#1 pick a time and a place

• Have a special place to paint.

If it's possible, have an area where you can leave your paintings things out. You will be more likely to paint.

• Set aside time to paint.
  

Painters progress rapidly when they paint regularly. Dedicated artists have painted daily for generations.

Learn how to start a painting and practice.

The more we practice the better we get.

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paint often

You may have photos you took on your vacation, a photo of your pets or flowers, etc.

• A Word of Caution - Photos from a postcard, calendar or a magazine are covered under copyright laws.

Do not copy them directly without giving credit to the photographer.

• Artist's paintings are also copyrighted.

what paint will you use?

Choose your painting media (watercolor, oils or acrylics) and the brushes suitable for the media.

Professional artist grade paints have more pigment and cover better than student paints.

what will you paint on?

Choose a painting support suitable for your media - paper, canvas or panels.

what size will your painting be?

Small things like hummingbirds or butterflies normally go into small sizes.

Landscapes and seascapes are usually painted larger.

• Do some sketches the size of a postcard.

Sketch the large portions of the painting to lay out the composition. Pay close attention to the values. Contrasting values create stunning paintings.

• If the subject has a lot of intricate detail, do a drawing to scale.

When you are satisfied with your composition transfer it to your painting surface.

drawings for watercolor

Do your drawing on a separate piece of paper.

Transfer the drawing to your selected painting surface with graphite paper.

Alternately, if you are good at drawing, you may lightly sketch the drawing on the watercolor painting surface.

Use a graphite pencil and do it without erasures, so you don't damage the painting surface.

drawings for oil paintings

If there is a lot of detail, do the drawing on paper first.

When there is not much detail, do an outline sketch with thinned yellow paint directly on the canvas.

If you don't like a line, rub it out with a rag or a paper towel.

Pale yellow lines are easy to paint over. They will not show in the final painting.

• Three to five colors will give you a harmonious painting.
  

It's good when you learning how to start a painting to not use all your colors.

A painting with too many colors is disconcerting. The viewer's eye doesn't know where to go.

Select a color scheme to give cohesiveness and punch to your paintings.

Mix additional colors from your selected colors.

• The logic of painting a painting

• Guidelines for painting with oils
  

• What about watercolors?

painting is lots of fun - enjoy!