All About How to Paint

how to paint
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Learn How to Paint: It’s Easier Than You Think

Painting is a skill that many of us would like to have, but few ever master, let alone try out. But why not? It’s a wonderful skill to have, it improves and complements other creative abilities you may already have learnt, and there’s no need to be intimidated by it when it’s broken down into easy steps the way that our free painting lessons do.

 

How to Start Painting

The first step of beginner painting is determining what kind of paint is best for your work. Sometimes, it’s a matter of cost: what do you already have on hand? Watercolors, acrylics, oils and pastels are the most common media, and all require different kinds of surfaces. Any of them are good to begin with, especially if you already have beginner drawing under your belt.

Once you’ve determined what kind of paint you’ll be using, you then need to kit yourself with the right tools for the job. Using canvas? Then you’ll need to prime it without something like gesso – but not any gesso; it has to be the appropriate gesso for your medium. Using paper? Well, better make sure it has enough tooth if you plan to paint with pastels.

Sounds like a lot to consider, right? It won’t be so bad when you read our free how to paint guide with a checklist of tools and supplies you’ll need.

 

Learning art color theory

Color is more than just a shade: it’s composed of hue, chroma and value. If you can read those characteristics from a color, you are already halfway to being a color master. The key is to understand the art color wheel. You need to be able to determine where you can place shades on the wheel, as well as being able to draw your own with the colors that you have.

First, you need to understand primary colors, but if you have that down, you should progress to a thorough understanding of secondary colors, tertiary colors and complementary colors.

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Join the Conversation!

  1. I really like how the down-to-earth teaching goes which has actually caused me to advance in my painting and shading skills.

  2. I really like how the down-to-earth teaching goes which has actually caused me to advance in my painting and shading skills.

  3. I really like how the down-to-earth teaching goes which has actually caused me to advance in my painting and shading skills.

  4. Hi Bill,

    There may be up to a 48-hour delay for uploads of images because they have to be moderated. I hope you will continue with us at Artist Daily and give the new format a try. Be well and let me know if you have any further questions. All best,
    Courtney

  5. Hi Bill,

    There may be up to a 48-hour delay for uploads of images because they have to be moderated. I hope you will continue with us at Artist Daily and give the new format a try. Be well and let me know if you have any further questions. All best,
    Courtney

  6. Hi Bill,

    There may be up to a 48-hour delay for uploads of images because they have to be moderated. I hope you will continue with us at Artist Daily and give the new format a try. Be well and let me know if you have any further questions. All best,
    Courtney

  7. I don’t know who may eventually read this, but since this site has been “remodeled”, it is virtually impossible to navigate with any sense of logic. When I upload a photo of my work, it disappears, and I can’t find it anywhere. All I want to do is to view paintings of mine, and of others. That seems impossible to do now. So, I have decided to quietly disappear from this site, with no hard feelings. Perhaps some old-timers appreciate the new “format”, but I surely don’t.

    Take care, be good, keep painting! I’m outta’ here. Bye.

    William F. Martin (Bill)

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