Techniques on Painting and Some Tools You Will Need
By Julie Shoemaker
This article will cover techniques on painting and some of the various tools you can use to start painting right away with oils,acrylics or watercolors. If you go into an art supply store, you can quickly be overwhelmed at the seemingly limitless choices of paints, brushes, accessories, and canvases. Don't stress, though. You only need a few basics to get started.
What are the best choices for painting surfaces, and what about easels?
First of all, you don't need a fancy easel (which can cost up to $500 or more) in order to paint. You just need a basic sturdy easel for your canvas, either tabletop or freestanding. If you can't afford an easel, just place some plastic or newspaper on your kitchen table and paint right there! I do recommend using stretched canvas (canvas that has already been mounted on wood frames).
They are not horribly expensive and they are much easier to use; when you finish painting, you have a work of art you can pop into a frame and hang immediately. There are other canvases that seem attractive to new artists. These canvases are called canvas boards. If you use small ones, 11x14 or smaller, then I say go for it. But do not use larger ones! The reason is that they will warp over time. It's better to spend a few more dollars on stretched canvas and not have to worry about this problem.
What other supplies does a beginning artist need?
You'll need a basic set of brushes but not as many as you think. I recommend starting with something like a No. 10 bristle brush. Bristle brushes work well with acrylics on canvas. Unlike watercolor, acrylics are tough. The bristle brush holds up and allows you to maneuver the paint well. You can use this brush to make many different strokes. I also use a No. 4 script liner brush for fine details. You will also want a No. 4 round sable brush, a fan brush, and a No. 4 flat brush. These basic brushes are all you need to get started. You may also want a soft hake brush on hand for blending. Watercolor artist should invest in specific watercolor brushes.
Finally, you will want a palette. You can find very inexpensive palettes in the art supply store that are just flat, generic palettes. However, I suggest you invest in a sturdy air tight seal-able palette so that you don't struggle with your paints drying out too quickly. Here is a great little technique I use when working on small projects that don't require a lot of paint. You can always use a paper plate for your palette and store it in a gallon plastic storage bag.
So many choices in paint, what should you look for?
You may be tempted to buy student paints, because they are cheaper, but I recommend that you invest in artist-quality paint and buy fewer colors at first. The brilliance and depth of the color of artist quality paint is remarkable. The colors you will need depend on what your style is and what you are painting. Learning the technique of mixing your own colors will save you much time and money when it comes to buying too many or the wrong colors. If you study and learn the color wheel, you will learn that you can mix red, blue, green and yellow to make almost any color imaginable. Of course you will also want to purchase white and black. Buy a started set of whichever medium you plan to use, oil, acrylic or watercolor. If using oil, I recommend buying water mixable oil.
A couple of other things that you will need that you probably have around the house already are; a water bowl, paper towels, a mister bottle, a pencil and maybe a hair dryer. So there you have it, techniques on painting and the tools you will need to get started. Have fun with this wonderful hobby.
If you want to learn more painting techniques and see exactly how to paint people landscapes and seascapes in step-by-step lessons, follow the link here. Painting People and landscapes with oil, acrylic or watercolor paint. The best way to begin painting is to follow prescribed instruction and get your feet wet. With a little practice, you will be well on your way to a rewarding hobby of painting. Let http://www.IamPainting.org show you how!
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