!

you can learn how to paint art!

Whether you're 18 or 80, painting is for everybody, it can be a career or a hobby.

It's exciting to complete a painting, but where do we start?

what are the essential painting Supplies?

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

What do we need to start? We need paint, a brush and something to paint on.

what type of paint should we use?

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

The most popular types of paint are oil, watercolor and acrylic. Any of these three paints are great for learning to paint art.

Watercolor is a popular painting medium.

Painting watercolor is easy to learn.

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

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

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 rock.

Visit an extensive explanation of the 3 popular paint mediums.

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 learn to paint art with a couple of 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; #6 round and a 3/4" flat, synthetics are best for acrylics because natural fiber brushes retain water.

You may want to look at the budget supply list.

What Surface Should We Paint On?

Most artists learn how to paint watercolor on watercolor paper. Later you may try aquaboard or canvas made especially for watercolor.

Aquaboard is my favorite painting surface for watercolor.

Watercolor may be painted on specially prepared canvas.

Watercolor hummer on canvas.

Oil and acrylic are traditionally painted on canvas.

Stretched cotton canvas is a good option for learning to paint. It is convenient and ready for painting without any further preparation.

Linen canvas is more expensive. It has a fine texture that is perfect for portrait paintings.

Canvas boards are less expensive and great for practice and learning. They may warp over time. You may also use a tablet of canvas paper.

Hardboard panels have a smooth surface that's great for detail work. They are more expensive, but a great option when you plan to keep or gift the finished painting.

The surface we paint on is called a support. What are more art terms we can learn?

Are Student Paints a Better Buy?

Student quality paints are less expensive and certainly good for learning to paint.

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

How Do I Choose the Right Colors for My Paintings?

Lean toward a limited palette with the least number of colors possible.

First, decide on the main color for your focal subject. It may be a warm or cool color.

Next, select a color that's the opposite of the subject's color. For example, if the subject color is warm, choose a cool color. The opposite colors are great for mixing the dark, neutral colors for the painting.

Then, select a third color that complements or highlights the first two colors.

Get more details on how to choose colors for a painting.

Note: The painting tutorials list the colors used in that particular painting.

How Do We Clean the Brushes?

Watercolor and acrylic 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.

Be sure and clean your brushes before the paint dries in the brush!

Oil paint is cleaned up with odorless mineral spirits. Gamsol is the recommendation for painting indoors.

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.

What do I need for a place to paint at home?

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

Where is a good place to paint? What furniture do we need?

Get tips on setting up your home art studio.

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.

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 should we paint?

Finding ideas and inspiration is a fun part of learning how to paint.

Learn to look at things with an artist's eye.

Children make precious paintings.

The wonders of nature hold endless paintings. We may find interesting things to paint in the backyard or on vacation.

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.

You may want to paint the precious face of your child or grandchild.

Start a file of ideas.

Look at paintings in books, on-line or at art shows. Observe the techniques, the colors, and the brush strokes.

Keep your eyes open for inspiration. If you don't have time to sketch things, take some photos that will jog your memory later.

Where to get more ideas for future paintings.

frequently asked questions

There are lots of questions when we are learning how to paint.

Some common concerns are about composition, color theory, how to mix colors and how to find our own painting style.

what is composition and why is it important?

Composition is the way things are arranged in a painting.

There are different types of compositions.

A circle composition of Koi.

The composition is what invites the viewer into the painting.

A good composition will allow their eyes to move around the painting without any blocks or hindrances.

The first thing is we don't put the main subject directly in the center of the painting.

Also, there should be lines or implied movement that will carry the viewer out of the painting.

There are few tips and tricks we can use to make a good composition.

do we use color theory to mix colors?

Yes, definitely. Color theory is brought to light with the artist color wheel.

The color wheel is an essential tool for both new and accomplished artists.

We refer to it constantly, even if only in our head after we have it memorized.

It teaches us the primary, secondary and tertiary colors.

We use it to identify warm and cool colors, complementary colors. We can refer to it when painting forms and creating distance in our paintings.

It shows us how the colors relate to each other. It's our guide for mixing colors.

how do we stay inspired?

Share your paintings with friends, family and other artists.

Join your local art association.
Paint with other artists.
Go to painting classes, art shows and visit art museums.
We stay inspired by painting often.

How can I improve my painting skills?

The more we paint, the faster we learn.

Make time for painting. That's how we learn how to paint.

It's a good idea to start with small paintings. They don't take as long to finish and then we have more paintings to share.

Painting on a regular basis puts our learning into overdrive!

Many professional artists paint daily.

learn how to paint: tutorials index

The tutorials are great for practice and learning how to paint at the same time.

Choose the tutorials that pique your interest and start painting.

The best way to learn painting is by actually doing it!

You may be drawn to the fluidity of watercolor or the rich textures of oil paint.

Please Note: The Oil Tutorials may also be used for painting Acrylic or Alkyd.

how do i find my own 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.