So many people tell me they don’t have an inch of talent when it comes to art! I believe anyone can tap into an artistic side if they just try. All you need is the desire to create something. Painting is a fun a way to express yourself. You don’t have to take an art class; in fact if you’ve ever tried finger painting, you’ve already had an introduction to painting. Learning how to paint is not as hard as most people think. All it takes is a few materials and an idea and you are on your way!

CHOOSING PAINT MATERIALS

The hardest thing to decide on is choosing which paints to buy. Watercolors are meant to be diluted and applied thinly whereas acrylics are meant to be picked up and applied in a thick layer. Pick a paint that you can afford to use a reasonable amount according to your liking. I started painting with watercolors but later decided to use acrylics for brightness and have been using them ever since. They are affordable and easy to clean up as well.

If you have small children, you may want to consider safer products to have around your little ones. Paints are not made to be eaten but you should consider buying non-toxic paints. This would protect your child or pet if they made that mistake.

A lot of beginners start out with synthetic brushes. There are also many shapes to choose from, you could try a ROUND brush for watercolors, FLAT for acrylic, and try a FILBERT for oils.

To get started painting, you’ll need something to paint on such as watercolor paper. This material could curl up as you add paint so a way to prevent this would be to paint a big X from each corner to the other on the back of your paper. I prefer stretched canvas but this could take a lot more paint to cover up since it is more porous. I also like canvas board for beginners. You’ll also need a cup of water, a paint palette and a surface to paint on. You don’t want to mess up your fancy furniture or nice flooring so laying down some newspaper or a drop cloth would be wise. This will make clean up easier since you might drip and splatter paint as you try your first painting.

PAINTING IDEAS

Now that you have your materials, it’s time to paint your idea! An artist doesn’t have to paint landscapes or portraits; you can simply create a cool abstract painting with swirls and shapes if you aren’t ready to create a picture yet. Learning how to paint takes a few tries at different ideas before you find out what you really like to create. I have tried painting fruit, animation, trees, animals, and also abstracts. Pick a subject you are interested in and if it helps, find an object to look at for a reference. For example; if you want to paint an apple, grab one from your kitchen and place in front of you while you paint.

Make sure you are confident with your brush strokes. If you aren’t confident then you simply won’t like the outcome. If you’re afraid to mess up, you might want to sketch your idea on a different paper first. Many artists, including Masters, start out with a black outline. You can paint your outline right on your canvas. I personally start out with a main color and do my black outlines last. It does not have to look exactly like the apple in real life; just outline it as you see it. That’s what art is, it's your perspective. Let’s say you want to paint that apple of yours for example, if it’s a red apple, dip your brush in water, pick up paint with your brush, and outline the shape of your apple. Fill it in with color.

Hopefully, by now you are confident enough to create your first work of art! I hope my tips have given you some great ideas of how to paint. Remember that you should never give up! Keep Practicing!!!