How to Paint Art: Watercolor & Oil Tutorials
Are you dreaming of learning how to paint?
Art by Carol May is your comprehensive resource for aspiring artists. From choosing your first brush to finished paintings, I’m here to guide you through the fundamentals of color, composition, and techniques.
Whether you're brand-new or you've painted before, you'll find 30+ free tutorials here of butterflies, hummingbirds, waves, waterfalls, and more.
You can paint wonderful art!
You can paint wonderful art!How to Paint Art
Choose your starting point - whether you are brand-new, ready to learn, or looking for a full project - there is something for everyone.
Let’s turn your creative potential into paintings you’ll be proud of.
Pick your medium (watercolor or oil), get your simple budget-friendly starter supply list, ideas of what to paint, and get ready to begin painting art.
Follow the beginner path: an intro to values, composition, focal point, and color with quick-start practice - then choose your first beginner painting.
Explore the library for your next project. Choose your subject and follow a step-by-step tutorial with photos and detailed instructions for watercolor or oils.
How Do We Paint Good Art?
Great paintings are built on the fundamentals of art (value, color, composition, and focal point). Learn them to improve every piece you create.
Get tips on using the fundamentals.Start with the 3 points I often use to check my paintings for the core fundamentals of value, color, and a composition with a focal point.
The page also includes "Quick Start" practice exercises (5-15 minutes).
Painting Good Art
Start with the 3 points I often use to check my paintings for the core fundamentals of value, color, and a composition with a focal point.
The page also includes "Quick Start" practice exercises (5-15 minutes).
Get tips on using the fundamentals.When you want to strengthen your skills by learning in-depth techniques - go to the individual fundamental pages.
Popular color pages: How to Mix Colors and Color Schemes in Art.
In the beginning get a general understanding of the fundamentals.
Then, when you start painting the tutorials, you'll find they are seamlessly incorporated into the lessons to streamline your learning.
Step-by-Step Painting Tutorials (Photos + Lessons)
Have you ever looked at a beautiful painting and thought, "I wish I could do that"? You can - the tutorials show how to paint your own beautiful art.
Each tutorial takes you through a complete painting from start to finish.
Follow detailed step-by-step lessons in watercolor or oil (also good for acrylic) - beginner to intermediate.
Browse all step-by-step painting tutorials in oil and watercolor.
Popular Tutorials for Every Skill Level
Try one of these reader favorites. Each tutorial
lays out materials, steps, and helpful tips so you can paint with confidence.
Paint butterflies, landscapes, animals, flowers, and hummingbirds while learning professional techniques you can apply to any subject.
How to Paint a Butterfly: Paint delicate wings, patterns, and vibrant color contrasts.
How to paint a dog on canvas: Easy steps for beginners using only three oil paint colors.
Watercolor Hummingbird Tutorial: Paint a Ruby-throated Hummingbird with beginner techniques.
Learn
to Paint by Doing: Oil & Watercolor Tutorials
Painting the step-by-step tutorials is a great way to learn while you paint.
They cover everything from choosing materials to mastering fundamental skills like color mixing, composition, and painting with values.
Ready to pick up the brush? Choose your medium and follow along.
Oil Painting Tutorials
Learn Watercolor Step-by-Step
Enjoy the beautiful translucence of painting with watercolor.
Paint with an Award-winning Artist
Meet the artist and see my paintings. Learning how to paint is full of discovery, creativity, and joy!
"Country Barns"Painting has been my passion for more than 40 years.
My work has earned multiple Best of Show awards, including “Country Barns” (above).
I created Art by Carol May to share the joy of painting and to help you learn with friendly, step-by-step tutorials.
Inspiration from the Studio
Get inspired by completed works in watercolor and oils, from turtles to landscapes. See what’s possible when you apply the techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
A blank canvas is waiting to come alive with your stories and creativity. A world of possibilities comes with each stroke of color.
Should I Start with Oil, Alkyd, Watercolor, or Acrylic Paint?
Should I Start with Oil, Alkyd, Watercolor, or Acrylic Paint?
Oil is the classic, historical paint. It gives the artist time to blend and work the paint before it dries.
Alkyd is the modern oil paint that dries much faster with the same beauty and richness as oils.
Watercolor is often used for light, intricate works. Once their techniques are learned they make wonderful paintings.
Acrylic paint is fast drying and popular with beginning artists.
Compare the four popular paints by: best colors, ease of use and expense.
Can I Start Painting on a Budget?
Can I Start Painting on a Budget?
Certainly, we don't have to spend a bundle to get into painting. Basically, we need paint, a couple of brushes and something to paint on.
What Should I Paint?
What Should I Paint?
Paint what you see in your environment. It's easier to paint things you are familiar with, things you know.
Painting is an avenue of self-expression. That's the joy of painting!
How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Painting?
How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Painting?
It all depends on how much time you put in on painting. The more you paint, the better you get.
A long painting session once a month is not profitable as short, frequent painting sessions. You can speed up your learning curve by painting daily.
How Do I Develop My Own Style?
How Do I Develop My Own Style?
When you start painting don't be concerned about doing any specific style.
Practice painting some of the different tutorials. As you paint, your own painting style will emerge from what you enjoy the most.
How Do I Prepare a Canvas for Painting?
How Do I Prepare a Canvas for Painting?
Raw (unprimed) canvas is generally painted with three coats of acrylic gesso.
However - ready to paint canvases (they are already primed) are readily available at art stores. Our time is better spent painting art, not gesso.
What Is the Most Common Beginner Mistake?
What Is the Most Common Beginner Mistake?
It's easy for any artist - not just beginners to get so caught up in painting beautiful colors - that we ignore values (the light and darkness of colors).
It's easy to master values in painting. Values are the backbone of good artwork.
Immerse Yourself in the Joys of Painting!
Stepping into the world of painting is an enriching journey full of creativity and joy.
Get your supplies, select a subject and learn to paint with each brushstroke. The possibilities are as unlimited as your imagination!
Recent Articles
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How to Paint Good Art
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