Making Art is Easy

 

The pactice of making art is easy. It might seem daunting when one thinks of starting a painting ; however it's fairly easy getting started with any medium. No matter what medium one chooses to paint with, each medium has its own principles. Solvents, drying time, painting surface and brushes differs from one another.  For example acrylic and Watercolor can simply use water to dilute the paint , on the other hand, oil paint needs linseed oil for mixing etc. But, there are some general rules to be considerd for a beginner who is  just starting out with paint and it applies to all painting mediums. 

1. Start with small paintings.  Painting small gives the chance of experimenting different techniques and styles without using  too much time and material in the process. Small canvases with 8x10 or 9x12  dimensions are perfect for beginners.

1. Set up a well organized painting area that materials are easily within reach. Make sure the light source positioned the way that painting and the subject can be seen easily. This makes the process of painting easier so one would be inclined to paint more often.

2. Invest in good painting supplies such as paint and brushes.  Buy a limited number of tubes of paint but a professional grade ones that has great ratio of pigment to binder. For starters a tube of each primary colors of red, blue and yellow  plus black and white is enough.  All other colors can be mixed from these limited of primary colors. Also, purchase a few high quality brushes, don't be tempted to buy more and different shapes. Usually three different sizes are all you need. Brushes are mediary between paint and the painting surface. A good brush applies the paint with better coverage and perfect finish. 

3. Learn color theory and practice color mixing . Have a palette of warm and cool of each  primary color and mix your own secondary colors. I will write about my colors of choice in another article in depth. 

4. Using limited painting palettes is a great option to start as a beginner. There is no need to use all colors in your painting. It has always been advised to start with monochromatic painting that has one hue plus black and white to darken and brighten and create different shade. Also to create a certain mood you can only use cool or warm colors. If the subject is nature it's a good idea idea to add earth tones  such as burnt Umber, burnt sienna and yellow ochre to the palette.

5. Layer the painting. Each layer of paint gives body to the subject. By building up layers gradually, colors of light and dark stand out and give a rich depth and atmosphere to the painting.  

6. Keep your brushes clean and your painting area tidy. Painting can get messy. Have containers of water or solvents as well as rags or paper towels handy to clean the brushes in between painting. Dispose of  paints mediums, rags and paper palettes properly after the painting is done. 

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